In this answer to a viewer's question, "letting go" author Guy Finley talks about how there is a part of our consciousness that will seek to derive a false sense of self out of anything, even if it means going into pain over something that is unwanted.

There is a nature inside of us -- a product of this world physically and psychologically -- that does not want to change. In fact, it is hell-bent on having everything remain the same so that it can complain about the same things again and again. This unconscious nature is a product of our world physically and psychologically. It's almost like a wrapping -- much like a seed is encased...

When an unwanted moment comes along - there's a stress, a strain, somebody's definitely being negative -- aren't you positive that the reason you're in pain and resisting the condition is because of "what they are"? I'm telling you, that's not the case. They are revealing to you something in your consciousness that you don't know is there! And the only way it stays there, and hidden from you...

You may want to think about this for the rest of your life... and I'm not kidding. The need for a lesson to be learned attracts the condition it requires to be fulfilled. Do you see how benevolent is the Creator (whatever word you want to give to it)? Because look, how many of you think to yourself, "Oh joy, here comes a lightning bolt! Here comes a lesson!" No. When lessons come..."

The next time that life comes knocking with what you "don't want," instead of allowing yourself to be dragged through the old round-around, make these three new choices, and watch how they dismiss the darkness knocking at your door: Your first choice (always!) is to come wide-awake to yourself. Remember: Your new aim is to not allow old, mechanical reactions..."

The whole idea of turning straw into gold is connected to using any unwanted moment to gain a whole new level of understanding and to connect to a higher level of consciousness that is not afraid of the moment.

What many of us have yet to understand is that dark, negative reactions to unwanted events do nothing to cure them. In fact, these painful impulses have just the opposite effect. They actually "cement" things -- fixing both themselves and the false sense of self through which they then are empowered to run their unhappy course.

Topics covered: We can interact with each other on a completely different level that transforms our relationships; Relationships are the most abundant resource in the world for discovering your highest possibilities; You cannot heal anything until it stops being concealed. Negative reactions conceal hidden aspects of our consciousness; There is no intelligence in a negative reaction...

Question: How do you integrate and apply the principle that "I am bigger than this moment" when your mind is programmed otherwise? How do you practice stopping reacting? Answer: You don't practice stopping reacting, you see that you can't stop reacting.

Topics covered: We're connected to everything, whether we're aware of it or not; There's no moment when All There Is isn't acting on us, and that we are its instrument; Our purpose is to be a part of the unified whole as it seeks its greater end, using us as its instrument; We are part of a greater mind, a greater heart, and a greater body, but we don't know it; Our responsibility is to answer...