Three, Count 'em 3 States of Consciousness!
11/21/24 • 22 min
I opened with a quote from Paul Ferrini, in his book The 12 Steps of Forgiveness: “Properly speaking there are only three states of consciousness available to us. One is love, which is eternal and unconditional. One is fear, which is temporary and conditional. And the last is forgiveness, which is a bridge from the illusion of fear to the reality of love.”
WHOA. THAT’S HUGE.
I have spent YEARS believing and knowing and teaching that there are only two states of consciousness: love or fear. The idea that there is a third state, a bridge, if you will, from fear to love, is radical for me. And yet, it answers the question of how one gets to love when one is feeling fear. I said I have believed and taught this concept for years, and many times a student will ask me, “how do I turn my fear into love?” That question has always been a difficult one for me to answer, because how I’ve done that internally is a process that I can’t put into words. It has to do with faith, or knowing. It has to do with allowing. It has to do with acknowledging and inner awareness. It has to do with all that stuff. But as I think about it none of that really addresses a process for moving from fear to faith. But now we have one. Forgiveness!
And I just happen to have a forgiveness process for you. This is a process recently created by myself and my students in a class called 5 Gifts for an Abundant Life. We were in the class on forgiveness and more than one student voiced frustration that there wasn’t really a process in the class to use to forgive. So we created one. Thanks and acknowledgment go to Julia Mattis, Cindy Mesa, Jamie Russell and Sharon Anyan for helping to create this.
This process is for self forgiveness, because as Ferrini says, we can’t forgive others until we forgive ourselves.
I offer this process to you for your consideration:
1. Create a safe container by going into meditation, so that forgiveness of self is more of a heart space thing than an intellectual thing. Be gentle with yourself.
2. Identify what wants to be forgiven.
3. Breathe. Honor what comes up, and don't dismiss it. Accept it without judgement
4. Ask: What am I feeling? What are my beliefs behind this feeling? Identify your limiting beliefs. More meditation might be necessary.
5. Talk about it with a practitioner, prayer partner, mentor, coach or trusted friend.
6. Resolve to change your thinking. Do a treatment: Identify what you want to replace the old belief or way of thinking, then identify how you will feel when the old way of thinking or believing is replaced, then treat for that. Ask for help from a practitioner or prayer partner if necessary.
7. Resolve to change our feelings about it, not our thoughts. courageously release my resistance, courageously surrender.
8. Set the intention every day to feel the way you identified that you want to feel. Then go about your day, trusting that your intention is coming true.
9. Make amends to yourself, which means to set things right with yourself. Sometimes the treatment and intention is enough, sometimes you might need action as well. Resolve to do things differently if needed.
10.Go forth and have fun!
Affirmation: Today I fully and completely forgive myself, thus opening myself up to joy, happiness and peace.
Donate by going to our paypal page
Check out Fearlessly Feral Living at fearlesslyferal.org
I opened with a quote from Paul Ferrini, in his book The 12 Steps of Forgiveness: “Properly speaking there are only three states of consciousness available to us. One is love, which is eternal and unconditional. One is fear, which is temporary and conditional. And the last is forgiveness, which is a bridge from the illusion of fear to the reality of love.”
WHOA. THAT’S HUGE.
I have spent YEARS believing and knowing and teaching that there are only two states of consciousness: love or fear. The idea that there is a third state, a bridge, if you will, from fear to love, is radical for me. And yet, it answers the question of how one gets to love when one is feeling fear. I said I have believed and taught this concept for years, and many times a student will ask me, “how do I turn my fear into love?” That question has always been a difficult one for me to answer, because how I’ve done that internally is a process that I can’t put into words. It has to do with faith, or knowing. It has to do with allowing. It has to do with acknowledging and inner awareness. It has to do with all that stuff. But as I think about it none of that really addresses a process for moving from fear to faith. But now we have one. Forgiveness!
And I just happen to have a forgiveness process for you. This is a process recently created by myself and my students in a class called 5 Gifts for an Abundant Life. We were in the class on forgiveness and more than one student voiced frustration that there wasn’t really a process in the class to use to forgive. So we created one. Thanks and acknowledgment go to Julia Mattis, Cindy Mesa, Jamie Russell and Sharon Anyan for helping to create this.
This process is for self forgiveness, because as Ferrini says, we can’t forgive others until we forgive ourselves.
I offer this process to you for your consideration:
1. Create a safe container by going into meditation, so that forgiveness of self is more of a heart space thing than an intellectual thing. Be gentle with yourself.
2. Identify what wants to be forgiven.
3. Breathe. Honor what comes up, and don't dismiss it. Accept it without judgement
4. Ask: What am I feeling? What are my beliefs behind this feeling? Identify your limiting beliefs. More meditation might be necessary.
5. Talk about it with a practitioner, prayer partner, mentor, coach or trusted friend.
6. Resolve to change your thinking. Do a treatment: Identify what you want to replace the old belief or way of thinking, then identify how you will feel when the old way of thinking or believing is replaced, then treat for that. Ask for help from a practitioner or prayer partner if necessary.
7. Resolve to change our feelings about it, not our thoughts. courageously release my resistance, courageously surrender.
8. Set the intention every day to feel the way you identified that you want to feel. Then go about your day, trusting that your intention is coming true.
9. Make amends to yourself, which means to set things right with yourself. Sometimes the treatment and intention is enough, sometimes you might need action as well. Resolve to do things differently if needed.
10.Go forth and have fun!
Affirmation: Today I fully and completely forgive myself, thus opening myself up to joy, happiness and peace.
Donate by going to our paypal page
Check out Fearlessly Feral Living at fearlesslyferal.org
Previous Episode
Guests Rev. Gil Olmstead and Robyn Olmstead, RScP
Summary
Introductions and background @ 0:00Karen introduces her podcast "Fearlessly Feral Living" and her guests, Reverend Gil Olmstead and Robyn Rice Olmstead. She provides background on their roles - Gil is the senior minister at Rio Grande Center for Spiritual Living, and Robyn is a practitioner emeritus and an "artivist" (artist/activist). They discuss their upcoming trip to the Conference of the Americas in Mexico in August.
Navigating a remote marriage @ 5:29 Karen asks Gil and Robin about how they make their long-distance marriage work, given that they live in separate states. They share that they had to consciously vision and align on their priorities as a couple, and that active listening, balance, and trusting the unfolding process have been key principles. They recount stories of how their wedding vision unexpectedly manifested in unique ways.
The visioning process @ 21:28 Gil and Robin explain the visioning process they use, which involves opening oneself to receive guidance from Spirit about a vision, rather than trying to force a predetermined outcome. They share examples of how their wedding vision unfolded in surprising ways that were more meaningful than their initial plans.
Upcoming events @ 45:02 Karen and her guests discuss the upcoming Conference of the Americas in Mexico that Gil and Robin will be attending and presenting at. Karen also shares about her new interim minister assignment in Bakersfield, which will involve a long drive she's looking forward to.
Support the Podcast
Donate Via PayPal
Visit our Website
Next Episode
Not Your Typical New Year's Eve podcast
This video could also be titled "Advent, Repent, Goals, Resolutions, Intentions and Sleepless Nights." It's basically a light hearted look at what to do if you can't sleep, plus some profound tidbits about many of the things we typically think about on New Year's Eve.
It means a lot to me that you listen. However! If you have been at all inspired, lifted, encouraged or helped in 2024 by my podcast, I would much appreciate your financial support. Because I am a Focus Ministry with Centers for Spiritual Living, all donations are tax deductible.
You can contribute towards the production of this podcast by clicking Support, right here on the Buzzsprout page.
Or via PayPal
And of course, you can find all this information and more on my web site
Fearlessly Feral Living! - Three, Count 'em 3 States of Consciousness!
Transcript
Welcome again to Fearlessly Feral Living! Broadcasting to you from the Woogie Ranch, out here in the back 40 of northwestern Nevada, where I’m a half hour away from the nearest gas station and grocery store! This is a podcast devoted to using New Thought principles to ensure successful creative living. Fearlessly Feral is a focus ministry of Centers for Spiritual Living and is devoted to the vision of a world in which everyone lives Fearlessly Feral, or - wild and free.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/fearlessly-feral-living-281215/three-count-em-3-states-of-consciousness-78716662"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to three, count 'em 3 states of consciousness! on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy