Taking Responsibility For Your Destiny

Bad Things: Levels of Perception

p. 235 - You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey from Perception to Knowledge, Peace of Mind and Joy by James Blanchard Cisneros.

In this section, levels of perception involving "bad things" that manifest into our lives are examined, not because there is in truth such an idea, but because these are some of the illusionary steps that we might experience during our journey. Within illusions there lies as many levels of perceptions as there are humans on this planet. We make nothing into something by giving it value. There are innumerable combinations of illusions. Yet, regardless of how much value we give to our illusions, they are still nothing but illusions. They are still, by definition, false ideas or conceptions, unreal or misleading images.

At the first level of perception, we believe that when "bad things" happen, we have no control over what is happening; that we have no control physically, psychologically or spiritually. At this level, we interpret bad things as negative. We are likely to blame others, blame God, or say it's bad luck. At this level of thinking, we believe that there is another force other than ourselves that has control over our lives and that we have little or no influence over what occurs in our lives. We might also believe that we have little or no control with regard to how we react to our brother's words or actions. When we're operating at this level, we might ask, “How can I choose peace, when others control everything around me?” This is yet another trick that the ego plays. It tries to convince us that our patterns cannot change unless the people around us conform to our way of thinking.

Others people's patterns will not change until we decide to change ours. Once we shift from a fear-based thought system to a love-based thought system, our outward perceptions will also shift. When this choice is made, and it is simply a choice, nothing others do will affect our peace of mind. When our minds reside in a state of total peace, it is impossible for us to experience anything other than peace, and we are likely to view everyone around us as existing within that same peaceful state.

At the second level of perception, we believe that when bad things happen, we do have some level of control over what is happening. We interpret the situation as something we brought upon ourselves in order to learn a lesson. At this level of thinking, we choose to see the situation as a short-term negative but a possible long-term positive, for the simple reason that we will, in the end, learn something from it. People at this level go through this because they believe that lessons are learned, for the most part, through unpleasant experiences. Thus, they bring those lessons to themselves to be experienced in that manner.

If we experience any unpleasantness in our physical existence, it is because our egos have placed some value on these experiences. Please understand this: the answer lies not in judging ourselves as bad or less developed for allowing these events to happen, but in seeing that what is occurring in our physical existence is simply a reflection of what is occurring within our minds. And if it's occurring within our minds, then understand that we have the power to change it.

At the third level of perception, we know that when bad things happen, we brought the situation on ourselves, and that as negative as it might look to the outside world, we have no doubt that it is a positive experience. We understand that the only suffering we will bear is the suffering we choose to bear.

And finally, at the fourth level of perception, we acknowledge that there are no such things as "bad things." Gratitude becomes our only response to each and every situation. At this level of thinking, we know with utmost certainty that nothing comes to us that is not held in our minds. If properly perceived, the previous statement offers absolute and total freedom. We understand that we do have the power to determine what will enter our minds. We know that there is no force outside of ourselves that brings lessons that should be experienced as unpleasant. When we are in touch with peace, which is our natural inheritance, we are in a harmonious state. As a result, we make requests from this state and the results of our experiences will be harmonious and peaceful.
 

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of the great spiritual / self development book You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey from Perception to Knowledge, Peace of Mind and Joy by James Blanchard Cisneros.