Grasping the Means of Our Own Realization

A talk from and on line sitting, March 3rd

“Grasping the means of our own realization” is an important part of the Trillium approach to awakening. It means that we are encouraged – and supported – to find our own unique route to awakening, rather than following a standardized path. I love this aspect of our work. It says  that “one size doesn’t fit all,”and that different practices will work for different people, that we might find ourselves resonating to different teachers and mentors, that the time it takes will be different, and that our very experience of awakening might take different forms.

Of course, the reality is that this is all true whatever spiritual path we are on – which is perhaps why so many paths exist, or why people feel the need to change path from time to time (as our spiritual needs change).  But many teachers or teaching offer a more standardised set of practices or teaching, and encourage people to fit themselves into these.

However, this does present us with quite a challenge. We have to be able to tune into what our own path is – and take responsibility for doing what it takes to move along that path.  Many of us have quite a strong (unconscious desire) to have others be the “expert” who can tell us what to do. Or even have a strong inclination to rebel against what-ever we are being told to do – but it’s difficult to rebel when there are no specific instructions to rebel against.  Or we can just often feel uncertain and confused – not having a clear sense of what we need to do next.

Before clarifying our sense of consciousness, we might be driven forward by a thirst for clarification – or by the stories of enlightenment we have heard. After clarification of consciousness, this thirst or drive may disappear or lack its ‘driving edge’ which can make it rather harder to tune into “what’s next” on our spiritual path, particularly when “what’s next” means confronting some pretty difficult emotions, or making changes in our life that other parts of us would prefer not to make.

The other challenge is that ‘feeling the edge’ will take different forms for different people.  For some it may feel like a strong burning urge, for others, a soft murmur in the background. Christianity talks of the ‘still small voice’ of God talking to us: but what does this actually mean? How do we hear this? What does it feel like when we hear or respond to this?  How people experience the call to grow and deepen in Consciousness  is very individual, so exploring  these and similar  questions with others provides  a great opportunity  to become aware of different ways in which Consciousness makes itself felt in different people at different times.

Exercise

Below are a series of question that you might like to ponder, or explore with another person or in a small group of people. If you do this with one other person, let each person take a short time (5 minutes) to explore the question out loud while the second person listens. The second person doesn’t comment during the share, but can ask questions of clarification if this feels right. Do thank the first person for sharing  before changing roles. In a group, allow each person to have some personal  time (5 minutes) to talk about their experience before having a general discussion .

Question to explore:

The main question is:

  • What does grasping the means of your own realization mean – or feel like – to you?

If you find this easy to answer or want to spend more time on this, then you might like to explore

  • What do you do – or might you do – more of when grasping the means of your own realization?
  • What do you do – or might you do – less of when grasping the means of your own realization?

Similar Posts