I’ve been asked about memory (or lack of memory), and if this applies to you it’s important that you don’t confuse yourself with the mechanism. The mechanism would be the body and things of the body, even things that we refer to as the mind. The mind is subject to the ability of nerve endings, cells, the blood oxygen barrier and transference, and so on. So the functionality of you in the body temple is the mechanism. And just because that in some ways breaks down or becomes what we could call dysfunctional, that doesn’t mean that’s you, who you truly are. In some ways, it’s simply a reflection of what the status of the mechanism is at any given time.
Our awareness will tell us lots of things: “I don’t remember. I don’t feel good. I don’t like it. I do like it. It’s great. I want that.” And we see all kinds of reflections in what we do that show us what’s important, what’s up for us, what we are allowing to determine our choices.
Some people choose service as a way of life or, at least, as an important part of their lives and focus. They choose to come to the place where their dedication reflects on their heart. They know the direction, and the direction is up, into Spirit. There’s also a direction that opposes or goes away from the Spirit, which may be experienced as more dense, difficult, painful, disturbing, confusing, etc. Those are signs of moving away from the Spirit.
In fact, it happens when we come into a body (incarnate) from the higher nature. And because we, being human beings, do that regularly, we can reflect on it. It’s a sense of “I don’t belong here. Now that I’m here, I don’t like it, and I didn’t get it right.” But it’s also an opportunity to redirect and to ask yourself, “What do I want to do about that?” That’s a key question. Despite the circumstances in which you find yourself, what do you want to do about that? The wisdom points towards this: “The best I can. What’s the best choice here? What’s the highest good? I’ll find that. I’ll choose that.” That takes looking. And as you look, also observe. Observe the differences in what you see. Pay attention.
All Souls who are born here on Earth are physical-level initiates. So every Soul in the physical is a physical-level initiate. And the order of that level is attentiveness or simply your attention. Where are you focusing yourself? If you allow your focus just to be on whatever, then you get whatever. You get whatever it is you allow. You’re not going to be allowed the luxury of doing nothing here. Something will occur such that you must respond, even if it’s your bowels moving. Your body and levels in the unconscious will insist upon it.
This is all in our favor. So as you get older in relation to life experience in this world and the so-called faculties start diminishing in their ability level, that is really on-course. As we come closer, things of the world diminish; this is on-purpose, and it calls upon you to draw upon your inner resources. So despite your physical ability diminishing, your other abilities are turned up, and you can make up big differences there.
That means that you can really be happier than ever despite the conditions. It’s like, when I was twenty, there’s no way I’d be happy in these conditions. And now, at this age, I’m happy in these conditions. What happened? I matured. I learned I could be happy despite the circumstances. So I turned up my happiness quotient, my delight quotient. I increased those levels while my physical-level quotient was diminishing. I had a choice. I could have had my physical levels diminish and be miserable about it, and, of course, that goes on. So one of the signs that you’re doing well is to stay buoyant, stay up, stay light in relation to the circumstances. Don’t let them get you down. So whatever you are, wherever you are, you keep yourself up in attitude and approach.
This approach takes the pressure off. It’s also trusting your way, so you don’t put pressure on yourself, which is an undue demand. There’s no demand necessary. You take it easy so that you’re not putting force, like a coercion, where it doesn’t belong. You’re allowing things to be, and you’re cooperating and trusting.
You might also wonder how long you’ll live, but that is measuring something in terms of one lifetime. That’s like one foot on the journey around the world. “Well,” you say, “I can do a foot. I can do two or three feet in one stride.” Now you’re on to it, that who you are spiritually just takes this in. It takes in one breath at a time, and it understands the infinite. Putting things in terms of material notations (like the number of years you will live) is very limiting; it will tend to frustrate, disappoint, and discourage you, which often leads to sadness, melancholy, forlornness, and so on. And my point of view is, don’t do that to yourself.
You may conclude that you have missed your opportunity. Then you could say, “Well, that opportunity is lost.” You can look at it that way if you want, but while you’re focusing on that, there are opportunities that you’re not available to because you’re dwelling on the ones that you consider were lost.
To look back or to consider what you did or didn’t do, what happened or didn’t happen, or how far along you are and what is left—these are very restrictive terms. The life experience that we have is delivered to us in a form that shows us both maximum and minimum, but opportunity remains no matter what. So even if it’s a minimum opportunity, it’s still an opportunity, which means it’s going to add to you and increase you. So regardless of your age, regardless of your status as a personality or what you have accomplished, there’s a lot more to do. There’s a lot to go in your life experience.
There is also a lot of negative opportunity here, lesser opportunity, what you don’t need and what does not serve you. As you evolve yourself, the most useful opportunities become more narrow. That’s one of the clarifications that takes place, the understanding that “I’m pretty much done with this world. There’s not much here that calls to me or requires me.” And as you come into completion and fulfillment, that is so. It means you’re getting close. Another sign is that it doesn’t matter, meaning you’re not of this world, and it doesn’t matter to you. So the material nature of this world has nothing on you and no longer magnetizes you through the desires, wants, and attachments. Those are really great signs, but they don’t necessarily mean it’s over because as Yogi Berra said, “It’s not over