The Art of Allowing by Kat Allen, MA
Part One: The 2 Steps of Allowing
Part Two: The 3 Faces of Spirit
Part Three: How Meditation Helps
in Activating Change
For New
Year’s, resolve to change nothing. Yes, I mean this to be provocative, because
I notice the same thing happening each time this year. As daylight hours have grown fleeting, and
the December holidays catch us up at a frantic pace, we Americans are endlessly
reminded to think about the changes we want to make for the coming year, and to
make a resolution to DO something differently.
We are encouraged to join a gym, commit to a diet, take a class, take
control! What if, on the other hand, we
stopped and learned how to, in the words of Evangelist Joyce Meyer, “bloom
where we are planted.”
The Art
of Allowing is a major spiritual principle, known by many because of the
teachings emanating from Abraham-Hicks, who communicated at length about the
Law of Attraction. 1. All major spiritual
traditions touch on the Laws of Attraction and Allowing, and there are subtle
differences as well as similarities.
Differentiating from the Abraham-Hicks material, which references the
Law of Allowing in terms opening yourself to allow what you want to flow into your
life, this article is geared as well toward understanding the process of
resting in Spaciousness and deep Knowing before
taking Action. Orienting ourselves toward allowing in this
way enables right action to spring
forth from a deeper well of knowing (or
remembering).
The 2 Steps of Allowing
The first
step in the Art of Allowing, is to notice WHAT IS. Take a moment in the very recent past: notice
if you had an immediate response to the word “evangelist,” or the phrase
quoted. Or, for those of us in the Seattle area, how are you
feeling about the weeks of snow over the Christmas holiday? What comes up for you when you place your
mind on that thought? If it goes toward negative
judgment, even the tiniest bit, can you notice and allow that you have a mind
that becomes judgmental when it comes to Christian TV Evangelists or being
stuck in some way? What happens
next? If accepting that part of being
human is to be judgmental, what thoughts, feelings or sensations whirl out from
the original impression? Do they take
you further into “constricting” thoughts, or can you notice and allow, and not
attach? Conversely, if you enjoyed the
thought-sensation-image of blooming right where you are, thriving in the here
and now despite circumstances (snow), notice that particular flow of
thought-sensation-feeling.
And on it
goes. The point of this exercise, of
course, is to comprehend how often we are faced with 1) not being present
enough to really observe ourselves, really take in our experience, but rather,
2) how quickly we form opinions about our situation, some of which are
certainly not 100% true, and 3) that the mind is endlessly focusing on the next
thought. Notice how exhausting all that
thinking can be! Now feel the difference
in the body when you say to yourself instead, “And this too.”
The Art
of Allowing, in my opinion, is the highest spiritual principle, and practicing
it challenges me at the most extreme level. It is also the most freeing. “Allowing,” in its essence, is the act of
being, rather than the act of doing or thinking. It’s a practice of letting go of
any effort to control what happens around you and instead, is about allowing
the universe to unfold. Ultimately, the great gift of allowing is
watching the universe work on your behalf.
What follows is how you get to
that point.
The second
step in the Art of Allowing is to remember that Allowing is a practice of
unconditional love, while worrying is the practice of resistance. This area does have a “doing” component to
it, as we are constantly face to face with the suffering that certain thoughts
cause us. Now, it may seem “easier” to
be in a state of worry than in a state of unconditional love, but the great teachers
of the world remind us that this is simply a function of an undisciplined
mind. They remind us that it is actually
far easier to be in a state of spaciousness or Allowing; there’s just a few
things one needs to remember.
It's really simple, the Art of Allowing
is simply figuring out where your emotions are right now and making a conscious
effort to feel better than you currently are feeling. Your emotions are kind of
like your internal compass. They tell you if you are moving toward what you
want or away from it. The more joy that you are feeling, the more connected you
are to your Source, and in turn the more connected you are to what you want. 2.
In Abraham-Hicks’ words:
"Simply
put, allowing is the absence of doubt. I
am that which I am. And I am willing to allow others to be that which they
are. In order to allow what you want to
flow to you, you must allow others to focus on what they want, even if you
don't agree with their choices. (That
which you) desire can come to you very quickly, providing you have no
resistance in receiving it. How do you know if you're allowing? By noticing how
good you feel. Your emotions are always your guide.” 3.
This is another
reference to the Law of Attraction. When
we are in “right relationship” to Allowing and Attracting, we are in an
experience of surrender to our best impulses.
And when that happens, Universe can flow through us, and we through it,
in a way that is full of ease, joy and
stability. This is associated with positive
emotions. Lao Tsu refered to it back
in 650 B.C. as “living in the Tao.” Now,
surrender is a tricky word, as is trying to articulate any spiritual principle.
The 3 Faces of Spirit
Each of
us has a unique way of “being in” surrender, according to how we approach our
relationship to Source or Spirit. Ken
Wilbur, the developer of An Integral “Theory of Everything,” founder of
Integral Institute, and developer of Integral Life Practice® has identified
“Three Faces of Spirit,” which I find very helpful in examining how we
individually approach Spirit itself, or spiritual principles.
If Spirit
appears in a way that is vast and detached, ILP refers to this as Spirit in the
3rd person: “Spirit is known
as It…the ultimate mystery of
existence, the total Kosmos, including the very Ground of Being. You contemplate
It through nature, mysticism, philosophy, and action. In the 2nd person, Spirit is known
as You or Thou. You open to and commune with Spirit, often through
prayer. In 1st person, Spirit
is known as I. You awaken
consciously as inseparable from Spirit, often though meditation.” 4.
By meditating on one or all 3 Faces of Spirit (see website below), one gets the
opportunity to bear witness and surrender to “what is” on a regular basis. Soon, we are in such deep contact with Spirit
that a “knowingness” is felt in every cell of the body-mind, and we can take
action with the assurance that it is the perfectly correct course of
action. A master has this ability
available to her at all times; others of us are granted a few perfect moments
of allowing-knowing-acting.
Remaining
in a state of allowing isn’t at all difficult, except one thing: the ego reasserts
itself (thrives) when it is in a state of resistance, as a misguided way of
stating that it, indeed, exists. When we
are very clear and self-disciplined, we attract and allow that which we want in
our lives. But more often, we take
actions to obtain what we think we want, without being in the mindset to actually
receive the result. This is due, in
part, to subliminal messages acting on the subconscious mind that can undermine
our efforts.
How Meditation Helps in Activating
Change
That is why
meditation is so important a practice.
Say you want to, this New Year, try another approach to attaining what
it is you want? Let’s call it choosing a
different mind-set in relation to activating change. The good news: there is a simple process that
eases the way!
First,
practice allowing whatever is arising in the mind-stuff, just watching it, and
not doing anything. Next, experience a shift
in your mind-set, which has to do with examining or discovering your deepest
heart’s desire: for life, for relationship, for spirit, for the Journey of the
Soul. And finally, (and very much to the
point), Allow your heart’s desire.
How does
this come about? To move seamlessly into
a state of allowing, meditation teachers in the Art of Allowing say it’s
important to notice the following taking place:
Being in silence
(otherwise known as meditation)
Meditation is the fastest and easiest way to get into a state of allowing. As your mind quiets and you practice letting go of fear and frustration, a flood of peace
and acceptance comes in to replace them. This mind-set removes obstacles and
removes resistance, which leaves only . . . allowance! When that occurs, what is true for you
becomes immediately clear.
Notice Positive
Thoughts
Most of us are fully aware of the benefits of positive thinking, as the sages
and teachers remind us that “as I think, the universe unfolds.” Build a true positive thinking habit,
and watch it spread evenly across your entire life. Think positively, speak
positively and act positively whenever you can. You’ll be happier, increase the
frequency of your energy, and stay in a consistent state of allowing.
Sense an
Unwavering Faith.
A lot of us tend to flip-flop between immense faith and crushing doubt. I’m not referring to specific religious faith
only, but rather “shraddha,” a deep knowing
in the rightness of something. The
tendency to experience our faith as sturdy when everything is going fine, but not
so great as soon as we run into problems is problematic: uncertainty knocks us
out of kilter. The real test of faith is being able to hold it while in the
midst of difficulty. It might not be simple, but remember that having faith is
an option. You can opt to trust in and know that everything is as it needs to
be, or you can opt to believe it isn’t. When difficulties come knocking on your
door, select your mind-set wisely.
Detach
completely.
Most of us tend to revert
back to childish antics when we want something. We assume if we can just nag
the universe to death, it will give in and give us what we want. So we continue
meditating and praying and visualizing; spending hours mentally begging for
what we want, or fixated on it. This is not allowing - it is clinging and
grasping! As I’ve heard stated: “The universe heard your request the first
time, so there is no need to continue asking.” Instead, tell yourself that time
may be needed before it will show up, or it’s also possible that you won’t get
what you requested - but you may get something much better!
Do what you love
as often as possible.
Allowing is not just
about letting what is “be,” or getting
what you want, but rather figuring out how to open up to the natural flow of joy, passion and abundance that is open
to you at all times. When you do what you love, you automatically draw a
flood of positive energy into your life. Yes, this can absolutely help you
attract something you want, but it also sets you up to receive a lot more than
you asked for. Rather than just gaining one thing you desired, you find
yourself in a constant state of astonishment and joy as more and more great
things come your way.
Being willing to accept
to whatever comes your way, believing with all of your heart that it will be
completely perfect in all ways, you will come to rest in a Peace that passeth
all understanding. May it be so.
Peace, Love and Light,
Kat
1.
http://www.abraham-hicks.com/lawofattractionsource/about_abraham.php
This webpage offers a synopsis of the 12 teaching points of Abraham-Hicks.
The Law of
Attraction: whatever you
are focused on you attract more of; when you are focused on what you do not
want in an effort to defeat it or resist it, you are not allowing what you do want to flow to you. In short, be
more consciously selective about where you choose to focus your attention.
Rather than going into resistance about something you don't want or don't agree
with, flip your thoughts around to what you do want. “Just say yes!”
2.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Law-of-Attraction---The-Art-of-Allowing&id=728773
3.
http://www.secret2joy.com/art_of_allowing_hicks.html
4.
http://integrallife.com/awaken/spirit/practice-three-faces-spirit
This webpage shares 3 short meditations you can listen to based on the Three
Faces of Spirit, which are outlined as well.
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