Recognizing the Authentic One
A valid 'teacher' is one whose guidance comes from within his own Being; s/he has not only heard the message within but lived it and proved it so. S/he will be speaking from his/her own experience and not from the words of others. That one will be pure of heart, most humble and does not claim to be a teacher but a way-shower...one that can point you to the moon but you have to see it for yourself.
Prove Me now herewith!
The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others
and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us,and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
With this quote in mind, I would like to share with you how I found such a teacher that led me directly to the joy and wisdom of my own heart...not that I hope to convert anyone. I am simply sharing with you how my shopping frenzy finally came to an end..
I searched through many secondhand stores, junk stores, department stores, warehouses, and pawn shops...religion, psychology, self-help, malls of New Age and power of mind...flotation tanks...rebirthing and hyperventilating in hot tubs ... hypnosis, even tried walking on hot coals...trans-mediums, spiritualism, Unity and New Thought...healing classes, Course in Miracles, metaphysics, eastern and western philosophies, Infinite Way and I did not find my Heart. Basically, I had learned to be a shopping addict in search of a way to improve the human condition. I had eliminated a few possibilities. I did know that what I was looking for had nothing to do with mind control but I was still living in duality. I was seeing a mortal man said to be illusory, something to deny and discard. What a struggle it was trying to be spiritual.
It is said that when the student is ready the teacher will appear. That was certainly the way it was for me. Right where I was, Heaven opened up and dropped into my lap three beautiful books written by William Samuel, a soldier turned luminary who discovered The Presence on the battlefields. Bill was a most prolific writer who could address the most complex subject matter by communicating heart to heart.
I read " 2+2 = Reality", "Awareness and Tranquility" and "Awareness of Self-Discovery".
I knew this message was different but I was not able to discern how the message differed from what I was studying at the time, namely "The Infinite Way" teachings of Joel Goldsmith. There was a feeling here in Bill's writing, there was something fresh and new, yet familiar. What was it? I didn't know for sure until I ordered and read "The Child Within Us Lives.Well, then I put away the old teaching and stayed with Bill's message. What an I-Opener! Yes, it was clear to me now that Bill's writings put me in touch with the Joy in my heart, a joy that was a homecoming! Once I came upon "The Child Within Me Lives" it became my constant companion, satisfying not only the heart but the intellect as well. I never felt the need to read other books after this one. This is not to say that I haven't read another book since, but that I didn't read out of need because that which I sought I now have...I am it!
Shortly after, I listened to a tape entitled "Springtime in Alabama" and I heard:
...The value in any message of truth is in direct proportion to that message's insistence that we turn within and discover for one's self the message, the divine identity that has ever been all one is...
... The honest truth message, as we said, lies in one that turns one to discover himself within, one that turns one within where the real discoveries are made, to turn within to the secret place, to the holy of holies, to the Shekinah and there find the true message. The beauty of such a message, it seems to me, lies in its fulfilling the function of way showing, but doing it void of theory, void of speculation or commentary and it's a message that doesn't bind the seeker, it doesn't induce guilt nor encourage the veneration of the messenger or the messenger's words. The childlikeness of such a message encourages one to find the beauty and power and the wonder of his own words and to express the discovered life within...
... If, as is the case
with
nearly all organized theology, the message speaks primarily of healing
and demonstrations and of altered states of consciousness, and all of
those peripheral events, such a message can be as stultifying and
misleading as it is helpful. Therefore, it isn't worthy of identity. ...Ultimately, we have done with following the messages of others to become the finder or our own Messiahship, we find our own message. Salvation lies in this action and in no other. The first freedom and the last freedom lie in self-discovery. That discovery is immaculate, untouched by anyone else. It is a virgin discovery and recognition of deity within and without. Any message that has one following a personal leader or teacher for anything longer than is absolutely necessary to find the authority that one himself is, is a distorting, thwarting teacher...
The words contained in the above frame were my "Damascus"
experience.... a very warm and loving, soft and ever so, gentle Presence
responded to these words, yet it was the greatest power I had ever
known. It was my heart's response to truth...unmistakable...
...undeniable... "Yes..Yes! Yes!!! This is IT! This is IT! I felt
it, I heard it, it was loud and crystal clear! The words were
electrifying, empowering! My heart tells me true! My heart does know
and this is how it tells me. It tells me what is true; it tells me what
is untrue; it tells me I am Truth, I am Love, I am simplicity and
gentleness and trust and joy and beauty. Love am I.
I had always known but now I knew that I knew, I felt it so
intensely!. This is how my heart tells me true!. It is Love and Love
is this feeling. This is how my heart tells me what is true and what is
untrue! This feeling is It! I knew my Heart! Now, I knew I could
never again be duped, my shopping spree was over! I had found My Beloved
One, the Child that would hold my hand forevermore! I was out of the
shopping malls, away from the crowds, away from the neon lights...the
Boutique had come to me, quietly, unobtrusively! My Child was a
painless home delivery! A friend had brought me the books. Bill's
words breathed life into my soul, he woke me from the dream. His words
were the Song in My Heart, My Song of Joy, I recognized my very Heart
and Soul in the soft gentle living Love that I felt so intensely. It
was Love felt, recognized, known, alive and living!
From this experience I became aware of so very many times I had
encountered this Sweet Presence and passed it by. I passed it by on the
other side, searching for something more flashy, more spectacular...I'm
not sure what. This experience told me it is true, heaven truly is
spread over the face of the earth. I saw that my Heart introduces
Itself in 'little joys', as Bill referred to them...the pennies from
heaven...ordinary daily living, extraordinary when seen through the eyes
of the Child. The evening shadows of tree branches dancing in the wind,
how I knew the Love they revealed now that I had eyes to see. I saw
and felt them forever in my life never recognizing what I had. A Child
happily running to catch a butterfly...trusting and living in the joy of
the moment! Gentle breeze caressing my face and blowing through my
hair! And what about the feeling of glory of a starlit night! As a
child, the joy of running carefree in large fields with my grandfather
looking for pretty wildflowers and spotting a happy yellow buttercup
dancing in the breeze, waiting just for me! The magic of all those
images in the clouds and all the stories they could tell! All those
carefree moments when the Child came out to play! Those 'little joys'
were always there. I had always known, but never realized it was that
simple; I never realized it was so humble. I can look upon all the
wasted pennies cast aside for lack of recognition of their value. Well,
I did wake up from the dream! Those words in Bill's tape, when I
realized that is how my heart speaks to me, that is how I know. This is
what I was searching for. Inspiration, the daily bread, the manna falls
from heaven. That which I seek I am.
The mall experience (living the 'is not') is my Cinderella story.
There is work to do and we do it, we pay the price and then we get to
know what is. The fairy godmother appears and we get to go to the
ball...and we drop our slipper and our Prince comes in shining armour .
Our prince arrives! Light dawns and Light is living Love. It isn't
necessary to change the human scene. We walk the edge of the sword
between the two worlds, understanding the reasons for the "is not" and
knowing what to do about it. We understand and love our world; we give
to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. What a love story!
I am grateful to Bill, my wayshower and to Sandy Jones who was a
dynamic booster, she was the midwife that delivered My Child to me!I did not find my Heart in a religious teaching or Joel Goldsmith or any of the other teachers I met along the way but I know that all of them played a part in making the truth plain. This is not to say that mine is the only way. I am not surprised if you find your way via religion or an eastern philosophy or a different teacher. Love knows the way for each of us.
It was a matter of a few weeks from the time I opened "2+2+=Reality"
to this experience with "Springtime in Alabama". Every line I read of
William Samuel's writings touched my heart strings, every line was a
journey to the core of my being. His message was fresh and new,
uniquely his. He was so childlike and the most effective teacher I have
ever known. William Samuel pointed me to my Heart and I found My Love!"In My House are many mansions!"
Love and Living Light to all of you,
- Rose Burrows
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