There is a part of us that summarily rejects the moments when we see -- by a light that we would rather not see -- our actual condition. And in that moment of helplessness, we have a choice to recognize that were it not given to us in that moment by something greater than what we don't want to see, we would never be able to see it... and never have the opportunity to transcend ourselves.
The transcending of ourself begins with something that is hated by humanity, and that is humility. But it is a requirement of us as aspirants to little-by-little catch the moments in which a faint glimpse of our helplessness is revealed. We have to be inwardly quick, attentive, but, if we are sincere, we will never not be given the opportunities to choose humility over rejection of helplessness.
Have you ever wanted to be so present in a moment that when somebody says something unkind to you, or when you read a piece of news, or something dramatically unwanted happens, instead of that sudden surge of rejection or resistance to the revelation of the nature dependent upon that condition being fulfilled according to its wish (which is the false nature trying to hide its helplessness), in that moment, you would be present enough to be humbled by the light? To recognize in that split second that Goodness, Love -- in its compassion and by the mercy of the Divine -- has appeared not to punish you, but to show you (at once) something that is greater than yourself? If you accept that there is something greater than yourself, then you allow it to act on what it has appeared to reveal.
One of the most difficult ideas in our work is the understanding that when the light shows you what is dark in yourself, your task must be humility before the light, not rejection of the darkness because you don't want to be seen (in your own eyes) as helpless.
What we call helpless moments are moments in which the Divine has extended help. And the help extended is the revelation of our nature that wants nothing to do with the Divine. The clearer that becomes to us, the more we live our lives moment to moment waiting, knowing that life is bringing us down a river, and understanding that we need to ask for help. Something greater has to help us. It helps us through showing us that we need it. If we don't see we need it, we reject it. If we reject it, it's because of our ego, our pride.
There's no humility in the nature that rejects the hand that reaches for it. What am I left with if all I'm left with is myself? But if I'm willing to let myself be shown to myself, then I can have humility, and in that humility, I can be filled with the very light, the love, the Divine -- call it what you will. I can be filled with that instead of with myself.
So what would the exercise be? Just catch the moment in which there is that contraction of rejection inside yourself. There is the rejection of the revelation through anger, rushing, etc. There must be a willingness in that moment to surrender myself to the light that has revealed to me what it has. Not to defend myself -- which is what happens mechanically. Not to worry or wonder "why?" or "how much longer do I have to go through this?" but to understand with an unequivocal sight: OK. Here's what has happened. I see something. I am in that moment aware of a certain helplessness that wants me to try to help myself out of this situation by justifying, explaining, excusing. But now I understand, I must not "help myself" out of this moment of feeling helpless. Rather, I must surrender myself to the consciousness, the light that has shown it to me.
And in that moment, you begin to understand why your humiliation is your salvation. In that moment of understanding I'm going to surrender to the whole of that which has revealed to me what I don't want to see and don't want to be, but I am not going to identify with it. My attention is going to go toward the revelatory part of this moment and not to the resistance it breeds.
This humility, which is an absolute requirement for anyone's spiritual awakening - this moment of surrender that is the only possibility of being in a relationship in which what is true and good and filled with light can continue to pour in and reveal what it does, always takes place in the presence of a certain kind of light that, that by its very appearance, I can feel everything in me that wants to fight, think its way out, blame. And yet, I understand that I can see the good in this moment.
And because I can see the good of being shown what should not and cannot continue in myself, I am willing to empty myself of everything in that moment save for my willingness to stand in that light. I am willing to empty myself of every thought, every feeling, everything connected with the usual mechanical reaction to the appearance of this nature. Why? Because, up until now, that's what my work has produced -- the understanding that rather than fighting with what's being shown to me or trying not to be it, the only thing I can do is surrender to what shows me myself.