Acceptance
I’ve been thinking about the balancing act of both accepting what is and honoring my desire for more—or at least different.
The teachings of Abraham Hicks focus our attention on the parts of us that desire. We want more inner peace. We want more money. We want fulfilling relationships. We want better health. Abraham (if I understand the teachings) tells us that it is part of our function in this overall pattern of life. We “sift and sort” through the conditions and things that Life presents to us. We prefer some things and would rather avoid others. Every time we find something we don’t like, we further define what we do like.
And our Inner Beings (the Universe?) responds immediately. Before we are fully aware of our desire, it is fully manifested in some form. It’s a form we can’t perceive yet, but Abraham assures us that it is a done deal. Right away.
On the other hand, Buddhism tells us that desire is what causes us so much pain. And Byron Katie coaches us to Love What Is.
Abraham indicates this too. Yes, it is natural for us to have desires and preferences. But the way to finding their fulfillment is to be lovingly present with what is right now, before the actualization of what the Universe has provided for us in the etheric realm.
How Does Acceptance Work?
I think of it this way. We—our mood, energies, vibration, being—can be in a state of resistance or a state of acceptance. It cannot be in both states at the same time.
When we actively feel wanting or yearning, we are in a state of resistance. All longing is paired with an awareness of being without or of being in adverse circumstances.
Abraham’s point that the Universe responds immediately, if it is true, tells us that once we feel the desire, we no longer need to go back to it or stay stuck in it. We don’t need to continue our state of resistance.
We can glide into the state of acceptance.
Acceptance does not fret or try to plan the execution of manifestation. It feels confident that both the Universe and we, ourselves, are capable and willing to move toward actualization.
Finding an authentic state of acceptance requires deep self-awareness. We need to understand how we hold onto resistance physically, emotionally, mentally, and energetically.
It’s helpful to turn our attention to something completely different.
When we relax into a state of acceptance, we open all sorts of physical, emotional, mental, and energetic pathways for energy to flow through and around us. This open, flowing state is what allows us to change our perception enough to believe in the “reality” of what we desire.
All we have to do is believe. Like, honestly believe. Not a veneer of words on top of a basic disbelief. Not merely physical relaxation covering up mental anxiety. Not a surrender to a sense of lack or resentment.
Acceptance does not require admiration. We can accept the state of our body, for example, without admiring it. When we do, we allow a restorative flow to move through all of our organs and tissues. We can accept our financial state without feeling resigned to it. Instead, we can hold both an attitude of acceptance AND an eagerness for change.
Acceptance Changes our Perceptions
The relaxed and confident state of acceptance opens the door to changed perceptions. We actually see things differently. Instead of perceiving ourselves to be lonely, or impoverished, or unhealthy, when we relax into acceptance, we see ourselves as powerful, as able to choose our interior environment despite all circumstances.
The world around us looks different. Instead of obstacles, we begin to see possibilities, because acceptance is a present-moment thing. It does not run off into the uncertainty of the future or the quagmire of the past.
As we are beginning to understand, our perceptions are everything. We are very accustomed to making what don Juan called “the proper perceptual interpretations.” We perceive what we have learned to perceive.
Our habit is to receive and filter incoming sensory data, make judgements about that data, then react mentally, emotionally and physically to those judgments. When we find the state of acceptance, we break the cycle of those habits. We are present to make improper perceptual interpretations, so to speak.
A while ago I wrote about when I was sitting on my couch when some glass unexpectedly shattered on the floor across the room. I had enough presence of mind, despite my fight/flight reaction to find shoes before I investigated. I called my son and he dispensed the wisest advice I have ever heard. He said, “Don’t make it bad.” In other words, interrupt the habit cycle before the judgment part. Just be with it. Be curious. Look for interpretations that are not normal. Be in a state of acceptance and awe. This mindset created maximum relaxation of my SNS reaction.
I am currently fascinated by the idea of making improper perceptual interpretations of my body and the world around me. I am enthusiastic about discovering what I may have missed in my zeal to be normal.
How ‘bout you?