Gaining consciousness of what the journey is and the necessary attributes and awarenesses for engaging the journey is always an ongoing process. We’re an ever changing constellation of energies. The part of us that’s observing is always growing in its ability to clearly and consciously observe. Sometimes we notice what we thought was a mature, clear thinking, seeing part is in reality a fearful child, a pleaser, a reactor, or needy, controlling part. We gently notice, and learn to gently shift. We notice what we’re observing changes based on our level of consciousness, our willingness to continue to open. We’re forever practicing observing, becoming as conscious as we can. Jung called this aware ego or conscious mind/ego, the conscious personality.
Our ability and willingness to continually deepen our understanding of and ability to live from the principles enumerated in The Work will determine our growth and are the foundation for additional principles. It’s an ongoing, ever deepening journey. Again and again, we choose to cross the bridge over the abyss into another unknown area of our psyche to find the experience and resource awaiting us there. Experience is the key, ever deepening conscious experience.
The more conscious we are, the more we can fully participate in our unfolding. However, we very soon realize that being conscious does not mean we’re in control. No matter how conscious we become, the conscious personality is not in control. The conscious personality easily forgets that it does not have the control over the unfolding of the life we are living. It’s still the tip of the iceberg. We are witness and then participant.
We live from the conscious personality to the degree that we can depending on our development at the time. We’re always dipping into ‘the hinterland of the Unconscious psyche’, basically including the personal unconscious and the deeper forces of what can be called the Mystery, the numinous, the unfolding mystery of who we are. This hinterland is the infinite base of the iceberg.
So here we are: the limited conscious personality, a hard fought for awareness, the possession of which enlarges our life immensely, and the infinite Unconscious which sources it all and holds our ever unfolding entelechy. We each are living out our own lives, our own entelechy. Just as the acorn can become nothing but an oak tree, each of us have our own precious life that is living itself through us. We can, if we choose, continue to say ‘Yes’ to each stage of our development that presents itself to us. Or we can say ‘No’. Our life wants to be fully lived, regardless of occupation, nationality, gender, race, religion, or any other factor.
I’m reminded of the way a volcano erupts into reality from an unseen source creating new land from its deep self.
So, how are we to come to peace if we are always unfolding, never arriving, never experiencing stasis?
We find peace in the midst of ever deepening into the the infinite pool of potential sitting in our deep Unconscious waiting to be brought to consciousness and lived. It’s who we are and we’re making it conscious and integrating it into the life which is making the discovery. The inner voice leads us, deeper and deeper, and deeper still, as we will, in its own timing. We surrender and trust our process. I’m suggesting that these deeper realms are more powerful than our ego awareness and they seek ‘abundant life for us’.
Peace comes from living from the Heart Center experiencingunconditional love and the ‘peace that is beyond understanding’. It’s the peace you feel standing in the middle of a cool stream with the waters ever flowing around your feet. It’s a peace flowing through your body, permeating your mind, filling your spirit, ever reminding you: ‘There is more.’