I retired from a thirty five year career two and a half years ago without knowing where I  was going, what I was going to do or how I was going to be without the props the career provided. After floating for three quarters of a year I started getting edgy as I realized it was  time to let go of all the programs I’d been driven by for such a long time and open myself to the unfulfilled possibilities I still wanted to live into. Along with these reflections, I allowed myself to give more trust to the mystery of Life by observing what was showing up, how I was relating to it and what was no longer feeding my soul.

Along the way a bigger than life opportunity showed up which appeared to be a sure thing as well as a path with a heart, so I got on board and went for a ride. The weeks turned into months and years but the train never left the station. Meanwhile I was going further and further in debt, losing solid ground and gaining insight into my fears and desires. Eventually I had to let go, yield a whole lot more programs and die to the grand expectations I’d counted on. My hubris transformed into humility as I discovered how much my old programs were still operationally dysfunctional.

My fears and desires started fighting with one another until I finally realized that these energies were here within from old social conditioning and the more I resisted them the stronger they became. It wasn’t until I finally surrendered, yielded to the Ultimate Source Field and turned resistance to receptivity that the battles ended and a sweet serenity seeped into my awareness. This awakening led me to realize that what I wanted externally could only manifest through my internal alignment with this ever present invisible Source Field. It again taught me about awakening, yielding and realigning. . .

Without more specific data this may sound like a wild tale with no substance or point. The point is that it takes a lot of self awareness to yield, to let go of our old programs. The above series of events took daily meditation, self observation and Self Remembering over a period of years and continues to this day. I used to think that quotes like the one above by Joseph Campbell were simple, easy and able to be accomplished in short order, but my experience is that our conditioning, cultural and social, can take years and decades to overcome even when we’re aware of them.

I recently had a conversation with a long time friend who used to be a very successful lawyer and banker who lost everything do to alcoholism. He now lives on social security in a small house in a tiny village and helps other AA members work the twelve steps.  After seventeen years of sobriety and working the twelve steps, he’s still yielding, letting go of the programs of his early years. The point I’m making is that short term gains only produce long term results when they’re continually practiced long term.

To experience the Mystery of Life, the interconnected nature of spirit in matter requires ongoing listening, loving and learning. All the so called quick fixes are an illusion. The Latin words obedere, agape and disciplina point the way. They’re the foundation of any mental, emotional, physical and spiritual practice to move beyond fear, anxiety, desire, enslavement, anger and aggression. The obedere is about listening to your life, your inner and outer thoughts, feelings and dialogues. The agape is about awakening the unconditional love that’s always here with you, for you, giving and receiving. The disciplina is about learning and following the experiences that feed your heart and soul.

If you’re working on expanding your awareness, experiencing the mystery of life, and transcending your early programming, be patient with yourself. Rest in not knowing and listen to the silent loving energy that’s flowing in, around and through you all the time. Learn that peace, serenity, joy love, reverence and radiance are always here and can be experienced anytime you decide to stop the chatter and drop into the Field ‘beyond all right doing and wrong doing’ which is beyond dualistic thought.

Yielding to this field transforms and doesn’t need an explanation. It’s beyond thoughts, words and deeds. It’s beyond social and cultural conditioning. It’s a Powerful Creative Presence practiced in the moment and the more of these moments you experience, the more you’ll want to experience. So, when two and three and fifty of these moments make a million, you’ll be well on your way to not only yielding to the Field but living in the Field of True Radiant Life Energy with a whole new experience of joyful abundance.

• Give yourself the gift of becoming aware of the socially conditioned fears and desires that hold you hostage. Simply observe them without judgement. Bring awareness to them as they come and go. This practice in itself will diminish their hold on you. . .
• Along with this self observation also practice Self Remembering. This is the practice of becoming aware of your True Self, the Essence of your Being that’s connected with what’s called Heart and Soul. This is the silent Witness of Unconditional Loving Presence that’s eternal and ever present. I call this exercise ‘Homing’ because it’s a space where all is peaceful, serene, warm and radiant. Get quiet, relax and align with this very subtle energy beyond rational thought. This is the Field of Ahhh. . . Breathe it in……….Drop your shoulders…….Relax……….Let go……….Yield to the Field……..Ahhh.