Protection
I want to look at the notion or concept of protection from a spiritual point of view and also from a human perception. From a human perception it is wise to protect your person and property from those that would do you harm and seek to take what does not belong to them, however the same does not apply to spirit. From a spiritual point of view the notion of protection is nonexistent as spirit shares itself with itself and cannot diminish or deny that function as to do so would be entertaining the thought of, and an act of, separation.
When I first started going to spiritual awareness groups over twenty years ago, I would have been told to ask and I also read about asking spirit guides and angels for protection and also to open and close my own aura or energy field, which I did for a number of years, however as I was learning and growing and my spiritual knowing was expanding I now know that the idea of spiritual energy protecting itself from another spiritual being is impossible and nurturing this idea only serves to limit any spiritual connection in whoever is entertaining the notion, this also applies to opening and closing your aura or energy field which is impossible because it is connected to infinite life, again this merely turns whoever is doing this (spiritually) on and off and has no ‘protective’ value.
Spirit is light and light shines on all equally without restriction or judgment or limit, spirit grows or receives it power or nourishment by giving itself away(sharing) and so it has more to give, The idea of protection from a spiritual point is to impose human values onto spirit and human values are limited restricted and judgemental.
Just as love and peace are two aspects within the same energy so too are protection and separation aspects of the same energy, born at the same time, protection is a membrane or casing encapsulating the thought of separation, creating form where their was no form, like a bubble of air within a liquid the membrane protects what is inside from what is outside.
As humans we see ourselves as separate and indeed we are separate beings, I am here and you are there and no matter how close we get to each other we remain separate entities, and so everything else that we see, we see as separate life forms because we are looking at life through this protective membrane of separation. Because being human entails being separate, life is seen and experienced as a collection of separate bits and pieces with space in-between. We gather some of these separate bits and pieces of life, be they people places or things, we apply various degrees of value to these and keep them near to ourselves either physically mentally or emotionally and call or label them mine and then we seek to protect what is mine by whatever means available on a personal level, and on a larger collective scale to the point of killing each other or having others killed in our name. This is the way of this world of separation, the way it is meant to be.
There is another aspect of that same energy that was born with separation and protection and that is fear, and fear created thoughts within its protective bubble of separation, fear of loneliness, fear of abandonment, and fear of retribution fear of loss. This is what is born into this human world of separation in the form of separate human beings. We are all born with the fearful thought of separation encapsulated within our bodies.
Because the thought of separation is only a thought and in reality (reality being that we are spiritual beings not human beings) cannot be, this then can only mean one thing, that separation has not actually occurred !, so why then are we experiencing it as a reality ? Because by choosing to entertain the thought of protection we automatically choose fear and separation because they are of the same energy and so inseparable and so we perpetuate lifetime after lifetime until we choose to learn and grow beyond our human form and experience.
If separation is perceived to be contained within individual life forms, then what it is separate from is outside of these life forms and that is non-separation or oneness, which is spirit or life without form, and life being what it is, it is the same life energy within and surrounding all form of life despite any thought of separation or idea of protection surrounding it.
When we as humans seek protection from spirit, no matter for who what or why we seek it, what we are doing is reinforcing the thought of separate beings, and then to treat that separate part or entity as ‘special’ is to hold the belief that you are more important and somehow different from the rest of life, special-ness demands, and believes it is more deserving of protection and attention from spirit, and strong beliefs create a strong barrier encasing the fear based thought of separation and protecting fear itself and so making it stronger or more real then it actually is.
Examples of this are as follows;
Marie is fearful of intruders breaking into her home at night and as a result she locks herself into her bedroom every night (knowing that this is not a safe practice in the event of fire or other emergency) and prays to and asks Archangel Michael to protect her and her house. On hearing this I pointed out to Marie how the fear is present and repeating itself every night BECAUSE THE FEAR IS WITHIN HER and this is what she asks to be protected every night insuring its survival into the future, I suggested that instead of seeking protection she should recognise and own the fear and despite its presence shine light unconditionally from her heart filling herself her room and her house with light knowing that she is joining in with the spirit of oneness shining light.
I later received a message to say she now sleeps soundly and peacefully in her unlocked bedroom for the first time in years.
Sally is a young mother who worries constantly about her child, imagining all sorts of illness and accidents befalling her little girl and every day she calls on Archangel Michael to protect her as she goes off to school or out to play with her friends, and then Sally spends her time anxiously waiting her safe return.
I pointed out to her how her daughter has her own guides and angels who know what her life journey entails and that her thoughts of protection do not leave her and so she herself gets the protection she seeks, and that SHE is still full of fear and what ever may happen to her child is outside of her control, although she did not want to hear or like hearing this, logically she knew it was true, I also talked about excepting the reality of this world as it is or will be whether we like it or not and that she can only control and change herself. After doing some shining light and self love exercises Sally realised how she was protecting her own fear by her dally requests for her daughter’s protection and she chose to shine light rather then worrying and imagining the worst when she and her daughter were apart. Because worrying was a part of Sally’s make up, not only was it her instinct to revert to it but it was also effortless, so it was a bit of a struggle at first for her to change her behaviour but with the determination and the willingness to change she started spending more and more of her time on her spiritual practice connecting to her spirit self.
Sally tells me she can see how this is having a positive effect on her daughter who used to show outward signs of becoming a worrier but is now a confident outgoing little girl.
Spiritual Vs human
Being spiritual (not religious) involves recognising habitual voluntary human instincts and behaviour patterns, (involuntary instincts are needed as basic survival tools for the body) and over time choosing to stop and change and replace these, however in order to do this we must first know of another option (a spiritual one) in order to be able to choose to change and replace these natural human instincts, changing one behaviour pattern for another without any spiritual involvement is control and more of the same and so no change at all.
Being spiritual involves only one choice and once made there is noting else to do except to get to know this BEING. In the transition from being human to being spiritual this one choice will be made over and over again and again and every time it is made a lesson is learned (which may be remembered or forgotten quite quickly only to be learned again) and a deeper understanding of the self is revealed as you grow towards knowing oneself which is spirit.
Being spiritual is a feeling and so has no form no shape no colour no smell no sound no mass or texture, no face no brain no memory no story no history none of the human senses and nonsense are required in fact they all have to be relinquished as one state of being is chosen over the other . This also means that spirit has nothing to protect and so the concept of protection simply does not, never has and never will arise. This is in stark contradiction to being human which is all about form shape colour smell sound and touch all protected within the containing shell of a body and that protection is projected outwards onto the bits and pieces of the world it is surrounded by.
What I am saying here is that the idea or concept of protection is part of being human and has noting to do with being spiritual.
I know and have met many people over the years who would class themselves as being spiritual that would regularly say “I have to protect myself” from lower vibration energy people or beings (which I used to do and say myself until I knew different) and what I have said to some of these who were open to listening is that the word spirit means all (not just dead people) and so you or we are part of all and spirit shares itself or shines equally on all through us all as ‘I am shining’, and as light cannot choose who what or where it does and doesn’t shine on neither can or does spirit, and if you make the choice who or where or when the light shines from you, you are making that decision purely from your human or ego self. Again this is the way of this world of separation, the way it is meant to be so that we can see and feel what we are, be that judgemental fearful angry vengeful hateful and so on and on.
The way of this world applies equally to all that have chosen to be born into it, race class colour gender religion and nationality all play a part in the way of this world, these are all labels for the different groupings that are applied to us all and that we then apply to ourselves, some can spend a lifetime trying to achieve, keep or change one or more of these labels. These labels and grouping form the make up of our physical surroundings and circumstances and these also form the basis of protectionist thinking, these are the very core elements of separation and from a spiritual point of view they are the tools we need, in order to see what we have become or more importantly what ‘I have become’, as only I can change and we can only change one at a time.
In this world our circumstances and surroundings vastly differ from place to place and grouping to grouping, yet on an individual level we have one thing in common that transcends any and all of these differences and that is FEELINGS, behind the image of our human self lies our own truth and no amount of protection from any angel, being or god can shield us form it, take it away or change it. The way of this world is every way and any way that shows us and more to the point shows you or ‘I’ how we are feeling.
Feelings do not form part of these labels and groupings, Love and peace, fear or anger are neither male or female, black white yellow brown or red, rich or poor, Islamic Christian Hindu or Jewish. Feelings are so much of an intrinsic part of the self, like a heartbeat or a breath they cannot be shared only experienced on a personal human level or on a spiritual level, because feelings are the tool that either breaks down or reinforces the barrier of separation,
The feeling of Love is a spiritual quality or creation and extends itself unconditionally without restriction it never leaves its creator and so needs no protection or help
The feeling of Peace is a spiritual quality or creation and extends itself unconditionally without restriction it never leaves its creator and so needs no protection or help
The feeling of Fear is a human quality or creation and does not extend itself it never leaves its creator and stays protected within the mind and body of the fearful
The feeling of Anger is a human quality or creation and does not extend itself it never leaves its creator and stays protected within the mind and body of the angry. You can hit out in anger or throw a stone in anger but when you’ve finished hitting out and your stones are gone you still have your anger to do it all again and again and again.
Feelings are crystal clear in showing, ‘what’ they need to show which is, ‘themselves’, and who they need to show themselves to, ‘yourself’, and then you are left with that wonderful power ‘the power of choice’ and here is where you can feel and ‘know’ your truth, your state of being, are you being ‘human’ or ‘spiritual’ .The way of this world is to offer you the power of choice over and over again and again and what you are choosing over and over is whether you want to keep and increase or grow your feelings or do you want to change them because every time a feeling is experienced it increases itself i.e. anger gets angrier hate gets more hateful fear gets more fearful and so on, just as love gets lovelier and peace becomes more peaceful. All feelings are created by whoever is feeling them, we tend to lose sight of this as we search for the reason, or someone or something to blame, why we feel this way so we can justify it, ownership is often the last thing we would consider when it comes to sadness or anger yet no matter how our anger and sadness are expressed outwardly no one outside of ourselves can actually feel them with us, a group may be sad and morn together but we still only feel individually within the group.
Love peace joy and gratitude are already created by spirit and we only have to be spiritual to join with this creation, and this is what we feel.
Every other feeling is created by the thought of separation in the form of humans, we only have to defend justify and protect any of these other feelings to join with this creation and what you will feel is the absence of love peace joy and gratitude in the form of fear in one or more of all its many many guises.
Spiritual Vs Religion
Being spiritual and thinking you are spiritual or acting out what you think is spiritual, are different things. Spirit is love and Love needs no reason, ritual, icon, special time or place, direction faced, building, or book in order to be and share itself as it was doing this before any and all of the above list were thought of or invented, it is only when the notion of separation is entertained does spirit become “spirits” (seemingly) and once the notion is discarded “spirits” revert to being spirit, however, the notion of separation is so deeply ingrained in the collective conscience of humanity that it takes ‘great strength of spirit’ and willpower to break down this notion and discard it.
All religions that ever where and today’s, have certain things in common, god or gods and goddesses to be worshiped, leaders (sometimes these are worshiped also), a hierarchy, rules and regulations (some of which are enshrined as laws) to say how where when and by who the worshiping must be done, followers, worshipers and devotees, penalties and punishments, they all involve an outside power, to get near to, give thanks to, plead and pray to for favour, mercy, or special attention over others in one form or another. Most were born from or defended in bloody battle, all claim their god to be on their side protecting them and smiting the enemy (all today’s armies have priest’s, minister’s, mullah’s, rabbis, and ‘holy’ men and woman of all religions blessing the weapons and the fighters holding and firing them. This is the way of this world, its how we learn and grow.
What I’m pointing out here is that religions are the epitome of separation, members and non members, insiders and outsiders, us and them, and yet they all make the ultimate claim of being spiritual and all will fall and fade with time as did the ancient Greek gods and goddesses, the Aztec sun god, the many Norse Viking and pagan gods, the pharaoh gods etc all of which commanded entire populations to follow worship sacrifice adore and venerate them, breaking through the boundaries and restraints of any and all religions is the way of this world on an individual and on a collective level.
To hold the belief that the source of all life and love (this is called god) would or could recognise a certain part of life (itself) as more deserving then the rest of or other parts of life itself and this is the belief that all religions are based on, even if the god is ‘the universal energy’ or has no name, once begging, pleading, praying, talking or singing is involved it automatically introduces duality (the talker and the listener) and so separates you from, it, him or her.
The majority of today’s religions are ‘faith’ based, centred around or within the writing or teachings of one holy book(s) or another, all offer a reward to be attained or obtained for the obedient and the penitent who adhere to the contents of these holy books, and separation shows itself here also as the followers of ALL the different books are subdivided into a multitude of splinter groups as the scriptures are claimed and counter claimed, interpreted and reinterpreted by a hierarchy of righteous, pious, supremacy and ascendancy minded groups which ironically make their claim on their own particular or peculiar interpretation which inevitably leads to the (pride based) conviction of’ I am’ or ‘we are’ right.
Because the vast majority of followers or members of religious organisations are born into them (even thought we are all born equally as just human babies) they grow up, into and defend and protect their separateness by way of loyalty to tradition, again this is the way of this world and only the courage’s ones who can (in their mind) step beyond the protective boundaries of tradition and loyalties associated with ‘their religion’ will free themselves to be a spiritual being.
Protection as a tool
On the journey back to spirit everything in this world can be used as a tool. that is because this world is itself a tool, and as with all tools one learns how to use them first through practice and then continues to use them skilfully. How to use the thoughts of fear, protection and separation as tool’s is quite simply a matter of first learning that you have these thoughts, then taking ownership of them, recognising where when and who brings them UP in you (for you to see and heal), and preparing yourself in advance by learning how to shine light and feel it shining and then instead of entertaining fearful thoughts of separation and protection you can change your mind and choose to shine light and as the light needs no protection it cancels out the thought of it as it shines This is not the same type of protection that is sought by your human self and has nothing to do keeping yourself, family or your belongings safe, it is exclusive to your inner feelings or self.
In the presence of darkness I shine love and light.
In the presence of sadness I shine love and light.
In the presence of anger I shine love and light.
In the presence of hate I shine love and light.
In the presence of fear I shine love and light.
In the presence of the unknown I know I shine love and light.
In the presence of conflict I remain peaceful and I shine love and light.
The presence is an inner presence not a perceived outer feeling