Raj Editorial - from A Way of Life Issue 12.4 | Book View
It is hard to pinpoint the exact moment that it started, or even what started it. But then it hit me in a flash – here comes the spiritual teaching... ready? We have victim and perpetrator. The man at the check in took the opportunity to get us on the earlier flight - that could have been the moment - in fact, given Jeshua's axiom that "the world is diametrically opposed to the Kingdom" it would have been appropriate for us to wonder, "why is this happening".
Font size:
Raj Editorial - from A Way of Life Issue 12.4 | Text View
It is hard to pinpoint the exact moment that it started, or even what started it. Where did the wheels first jump the track. Certainly that occurred before the carriages piled up, on atop the other compounding.
The man at the check in took the opportunity to get us on the earlier flight - that could have been the moment - in fact, given Jeshua's axiom that "the world is diametrically opposed to the Kingdom" it would have been appropriate for us to wonder, "why is this happening". Oh, there was nothing wrong with the earlier flight; indeed it saved a 45 minute drive through Bangkok to the domestic terminal. The local flight to Phuket from the international terminal where we landed from Brisbane seemed too good to be true. This would get us into the hotel and the start of our well deserved break half a day earlier than planned - almost one of those "how much better than this can it get" moments.
What we didn't know was that recent changes to airport security required suddenly that all duty free goods must be in sealed bags and so the supervisor who had assumed the primary role, due to her English ability for which I am sure she was not at all grateful, had the extremely challenging job of removing the carefully carried wines and spirits of those travellers preparing to enjoy their holiday.
It was then that it all started to 'go wrong'. It would not be difficult to imagine the resentment to this foreign authority that sought to confiscate ones expensive and precious duty free items. Outrage would be a good word.
As Australian after Australian fell victim to the security supervisor's refusal to allow boarding with the goods, a perfect demonstration of how separation suddenly occurs became obvious to the seeker for Truth.
We were embroiled along with others. We too, sought to argue, to circumvent the rules and only on hindsight (when the pain of victimisation had dissolved slightly) remembered the supervisor desperately asking us to engage the airline staff for assistance. She was the cause of the suffering and therefore clearly the one to attack.
It was only after 30 minutes of arguing and the boarding of the 747 by all passengers except us that the airline staff did with ease and grace agree to take the goods in hand and place them with the luggage for us, thus resolving the issue.
Ironically, and of course, what should have been an obvious clue to the emerging Christ was that the only piece of our luggage that arrived in Phuket with the plane and us was the duty free booze! The rest never made it to the plane.
No matter, now in Phuket and in good spirits, no pun intended, we arrive at the hotel to find ourselves - due to our unexpected 'good fortune', the early arrival - in the company of at least a hundred anxious other travellers, mostly Australians seemingly all with two or three children apiece by the state of the overflowing lobby and reception area. Plus, not only all the incoming tourists, but a similar number of tourists attempting to leave the resort. All in the midst of a tropical downpour. .
Needless to say, this was a far cry from the experience that Suz and I had envisaged for our 11th anniversary - a quiet hotel nestling in the cove outside of Phuket with sandy beach, sunshine and luxury accommodation - a place of retreat and solitude prior to escorting and managing the adventures of 160 odd (appropriate word?) spiritual beings on first, Jayem's Israel Pilgrimage and following on, Patti Cota Robles Mediterranean tour. Up came all the "stuff" again.
So, faced with the two hour plus wait for the room, loss of luggage and still yet to fully realise the implications of the encounter with airport security we dove head first into attempting to improve our circumstances by trying to find the alternative and elusive 'perfect' holiday accommodation.
Anyway, I could go on with the story but that is all it is, a story - with a theme. Realisation came when Suz several hours later relaxing on a beautiful bed in the best located room conceivable - we had a pool literally lapping at the tiled terrace. Excuse me while I take a moment to cool off again…..mentions that she is challenged by her Barbara Taylor book dealing with the saga of the Jewish family threatened by the Nazi menace. She explains how scared she is for the family.
It hit me in a flash - here comes the spiritual teaching, ready….? We have victim and perpetrator.
Always, duality - good and bad. Suddenly I recognise my own duality scenario - the traveller as the victim and the security staff as the perpetrator and wow again, the tired overworked solitude seeker appearing the victim of the chaos of the hotel changeover.
What a setup we had walked into. And so we struggled like a well hooked trout. Yet in the struggle, if we are watchful it all becomes clear - the perpetrator is the one crying out for love, the victim, the one denying the other. See what is happening here? What the world shows us, where we judge, is not what is real. Oh yes, the story looks right, but is this the truth? The security supervisor kept saying, "Go to the airline staff and get assistance." She never was the antagonist - we were. In wanting her to bend the security rule and in refusing to hear her, we created the separation. The hotel staff kept saying, "Wait till you see the room." Tired and impatient, out of sorts, disappointed and frustrated by not getting what we wanted, again we chose to feel the victim. All the while it was us pushing and demanding - we were in fact, the perpetrator of separation.
How often do we so readily align to the perceived victim? Taking things forever personally? We do not see that it is the other side of the same coin. When we step back and really see what is occurring, it is obvious that someone has withdrawn love - and in that moment separation, attack and defence become inevitable. And as P'taah would say, "If it is under your skin it is your 'stuff." We are always responsible for the withdrawing of Love. And what does that mean? It means closing down so that the natural Love of God that we are no longer shines and in that darkness only separation exists.
A good wonder question to ask ourselves might be, "Where did I withdraw love today?" and in so doing push another into one role or the other.
This introduction of expectation and apparent disappointment in not getting what I wanted was the very best experience that I could have been offered at the beginning of the six weeks of escorting and managing these two wonderful events. I climbed out and over my initial experience and the result was a centring and allowance that what I was doing would only be achieved through a giving over to the Holy Spirit, in every apparent situation - so that change of plans and the myriad of apparent difficulties thrown at me, which naturally occur under such circumstances become all perfect and for the highest good, even if in my tiny inadequate wisdom cannot perceive a benefit in the moment.
From Phuket to Egypt, Cairo to Luxor, Luxor to Mt Sinai, the Dead Sea to Jerusalem, Barcelona and the Cruise ship around the Western Med and then the land tour through Cathar Southern France I rolled with the flow and in so doing I entered the "Grace Stream". Holy Spirit demonstrated how beautiful it is to live in the moment, to allow the minor 'disasters, to follow my heart in every moment and to be completely open to other's needs and experiences without the need nor desire to join with them, either in sharing their experience and thus endorsing it, nor separating from them in fear of contamination.
I cannot express my gratitude for what I learnt in this time away. I can only share with you that I have discovered that only three things count in each moment and these three are the qualities - the very aspects of God - Forgiveness, Compassion and Gratitude.
That when I hold to these qualities, fear, separation, and lovelessness disappear from my experience, a new reality appears (the Kingdom) and I walk secure in the knowledge that I am held safely on palm of God's hand and then I can only wonder and ask myself - as I now do daily - "How much better than this can it get?" and - I THANK YOU LORD for my life - for now it is truly Your life that I am living. WOW!!!!!
In deep humbleness for the love of God,
Raj
del.icio.us |
Digg
Email to a friend
Print version
Post your comment