TWENTY

觀

LEVELS OF AWARENESS

CONCERNS: Points of view, observing and being observed, contemplation, self-reflection, one’s overall view of life; cultivating one’s life so that one may serve as a true example for others; bearing witness to the Divine Order.

1. Superficial understanding is excusable in a child but embarrassing in an adult.
2. An innocent but restricted point of view, obstructed by our emotions, attitudes and beliefs, will restrict our intelligence.
3. If we want to know whether to proceed, we can review the relevant patterns in our lives. Are we making an error again or is this a clear and beneficial choice? We are the cause of the effects we produce; change the cause and the effects will change. Is it reasonable to believe that the same causes will produce different effects this time?
4. This is an opportunity to take a broad and expanded view of our situation or life. Is it wise to continue to employ the narrow concepts of ourselves and our relationships once we have understood that these have created the conditions out of which our current problems arise?
5. When others look up to us, we have the responsibility to live and model an authentic life of self-examination and not just urge good qualities on them.
6. We need to persevere working on our spiritual development and growth even though we may have little direct effect on others.

COMMENT: By objectively examining the effects we produce in the world we can know how to correct ourselves. The taking of responsibility for what we discover using this form of self-examination is a powerful technique for spiritual evolution.  We can then serve as a conduit for divinity to manifest in the social world.