Christ Consciousness. Bonus: Pausing to Integrate

 

Pausing to Integrate: The Path So Far and the Journey Ahead

It began in the thick of uncertainty. In March 2021, as the pandemic forced the world to pause and confront what had long been ignored, I started this series under the banner of Christ Consciousness. Not as a narrow religious doctrine, but as an archetype of awakened awareness accessible across traditions: the inner knowing that we are luminous beings capable of rising beyond ego, fear, and division.

The core message from the very first post has not changed: no one will come to save you. Not a distant figure, not a system, not even the most enlightened teacher. Salvation, true evolution, wholeness, is an inside job. The pandemic was never just a physical illness; it was, and remains, a mirror amplifying greed, disconnection, corruption, and spiritual neglect at every level: individual, communal, global.

We are still in those troubled waters. In 2026, the noise is louder: algorithmic echo chambers, performative spirituality, deepening polarization, leadership that serves self over service, and distractions that pull us further from our inner compass. The shadows we glimpsed in 2021 have not vanished; they have evolved. Yet so has the opportunity. The call to inner work, discernment, and co-creation is more urgent than ever.

Where We’ve Been: The Path So Far (Parts 1–10)

The series unfolded organically over two years (2021–2023), building in three natural phases that mirror the three realms we inhabit: the empirical (physical senses), the ideal (mind and logic), and the metaphysical (soul and direct knowing).

Phase 1: Foundation and Awakening (Parts 1–5)

This phase sounded the alarm and laid the groundwork.

• Part 1: No-one will come to save you (March 2021) — The wake-up call: the pandemic magnifies pre-existing imbalances; judgment is internal; this time, we must rise ourselves.
• Part 2: We are not all born equal (March 2021) — Souls are equal in the Source, but incarnation brings unique purposes, bodies, minds, and journeys. Equality is an ideal we create through norms such as law and morality to navigate differences safely.
• Part 3: Threats and defences, reaction, response and proaction (March 2021) — External threats (false prophets, gossip, noise) met with the armour of God (justice, faith, truth); internal threats (ego, negativity) met with living water (deep transformation). Response neutralizes; reaction feeds darkness. Proaction: honour the soul proactively.
• Part 4: A time for everything — Cycles and divine timing in the journey.
• Part 5: Showing your light (March 2021) — Do not hide your gift; shine as a beacon for others. The bigger the light, the greater the responsibility and tests. No comparisons: honour your unique knowing.

Phase 2: Practice, Discernment and Challenges (Parts 6–10)

Here we moved from recognition to application: tools for navigating chaos.

• Part 6: Vision, leadership and peace (April 2021) — True leaders serve; seek positive peace (wholeness) within. Discern company, inputs, and contexts intentionally.
• Part 7: The solitary hero and the false prophets (June 2021) — Solitude is not the same as loneliness. True love starts with self; beware conditional help from false guides. Sometimes the hero walks alone.
• Part 8: Self-mastery: the battle towards God and inner peace (July/August 2021) — Chaos without reflects chaos within. Discipline body and mind like an athlete for an eternal prize; motivation fades, consistency endures.
• Part 9: On watchfulness: becoming the observer (March 2023) — Watch thoughts and emotions without attachment. An ancient practice, re-spiritualized mindfulness: catch reactivity, transmute energy, anchor in stillness.
• Part 10: Going back to source (March 2023) — When scattered, return inward. Leave the crowd of mental noise; find refuge in the heart where the Source never leaves.

These ten posts form a cohesive arc: from stark responsibility to practical defences, embodied mastery, and contemplative return.

Why It Still Matters – and Why Now

The world in 2026 is not calmer; it is more fragmented. False prophets multiply online, inner peace feels elusive amid constant stimulation, and collective wounds mirror unhealed individual ones. As within, so without remains the unbreakable law.Yet the good news endures: we already have everything needed — the inner compass, the armour, the living water, the light. The series never offered recipes or quick fixes because there are none. It points to direct knowing: surrender to the soul, choose response over reaction, shine selflessly, return to source daily.

In these times, this path is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Inner alignment is the foundation for any outer change worth having.

What’s Ahead: Toward Completion and Beyond (Parts 11–12 and Possibly Further)

The intention is to bring the series to a natural completion with twelve core parts. The number twelve carries deep resonance: the twelve apostles, the twelve tribes, the twelve months of the year — a symbol of wholeness, cycles, and divine order. Part 12 will serve as the foundational capstone.

After that, Parts 13 to 15 (and possibly beyond, should divine inspiration continue to flow) will form an integration and realization phase, weaving awakening and practice into lived embodiment. Tentative themes include:

• Part 11: Faith — The leap beyond senses and mind; trust in the metaphysical amid uncertainty.
• Part 12: The capstone of wholeness — A synthesis of the journey, reflecting the symbolic completion of twelve.
• Part 13: Love in action — Selfless love; loving neighbour as self begins with radical self-acceptance; transmuting fear to love in relationships and service.
• Part 14: Co-creation and the collective — From individual ascension to communal; how inner borders dissolve to allow shared unity.
• Part 15: Surrender, grace, and the eternal now — After discipline comes letting go; grace flows when effort aligns with non-effort; living Christ Consciousness daily in the present moment.

No fixed timeline exists — only intention, consistency, and openness to guidance. If the inner pull continues, the series will reach twelve as its core structure, with additional parts unfolding as inspired. If the energy shifts elsewhere, what already exists stands as a complete foundation.

Invitation Forward

This is not my series alone; it is ours. Revisit the posts if called. Voice your intention — aloud, in writing, in silence — to access your knowing. Think of Christ as intermediary if it helps bridge realms; no belief is required, only openness.

If any piece resonates, share it. If questions arise, reflections surface, or you sense a next step, trust that whisper. We co-create by showing up authentically.

As Rumi reminds us: Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.

Keep shining. The light is already within.

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 10: Going back to source

Saturday 18th March 2023

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 10: Going back to source

 

Going back to source

Thoughts such as “to do or not to do,” “to do because I want to,” “to do because I have to,” “to do because I feel I have to,” and “to do because I need to” are common in all of us. Often glued to these thoughts are emotions. When these thoughts and emotions spiral out of control because of an unexpected situation we have to face or the anticipation of circumstances that, in the end, may never manifest, we tend to feel “out of balance,” “out of control,” or “not grounded.” How do we deal with this? The answer is simple: we should go back to where we come from.

Enlightened ones, mystics and Holly Books agree on this point. For example, Buddha tells his monks to “be islands unto yourselves, be a refuge unto yourselves with no other refuge.” (The Long Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Dgha Nikāya by Maurice Walshe, Wisdom Publications, 2012, 404). In a similar vein, Jesus’ journey includes several cases that, by means of a metaphorical understanding of the lesson behind them, refer to this. For instance, when Jesus cleanses the temple by expelling the crowd (Matthew 21-12-17) and when his parents, Mary and Joseph, realized young Jesus was missing, “they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.” (Luke 2:41-52)

All these teachings advise us to have a contemplative position in life because there is a refuge of peace within us. When we understand God as our being, God can never be absent. Indeed, due to unforeseen circumstances or mundane challenges we may be mentally absent. Thoughts and emotions may seem to invade and conquer us. Yet, to find peace, we simply need to leave the “crowd” and go back inwards, to source, to the temple or, in other words, to our beginning. In these lessons, the dichotomy between the “crowd” and “self” points out to the state in which we find ourselves when our attention is scattered. When this happens, we should aim to acknowledge our conscious activities and ongoing striving in order for them to cease.

By gathering our attention, we are able to still ourselves. Being here and now we are not caught up in thoughts and feelings. While being relaxed but alert, we release ourselves into God’s case trusting we lack nothing. We have to constantly remind ourselves that we do not need to seek God here or there. He is in each of our hearts. Therefore, there is always a refuge of peace at reach, within us. In fact, that is what we do when we use techniques such as meditation, yoga and mindful breathing. We learn to leave the “crowd” for a while by simply coming back to source.

The road back to source requires concentration and will. More precisely, concentration of intention, concentration of energy, concentration of consciousness and concentration of investigation should be accompanied by effort of will. Our watchfulness must be intense, concentrated and unremitting. This implies a continual fixing and halting of thought at the entrance of the heart. By being attentive to ourselves we gain heart’s stillness that is free from mental images and becomes the guardian of the intellect. In truth, we simply have to be still and trust God will take care of everything.

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 9: On watchfulness: becoming the observer

Available at: https://london1701.blogspot.com/2023/03/christ-consciousness-9-on-watchfulness.html

Saturday 18th March 2023

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 9: On watchfulness: becoming the observer

 

On watchfulness: becoming the observer

A bare mind is not worried about anything and it is tied up with nothing. It is about not holding onto distractions rather than ignoring or avoiding them. Distractions will happen. Whether inner turmoil or influence by our surroundings, our lives are constantly surfing through this physical existence. Therefore, the challenge is to master ourselves to the point we may remain calm despite the inner or outer circumstances. When the Holy Scriptures say something like “Do not sin by letting your anger control you.” (Ephesians 4:26) they are simply advising us by describing the tension between self or our soul and ego. While self knows we lack nothing, ego will try to trick us into attaching ourselves to thoughts and emotions related to need.

A particular useful tool to learn how to master ourselves and to include in our daily and practice is watchfulness. It has been used for centuries by many religious traditions and is often neglected, most possibly because of its simplicity as well the discipline it requires. Indeed, watchfulness enables us to become the observer. One of the several outcomes when we become the observer is that we do not get lost in thoughts or emotions. We simply accept them as and when they come, we avoid judging them, we acknowledge them and we let them go their way. But, what is watchfulness?

Watchfulness “… signifies an attitude of attentiveness whereby one keeps watch over one’s inward thoughts and fantasies, maintaining guard over the heart and intellect.” (St Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St Makarios of Corinth, compliers, The Philokalia: The Complete Text, Volume One, translated from the Greek and edited by G.E.H. Palmer, Philip Sherrard and Kallistos Ware, London and Boston: Faber and Faber, 1983, 367).

As there are different ways to master ourselves, there are several types of watchfulness. For example, in brief, according to religious tradition, we may become the observer:

1. By closely scrutinizing of every mental image or provocation.
2. By freeing the heart from all thoughts, keeping it profoundly silent and still.
3. By continually and humbly calling upon the Lord Jesus Christ for help.
4. By always having the thought of death in one’s mind.
5. By fixing one’s gaze on heaven and by paying no attention to anything material.

A more modern take on watchfulness has to do with what it is becoming a trend: mindful meditation. Truly, mindful meditation has its roots in Ancient traditions including religious understandings. Put it simply, mindful meditation is the enabler that paves a way to become the observer but, different from Ancient tradition, is stripped down from its spiritual nature.

Watchfulness allows to catch reactivity. By not reacting it is possible to come back to our centre, to our calmness and, ultimately, to our freedom. It means we are able to anchor to stillness while still flowing.

It is important to mention watchfulness is not about putting up with what we should not be putting up (e.g. an unjust or a painful situation). It just implies we are able to transform that same energy and change it for good. In other words, watchfulness helps us find a new relationship with issues such as pain, distractions, thoughts and emotions and avoid reactivity. In a nutshell, we avoid turning that pain into mental suffering.

Watchfulness is not about fighting but grounding ourselves to our Holy essence and in doing that, shining so bright that any negativity is disintegrated. We are able to transmute energy. Therefore, take time and space to nourish yourself. Watchfulness’ end goal is to become the observer—even when we are surrounded by people. Because through watchfulness we face ourselves, we face our light and our fears. And if we want to know ourselves and in knowing ourselves, heal, we have to observe in order to be aware. Watchfulness allows us to be aware of self and ego; awareness enables us to be awake. Being awakened is the way to ignite what we already know: “All healing involves replacing fear with love.” (ACIM, T. 8. IX. 5:2)

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 8: Self-mastery: the battle towards God and inner peace

Available at: https://london1701.blogspot.com/2021/08/christ-consciousness-8-self-mastery.html

Saturday 11th March 2023

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 8: Self-mastery: the battle towards God and inner peace

 

Self-mastery: the battle towards God and inner peace

The world is in chaos. Truly, because many of us are in chaos within (our inner world) our local, regional and international contexts (the outer world) present ourselves disjointed, broken, unfair. Unsurprisingly, our leaders do not lead. More accurately, our leaders represent our lack of direction. Why? Because many of us have settled for external approval rather than inner truth. Something I have recently read about heroes and superstars says it all:

“Henry Kissinger expressed it unusually well in his book review of Churchill, and I quote: ‘Our age finds it difficult to come to grips with figures like Winston Churchill. The political leaders with whom we are familiar generally aspire to be superstars rather than heroes. The distinction is crucial. Superstars strive for approbation; heroes walk alone. Superstars crave consensus; heroes define themselves by the judgment of a future they see it as their task to bring about. Superstars seek success in a technique for eliciting support; heroes pursue success as the outgrowth of inner values’.” (“Heroes vs. Superstars,” Ziglar, available at https://www.ziglar.com/motivation/heroes-vs-superstars/ ).

Although it seems we lack direction, accurately, we are longing for inner peace. Puzzling as it may sound, however, we seek for the answers beyond ourselves. There are those who delude themselves with quick fixes such as drugs, alcohol, sex and toxic relationships. Yet, there are others who are subtler and appear to have a reasonably balanced life but depend on arguably “healthier” options like constant company and different kinds of compulsions (e.g. sports, religion, nutrition). Able to see past the apparent, the wise Bulleh Shah and Jesus express what in reality happens:

“Yes, yes; you’ve read thousands of books but you’ve never tried to read yourself; you rush into your temples, into your mosques, but you have never tried to enter your own heart; futile are all your battles with the devil for you have never tried to fight your own desires.” (Bulleh Shah)

“…you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition … These people honor me with their lifes, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.” (Matthew 15:6-9 conf. Isaiah 29:13).

How do we gain inner peace? you may ask. How do we avoid these addictions and dependency on the external, whether a situation, a person, an object, and action or omission? The answer is as simple as hard to achieve. The answer is (has always been) within. It is high time we stop blaming God, Allah, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal, the One, the Many (like in every post, the name we use here is irrelevant. It is just a man-made label for communication. Therefore, I use them interchangeably). In a similar vein, it is time to stop pointing the finger at our Mum, Dad, neighbour, president, prime minister, etc. Inner peace and, consequently, outer peace, starts in, with and through ourselves. St. Benedict and Rumi give us a clue:

“The ladder erected is our life on earth, and if we humble our hearts the Lord will raise it to heaven. We may call our body and soul the sides of the ladder, into which our divine vocation has fitted the various steps of humility and discipline as we ascend (The Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 7:8-9).

“At times the holy warrior feels expansion, at other times pain, torment, contraction. Our earthly bodies try with all their might denying and then stealing our soul’s light.” (Rumi, The Masnavi, Book Two, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, 173).

Indeed, it takes our own self to attain inner peace. Firstly, to own the fact it is our choice and it is within our grasp (the “no excuses” motto applies here). Secondly, to set the intention to work for it. Thirdly, to bring that intention to reality: to actually do the work (aka less preaching, more doing). Finally, to stay consistent. Every change requires time and effort. The bigger the challenge, the more discipline will need. A proviso: it is a daily battle within, I must caution you. Hence, do not rely on motivation.  

Mmm, it sounds like hard work, I am certain at this point many may think. You are completely right. But, if you are not willing to work hard for yourself and for your inner peace, at least be content in acknowledging that you accepted willingly the chaos within and without. After all, the world cannot give the gift of peace (conf. John 14:27).

For those who want to join the change, both inner and, as a result outer, I leave you with St. Paul and Buddha and their wisdom about the mastery of our body and our mind.

“Do you not realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

“A man’s mind makes him a Buddha, or it may make him a beast. Misled by error, one becomes a demon; enlightened, one becomes a Buddha. Therefore, control your mind and do not let it deviate from the right path.” (The Teaching of Buddha, Tokyo, Japan: Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai, 2012, 12).

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 7: The solitary hero and the false prophets

Available at: https://london1701.blogspot.com/2021/06/christ-consciousness-7-solitary-hero.html

Saturday 07th July 2021

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 7: The solitary hero and the false prophets

 

The solitary hero and the false prophets

“Alone” and “lonely” sound similar but they are not. “Alone” means to be in fact on your own (i.e. physically, empirically there is nobody but you in a given time and space). “Lonely,” however, implies feeling you are on your own even though you may be with people. While solitude has to do with the outer world, loneliness refers to our inner core.

A simple truth is applicable to both: “as within so without.” You do not attract what you want but who you are. “Friends,” the TV series, is the epitome of a world that glorifies the annihilation of the self by the dependence on others. Yet, despite all that noise around, these characters (like many of us) cannot fill the void inside. Hence, they are not in mutually enriching interdependence but in a situation of need. What do they need from each other? Validation.

It is not strange that the wise agree on this point. On the day of the festival of the unleavened bread, a Jesus surrounded by people told his disciples “all of you will desert me.” (Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27 NLT). Similarly, Rumi tells us “each single prophet who served God alone stood firm against the whole world on his own.” (Rumi, The Masnavi, Book Two, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, 23).

There are different kinds of love. Romantic love is but a single example. For instance, Disney has started exploring with films like Frozen the love between brothers, sisters, siblings. With time, in particular in the West, it has lost its essence and it has been disguised as the necessary requisite to be defined as a person: if and only if somebody else loves us, we are worth it—the “I” defined by the “other.”

When we go back to the Scriptures, the “love” Jesus talks about is the prime example of what I call Love. The very well-known phrase “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39 NLT) is usually interpreted as giving pre-eminence to the “other” part of the equation. However, paraphrasing RuPaul here “How can you love somebody else if you cannot love yourself?” It all starts with you. Note I do not refer here to the love to God, Allah, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal, the One, the Many (like in every post, the name we use here is irrelevant. It is just a man-made label for communication. Therefore, I use them interchangeably).

Why does it start with you? There is just one reason. Because we cannot give what we do not have, at least not freely. Unsurprisingly, there is what we have nowadays, conditional love, pseudo love or fake love—it just has the appearance of love. Hence, the previous reference to “Friends.”

We are living challenging times. Often, challenging times bring problems as well as opportunities. In chaos, there is as much darkness as there is light. Undoubtedly, there is a proliferation of “false prophets.” Disguised as empaths, gurus, motivational speakers and others, in most cases these people prey on the vulnerable and good-hearted. More than ever we are being asked to trust our connection between our inner core and God, Allah, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal, the One, the Many.

Whoever wants to help you should seek your best even if it means to leave you walking your path alone. If there is any condition attached to their care and help, there is a clear indication they are not acting out of love. Evidently, the condition may be financial. However, there may be more sophisticated and refined ways for these false prophets. Remember your time, attention, company and energy are too precious.

If someone or something is jeopardizing your peace of mind because there is a condition for them to stay with you (in whatever capacity), that is not love. Love has nothing to do with fear because “… perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not experienced […] perfect love.” (1 John 4:18 NLT) It is as simple as profound: “only from the heart can you touch the sky.” (Rumi)

As hard as it may seem, sometimes walking alone the path is not as taxing as walking with someone who appears to be sharing our load but, in reality, they are the load itself. Sometimes you have to be the solitary hero in your own story.

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 6: Vision, leadership and peace

Available at: https://london1701.blogspot.com/2021/04/christ-consciousness-6-vision.html

Monday 28th June 2021

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 6: Vision, leadership and peace

 

Vision, leadership and peace

In times of loneliness and in times of crisis we seek company and guidance. As individuals, we may turn to family members, our friends, our politicians, a spiritual leader such as a priest, a rabbi, an imam or a guru and even God, Allah, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal, the One, the Many (like in every post, the name we use here is irrelevant. It is just a man-made label for communication. Therefore, I use them interchangeably).

We are transiting difficult and very confusing times as individuals, communities and humankind at large. Regardless of their country of origin, location, gender, race, religion and any other external characteristic, our leaders are not leading us. But, how can leaders lead when their vision is self-centred? At best, when they appear to try to give us instructions, they fail by default because they do not practice what they preach. A good leader should first learn to be a good servant. Unfortunately, our current leaders understand their role as a privilege, something that positions them in some higher up place and not as a responsibility toward us.

To add to the confusion and lack of leadership and clear vision, self-proclaimed prophets come up from everywhere. There seem to be many voices giving advice but no substantial message behind. More than clarity and direction these voices add to the noise around and confuse us even more. Indeed, this is not a coincidence but a calculated choice. These false prophets know exactly what they do. Each of them has their own agenda. Remember “it is good fishing in troubled waters.”

That is why today I refer to Jesus and Rumi because they both give us the answer:

Jesus (according to Matthew 13)

“[…] a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.”

Rumi

“A raindrop from the sky: if it is caught by clean hands, is pure enough for drinking. If it falls in the gutter, its value drops so much that it can’t be used even for washing your feet.

If it falls on a hot surface, it will evaporate… If it falls on a lotus leaf, it shines like a pearl and finally If it falls on an oyster, it becomes a pearl…

The drop is the same, but its existence and worth depends on whom it is associated with.”

More than ever, when you are in trouble waters, be intentional about your company, your context and the things you “ingest.” As per my previous posts, take into account we all live in different realms at the same time. I have already referred to three of them: the factual or empirical, that of the logic or ideal and the soul or metaphysical. Hence, keep on check people, things and situations you surround yourself with and go into your mind, body and soul. When you are in tune with yourself there is nothing that can shake you, you are at peace. Bless all those who add more noise to your life and let them go. Again, you have to be intentional about this. Do not wait for the Source to detach you from people and situations. As you invite goodness in, so you do with evil. In the same manner, you will have to ask them to leave. Similarly, choose intentionally what you read, what you listen to, what you eat and drink and, in general, what goes “in” you whether this is your physical body, your mind or your soul. Be discerning. This will make the difference between being in chaos and being at peace.

When I refer to peace I do not do it in the usual negative sense as absence of conflict or to put an end to inner or outer battles. There is a special kind of peace, a positive peace, that you can only find within. John 14;27 says it clearly: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Peace is a profound sense of wholeness. It is in that place where you will find your compass to guide you and your very own vision to unfold. There is a proviso: although this is your journey you will share some parts with others. You may share most of your journey with very few people and other parts with some more. In all cases, for your vision to manifest, be aware of others and their journeys. Be in peace with yourself as you too are with others.

Look for guidance within. Ask God to help you if you cannot find it yourself. Because Allah is within and without, is in everyone and everything. The Universe will guide you if and when you ask. Your vision will dictate your steps. Walk the walk. And do it in such a way that you become a beacon of light for others. Because if you cannot be in peace within, there cannot be peace without.

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 5: Showing your light

Available at: https://drjorge.world/2021/03/24/christ-consciousness-5-showing-your-light/

Monday 05th April 2021

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 5: Showing your light

 

Showing your light

Holy books have several passages that insist on not hiding our light. Yet, we insist on diminishing and belittling ourselves daily. In a society that praises instant success and discards tradition, hard work and positive values, we are constantly reminded on TV, the news and social media that we should aim to be like someone else, achieve a certain standard or just not to care at all.

“Your body should be healthier” or “own your body even if you look like a balloon,” “pay attention to this or that historical figure and how they changed the world for the better” or “accept yourself even if your life will not impact positively anybody,” “aim high” or “do not aim at all,” “save humanity” or “be careless,” and so many other contradictory messages are around us. Yet, most people go on autopilot from one extreme to the other, one day feeling empowered about who and how they are and the next day trapped in anxiety, depression and unhappiness.

The key is simple: ““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others…” (Matthew 5:14-16). It is not about mirroring or pleasing others or some external specifications. It is about honouring who you are and acknowledging we all have a different gift. There is a proviso: the gift is not yours. You are only responsible of protecting and sharing the gift you have been given with others. And the caveat too implies the bigger the gift, the bigger the responsibility and, most probably, the inner and outer challenges.

Because the gift is for you to share with others, avoid self-centeredness and self-righteousness, two of the many inner challenges. Remember you are a vessel and your job is to channel the light within and be a beacon for others. As important as the inner challenges, rest assured you will have to face outer resistance. In a previous post, we have already mentioned all these challenges and relevant defences and we will explore them in detail in the future. The post today is solely here to remind you about your gift and the fact you have two options: to honour your light and let it shine or to hide it.

In a message that illustrates both inner and outer challenges, Rumi said it well: “Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah…it makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.” On the surface, “people” here may appear to be the external challenge but it will be your own, for example, feeling of embarrassment or inadequacy that may stop you from shining bright. “People” will still be there whether you glow or not. Moreover, “huge” and the reference to “Noah” do not mean you have to change the world or become the Prime Minister overnight. It means that, regardless of who you are, there is a “knowing” in you that you should follow. Be the best Mum, the most resourceful personal assistant, the wisest philosopher, the fastest typewriter you can be. Again, remember, this is about you and your own light. This is not a competition. The previously mentioned examples seem to suggest comparisons in which one individual is somehow better that another one or the whole. Wrong interpretation (and surely, an interpretation that will fit perfectly with our ego). More precisely, your gift is your responsibility and you do not need to compare yourself with anything or anybody else to “know” if you honour your call or not. There is a deep certainty that will shine through regardless of any externality when you give your all.

In brief, you are now transiting the physical realm. Your soul decided to be or was sent here. Whether you chose to be here or you were sent for a reason is irrelevant. You are playing the game called life. Because we are living in a physical vessel we have to comply with the laws of physics. Yet, your soul is still here. The same is true about your light. Simply put, your soul is luminous. There is no need to ignite, accept or acknowledge this. Trust me, trust yourself, as I know, you too do. What separates you from shining is not your ability but your will. You may choose to honour God, Allah, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal, the One, the Many and do it. It is easier than that. Surrender. Choose to honour yourself and shine. Because by being a beacon of light you are who you are meant to be, who you have always been.

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 4: A time for everything

Available at: https://drjorge.world/2021/03/18/christ-consciousness-4-a-time-for-everything/

Wednesday 24th March 2021

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 4: A time for everything

 

A Time for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3 (New International Version)

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 3: Threats and defences, reaction, response and proaction

Available at: https://drjorge.world/2021/03/17/christ-consciousness-3-threats-and-defences-reaction-response-and-proaction/

Thursday 18th March 2021

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 3: Threats and defences, reaction, response and proaction

 

Threats and defences, reaction, response and proaction

The first post introduced the idea that “no-one will come to save you.” Therefore, if you want to get through the pandemic and anything else in life, at least spiritually, this is a challenge you have to face yourself. No-one else can do it for you. True, there may be others who may have empathy or sympathy towards you. Yet, if you do not want to make the change yourself no-one will be able to do it for you. Similarly, but in a larger scale, if our communities intend to improve and finish with quarrel, wars and any other negative trait, each of us will have to help co-create a better, healthier and more luminous reality.

I referred too to threats and defences. Indeed, like any change in the real, ideal or metaphysical realm, to go to the next level implies challenges. Some of these challenges are within while some others are without. The good news is that we already have everything we need to overcome these challenges individually and as a collective. The defence mechanisms, however, require intention and action and, in some cases, omissions. I will broadly mention the threats and defences below and, thereafter, we will explore each of them in more detail in the future.

By external threats I mean what some religions usually call “Satan’s strategies.” Consider here Satan as a metaphor of things like false prophets, gossip and some (maybe most) daily news. To defend ourselves from these external threats we need the “armour of God.” Whether you follow any religious tradition or not is not relevant. Through God, Allah, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal, the One, the Many (like in every post, the name we use here is irrelevant. It is just a man-made label for communication. Therefore, I use them interchangeably) each of us knows, or at least has an idea, about justice, faith and truth. These and a few more positive values are the elements that should form our armour.

By internal threats I refer to things like ego, negative thoughts and emotions. For many, these are the most difficult threats to overcome. The means to deal with them is “living water.” Similar to the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, we have a tendency to go for easy and quick fixes when we feel, for example, emptiness, boredom, envy or jealousy. True, at that point in time, the quick fix does the trick. But, like the Samaritan woman, after a while, emptiness, boredom, envy and jealousy take over again. The same is applicable to ego and any negative thought and emotion. The defence, which I call “living water” refers to a more profound change, the one Jesus offered in that encounter at the water well and in many others.

The above is a brief account of the kinds of threats we face as individuals and as part of the collective, externally and internally, and how we may tackle them. Obviously, there is more we can do. The defences I have just mentioned are predominantly responsive. Certainly, we can be more committed towards ourselves and our evolution and that of others. I insist on this point. If we want to get to the next level we too need to think about the wellbeing of others, what I refer to as the collective. There is no doubt there is a need for individual work. If we want to move to the next level, though, we must create the platform together. That is what I call co-creation.

In addition to how we may respond to internal and external threats, we may be as well proactive. Let me explain what I mean. A threat may come into our life and we may either respond or react. The examples detailed above are responses because the aim is solely to protect us and the collective; not to inflict harm on the attacker or the threat itself, whether they originate in another individual or our own self. If we choose to react and answer back with a counterattack we simply feed the threat’s energy. All in all, while a response neutralises the threat and protects us and the collective, a reaction feeds that same threat and helps it grow and become stronger, more painful, darker.

We will explore reactions and responses, threats and defences in more detail in the future. I just wanted now to introduce these distinctions as well as the more proactive option. Instead of getting ready in the event a threat happens, we may work on strengthening our internal armour and our external armour. The way is simple: we may strengthen both the internal and external armour by honouring our soul. For an entity such as us that is now experiencing the physical and ideal realms the first challenge is to accept our soul, to surrender to it. The expression “leap of faith” perfectly describes this first step. We either have faith and believe or we do not. The second we ask for proofs, start intellectualising the metaphysical or try to find experiential evidence, the second we neglect the invisible, the untouchable, the unthinkable.

To recapitulate, we can protect ourselves and the collective from internal and external threats by being responsive or reactive. The former brings balance in us and others while the latter enhances the gap within and without. By gap I mean here the “distance” between us, our physical and ideal “I” or “We” and our soul. We have more options. We too can work on ourselves and the collective by going back to us, our soul, because by going back to our soul we go back to the Source.

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 2: We are not all born equal

Available at: https://drjorge.world/2021/03/16/christ-consciousness-1-we-are-not-all-born-equal/

Wednesday 17th March 2021

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 2: We are not all born equal

 

We are not all born equal

Often, we see on the news, in rules and speeches that we are supposed to be equal. This is a mistake or, at best, not a truism. It is important here to distinguish between realms. 

We know now there are different realms, the factual or empirical, the logical or ideal and the metaphysical. Our soul is part of the metaphysical realm. When our soul comes into existence in this physical world it is when we may argue whether we are equal or not. Souls do not argue about this… or anything. Souls just are.

In principle, all souls are equal because we are all part of the same entity we called God, Allah, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal, the One, the Many (the name is irrelevant. It is just a man-made label for communication. Therefore, I will use them interchangeably from now on).

When we come into existence in the physical realm we cease to be equal. Each of us arrives with a different purpose and a different journey. Hence, each of our bodies and minds are designed to navigate this existence. Some of us are born as baby boys while some others are born baby girls; some of us may be born differently abled (maybe blindness, deafness, Down syndrome); and so on.

Physically, for our sensory systems, we are different. Remember our five physical senses—sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste—are simply tools we use in our physical form to comprehend and navigate the physical realm. It is because of this fact that human beings create ideal conceptualization to enable different people to interact safely with each other.

Consider law, morality and religion. We create normative systems (a set of acceptable behavioral standards) in order to treat each equally regardless of our physical differences. In short, when our souls are born into a physical body we stop being equal and in order to interact with each other, be safe from threats, provide for our basic needs, etc. we create normative systems. One of these systems is law. There are many more examples such as morality, religions, rules of etiquette and about how to play a certain game. 

Our mind, the interpreter of the ideal realm, is directly linked to our physical existence. Our mind has to do with the thoughts and emotions that are created in our brain, part of our physical body. Therefore, our mind is connected with our human physical experience through our physical body in our interaction with others, our culture, our language, our relationship with our parents and neighbors, peers and so on. In that sense, our mind is conditioned by our physical body, our experiences and our environment. 

The fact that our physical bodies and our minds are conditioned does not mean that our soul is. We are only different and, consequently, differently abled in our physical and ideal realms (our physical bodies and our minds have different abilities). Once again, I am going to a stress it is important to distinguish different realms. Our soul is part of the metaphysical realm and out of reach for our sensory systems and mind.  It is impossible to capture through our five senses or through our intellect our soul and the complexity of the metaphysical realm. The closest we are able to reach are glimpses of this realm through experiences such as what we call the sixth sense, prophecies and epiphanies.

You may ask why some people are more aware of the metaphysical realm and other are completely oblivious. We usually call the ones who may get glimpses of the metaphysical realm gifted. This gift is in reality a difference by design in the body and mind, what nowadays we refer to as neuroplasticity. 

Our mind is used to understanding empirical experiences, concepts and ideas in a logical way. From childhood, we learn information such as notions, procedures and structures and we make sense out of them in a myriad of ways. For example, we may apply logic by inducing or deducing something as well as empirical analysis by experimenting. Our mind will translate any kind of results we find into concepts and we will add labels to this concepts through our language—e.g. Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, technical, scientific, colloquial. Language, like any other human creation, is man-made. 

Because the metaphysical has to do with a reality that is not perceived by our senses or by our mind, it is impossible for any language to be able to translate exactly the content, nature and meaning of the soul. It is beyond those realities and, therefore, it cannot be comprehended empirically or intellectually. That is why for some people that have glimpses of the metaphysical realm is so hard to express their experience in any man-made created language. 

It is for that same reason that all religions agree on this point: in order to see God, we must have faith. Allah is not accessible through our senses or our mind. Conversely, because the Eternal cannot be intellectualized, religions disagree about several things. When all these religions refer to the Source, they point out to same entity, the same realm, the metaphysical. The problem they fail to acknowledge is that they use different approaches and different languages. As a result, they refer to a different angle of the same realm or to the same angle in different forms. Consider the expressions “God” and “Dios.” Both expressions refer to the same entity but in different languages, that is “God” in English translates into “Dios.” However simple, if two people had an argument about “God” or “Dios” they would not understand each other unless they spoke the same language or they were able to translate the expression. In a similar fashion, this is applicable to religions when they use different physical or ideal experiences and notions to refer to the metaphysical realm. Unsurprisingly, they do not understand each other and, consequently, disagreement, disputes and conflicts happen.

There is still hope. I will finish today with a quotation that sums up the way. We will discuss this point in more detail soon.

"men of diverse tribes, professing diverse religions, and speaking diverse languages, have taken the strange decision to be reasonable. They have resolved to forget their differences and stress their affinities."

Los Conjurados, Jorge Luis Borges.

Previous post:

Christ Consciousness. 1: No-one will come to save you

Available at: https://drjorge.world/2021/03/14/christ-consciousness-1-no-one-will-come-to-save-you/

Tuesday 16th March 2021

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world

Christ Consciousness. 1: No-one will come to save you

 

No-one will come to save you

It may sound gloomy but it means you are your own saviour. The pandemic seems on the surface new but with just a bit of attention we can easily acknowledge it came to magnify what was already there. At the level of the individual: greed, jealousy, selfishness and many more self-destructive traits. At the level of communities: corruption, poverty, hunger, racism and discrimination to name just a few.

God, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal (the name is not important) is giving us all an opportunity to reflect and to decide which path will follow. Indeed, for the third time in human history we are given a choice. Whether you believe the Garden of Eden or the Crucifixion existed, they are metaphors or just histories for children or to manipulate people, the message now is the same: we are all given the opportunity to raise self or to keep our spiral downwards.

This is the time of the new coming, the time of judging. The misinterpretation or wrong assumption is that someone from the up above will come and act as a judge, will assess our good deeds and wrongdoings and send us to the heavens or to hell. Wrong. The judgment is in each of us as individuals and as nations. The outcomes too have to be with each of us and all around us. We are being asked to raise. Last time, He raised for us. We were unable or not willing to do it. He showed us the way. We had time to learn. It is now our time.

The pandemic puts in front of us an illness of the flesh. There is a spiritual battle at the same time and space but a different realm. While coronavirus act against our bodies and minds there are invisible elements to the senses that are attacking our spirituality.

The realms I mention here are three, that of the fact or empirical, that of the logic or ideal and the soul or metaphysical. The first realm is captured by our five physical senses—sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. The second realm is recognised by our mind or intellect, our rational side. The third realm is perceived in our core, it is a knowing. Different from the other two realms, the spiritual is always in us. The physical and the rational are just some of the many experiences our soul is able to go through and the mechanisms to help us in those journeys are specially designed for them. Hence, for the physical realm the senses and for the ideal realm our mind.

If we are honest with ourselves, something in us has been whispering for a while (for some, maybe even shouting) there is something wrong. God, the Universe, the Source, the Eternal is simply putting it in front of us now with the pandemic for our senses and our minds so we do not have any other option but to acknowledge it. We cannot neglect, avoid or ignore it anymore. There is something wrong and we either fix it or face the consequences.

The challenge is both individual and collective. The universe is evolving and we may be left behind. We are given an opportunity to go to the next level with the rest that is around us. This time, however, no-one will come to save us. To go to the next level or to remain in limbo is up to each of us and our communities. On the physical and rational realms, the fight is in our bodies and our minds. Coronavirus debilitates our cells and destabilises our mental health. These are only symptoms and not the root cause. They come to us to force the acknowledgment there is something very wrong and we have to do something about it or else…

On the spiritual realm, each of us and our communities have to deal with external and internal threats. The good news: each of us has all we need to face these threats. We all have external and internal defences.

Next time I will be referring in more detail to the spiritual battle we are transiting and introduce the defences each of us count with. In the meantime, keep on keeping on and ask for guidance to your inner compass. If you find it difficult to find or trust your inner compass or you do not know whom to ask for guidance, just voice your intention in your mind, paper or deeper inside (in any of the three realms in the form you sense more in tune with you). You have the knowing. It is in each of us. Do not try to follow someone else’s prescribed procedure. There is no recipe. It is simple: you already know.

If you still struggle and still need something for the senses or your mind to grasp, something more tangible, think of Christ. The belief in him is not important. All traditions accept him; they only differ in the role he played or his physical and mental attributes (Christians, Muslims, Jews and others just argue about issues pertaining the physical and ideal realms). So, if it is difficult to access by yourself to your own knowing with an intention, think of Christ and ask him to do it on your behalf. Keep your intention simple. You may ask for anything you want. If the sentences and paragraphs made sense to you, you should intuit that to go to the next level the intention should be selfless, beyond your own material or intellectual gains.

Let us all start co-creating our next experience. Trust me on this: it requires your intention to go beyond yourself. Some will make it. Some will remain here. No-one else can do it for you. No-one will come to save you. The choice is yours.

Sunday 14th March 2021

Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez

Twitter: @DrJorge_World

https://drjorge.world