1-416-561-5780In the Pathwork@ Lecture #123 – Liberation and Peace by Overcoming Fear of the Unknown, the Pathwork Guide says: “Only when you can freely give up your selfhood will you gain more selfhood.”
This seems like a puzzling paradox. Giving up selfhood to find selfhood? What does that mean?
Well, this is a particular expression of a more general principle also found in the Pathwork@ teachings. To achieve a desired goal one must be ready to give up what is desired. If not, the obstinate desire creates forcing currents that make it difficult to manifest what is forcefully desired.
This also applies to the goal of comprehending one’s own individuality.
If the paradox remains unclear, the following metaphor may help.
Think of a river of clear water flowing smoothly among some rocks. Near the rocks you could see swirls. Each whirlpool is contained in the river, but it can be individually noticed. You can think of them as each having their own individuality, their selfhood.
Now consider the possibility of separating one of those whirlpools from the river where it is. Suppose you use a bucket to “collect” one of the swirls to decorate your fish tank at home. What would you get in the bucket? A whirlpool? Of course not! You would get only water; and no isolated swirl.
The whirlpool has its identity (its selfhood) only if it remains immersed in the river. Likewise, we will only apprehend the full meaning of our individuality if we perceive it as immersed and integrated in the comprehensive Divine consciousness that permeates the universe.
Identification with our little ego is a distorted and myopic view of the Divine manifestation that we really are. If the whirlpool of our metaphor had fallen leaves swirling within it, these would be the only visible part of the whirlpool that would remain in our bucket. In the same way, our ego would be the only noticeable (not so beautiful) part of our individuality if we insisted on perceiving it separately from the comprehensive cosmic consciousness that permeates the entire universe. We must let go of this narcissistic approach if we are to comprehend our true identity, our Real Self.
Gustavo Monteiro
January 2021
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