Awareness And Appreciation

SAT., FEB. 27, 1988, 5:20 AM
VILLAGE INN, DEARBORN

What better theme for an early morning Teaching on a day when you are troubled, but ready for your major spiritual task? I didn’t really rouse you, but I certainly can use actions such as this for your benefit. Do not be troubled further. You are here and learning, and that’s better than attempts at late sleep.

The two key words, that I offer to you to share, in relation to spirit are awareness and appreciation. At times you are very aware of these, and then they seem to fade away. Let me rekindle them for today.

Awareness. It can sound light and unimportant. It can sound much less solid and vital than belief or knowledge. It is not. In the realm of spirit awareness is knowing. Continued awareness leads to knowing, but also some awareness is instant knowing. You are aware of My Spirit, as teacher and friend. You now know that when you sit down in this ritualistic way I shall be with you, and you shall write what I teach. You are aware of My presence in many moments of life, but then, as now, you can become distracted.

Enter appreciation. You awoke earlier than you wanted to, and you were aware of a room too warm and a minor but repetitive sound. Your desire for sleep was hindered by the possibility that you would not reawaken for your morning opportunity. You now appreciate that all of this makes possible this present experience, and is of no negative importance. Spiritual experiences are much more desirable than mental or physical experiences alone… and the marvelous feature of My “system” is that every earth experience can be a spiritual one, because of awareness and appreciation.

You can appreciate that the experience of which you are aware has spiritual qualities that transcend the apparent reality. Yet for you most of this appreciation comes after the actual event rather than simultaneously with it. You are aware that you have planned this morning’s program, and that in itself is, for this topic, a spiritual happening. Part of that planning is the selection of experiences that will elicit spirit within the group. It is ultimate silliness to use only academic words and techniques to try to describe spirit as a part of health. Perhaps you can say this, in some way, today.

A teacher can only try to lead learners to awareness of the spirit in a situation. Awareness cannot be forced. It must arise as spirit is encouraged to be active. Sometimes it is good to be consciously aware of being aware. In other instances it is better to just be aware as you are aware. It sounds complex when you try to put what I’m saying to you in spiritual language into normal English. Be aware that this is both serious and frivolous.

Be aware this morning… and next Saturday also… that the main important communication is coming from you as a total person who is also a spiritual being. Whether you prepare or do not is of minor consequence. You could do this without a note, and it could be more spiritual than the ordered form. Appreciate this in all of your teaching. The success of your Sunday morning class comes from the Teachings, of course, and from the simple, effective format. You participate much or little as the spirit moves. You could do the same this morning. Be aware of ideas that arise (or that I may plant) and gently appreciate the process of which you are a part.