"In acceptance, we are free to be in the present. Once we have accepted our own true nature and the ways of the universes they are reflected in our world, there is no longer regret about our past, nor is there fear of the future. Fear of the future no longer exists when the past has been healed. This is because in the usual ego-oriented state of consciousness, the ego tends to project the past upon the future, and a past that is viewed negatively becomes fearful when projected upon the imaginary future. Our letting go of the lower energies of guilt, fear, and anger, and pride has alleviated the weight of the past and cleared the clouds of the future. We face today with optimism and are grateful to be alive. We see that yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not yet come and we have only today" David Hawkins - Letting Go - The Pathway of Surrender"
This concept may be hard to grasp and even harder to execute, but it is, in my experience, the only way you can free yourself from the cycles. Especially the cycles of abuse.
If "not going back" and "moving on" or "thinking only positive" worked...abuse in my family would have stopped years ago.
I know, that I have been criticized for having stayed with this topic for over ten years, that I have 'not moved on' but chose instead to remain stuck in the past. When in fact, I have been staying with my past to neutralize it. To sit with and feel each part that brought up anger, negative feelings, guilt and shame. I stayed there until I could find peace...and acceptance.
And I have.
Some areas have taken weeks and months and have come back time and again for more acceptance and peace. Each time a thought would arise carrying pieces of negative energy, it was my job to look at it more closely to see what part of me was still tangle up in a negative way.
As my yoga teacher says, "Anytime someone can still your peace, you are the loser."
My job was/is always to engage with my feelings until we come to a peaceful thought.
As Byron Katie says in her books, the road to hell starts with "should, could, would".
If he would...
Or she should...etc.
I have found that the only way to neutralize my past was to keep my thoughts and my feelings true. To have the courage to face what is....no matter what reality was showing me and then find peace with accepting it.
"a past that is viewed negatively becomes fearful when projected upon the imaginary future."
Just this one thought alone....If you view it negatively....the negative is what will happen again and again.
So, not only do you have to go back to a negative childhood (when incest or abuse has occurred) but you have to come away seeing you differently.
You can't hold on to the guilt and shame and hide your abuse and have a different future.
It is to be abused but to feel guilt-free, shame-free, without the negative drag.
Today my negative radar is free.
My gratitude scale is overwhelming.
My future shines bright.
David Hawkins ends this segment with...
"In summary, then, the consciousness level of acceptance is one that we all long to achieve, for it enables us to find freedom from most of life's problems and to experience fulfillment and happiness."
I am very fulfilled and happy.
