Years ago, I was struggling in a family relationship. Every interaction with this person caused me dread and anxiety. I was so convinced of my story that this person didn’t love me, approve of me, or even like me. I would turn into a weird deflated version of myself when we were together.
One day it dawned on me that I needed to learn to see her differently. And to start, I needed to take the beam out of my own eye and see myself differently too.
It should come as no surprise that I made this a focus in my daily meditations. One reason I love meditation so much, is that it gives me the opportunity to practice what I’m working on in a safe space. It gives me an opportunity to spiritually create what I’m working on so when the time comes to create it physically and I’m in a better position to create something better.
In this case I needed to spiritually create a better relationship and I needed to practice seeing this person the way God sees this person. I could just wait to practice in person, but I have learned that this is the harder way to improve…
t’s like a pop quiz in school, versus coming prepared to a test that you have studied for and practiced over and over again with a master teacher.
Which way would you rather have your tests?
Which one do you think you’ll do better on?
Meditation is my way of practicing with my master teacher. I improve a whole lot faster this way than I do saying a fast prayer moments before the test comes.
To see the divine self, you must move from seeing with distortion…to seeing truth.
Often, this is a transition. We can carry a lot of baggage in how we see. We cover up the divine self with labels, judgements, criticisms, stories. The pure divine spirit figuratively becomes laden down with all sorts of layers. It’s as if the divine self gets covered up by a cloak, mask, costumes, baggage, a backpack of bricks, and any other burden we add to the mix that hides who is really there. Seeing the divine self, will require removing these layers to reveal the glory of who truly exists at the center.
I had a client who was struggling with how she saw her son. We went through a little guided meditation together, carefully removing the labels, the judgements, the stereotypes, the behaviors, the paradigms, the past mistakes, the hurtful words, the misunderstandings, and one by one took those burdens and caricatures off until nothing was left but the true spirit of her son. I’ll never forget her response to this rather quick visual. She gasped and said, “He’s amazing! He is such an amazing person!”
To see as God sees requires us to see a person free from all that weighs them down.
I must see this person in his or her freedom.
Free from fear.
Free from anxiety.
Free from addiction.
Free from bad choices.
Free from anger.
Free from childhood trauma.
Free from selfishness.
Free from boasting.
Free from disease.
Free from a closed mind.
Free from a closed heart.
Free from worry.
Free from limited beliefs.
Free from abuse.
Free from depression.
Free from delusion.
Free from disability.
Free from betrayal.
Free from sin.
Free from pain.
Free from suffering.
In freedom lies the truth. The truth of who you are, the truth of who she is, the truth of who he is.
What does that freedom look like?
Can you see how she looks when you free her from all that hides her true self?
There was a moment long ago when she was free of everything.
In the delightful gaze and wonder as a new infant, she entered this world free. Is she not the same person?
To see one another in freedom is to see the way God sees.
The very act of the atonement of Jesus Christ was an act of freedom:
Alma 7: 11-12:
“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”
Jesus Christ took upon him every sin, pain, sickness, and infirmity for you and for me, so we could be free. Surely, he saw us in our freedom! He was willing to take everything that covers the true divine self so we could be free. Surely, this vision of who we really truly are, free from all that binds us in this life, moved Him to fulfill His divine sacrifice!
He saw the divine self so we could see the divine self!
2 Responses
I recently found your podcast and I have been loving every episode! Thank you so much for helping me to see things differently, contrast helps you see. I was thinking of buying your book. Today I helped my daughter clean her room and found it. I had forgotten one of her church leaders gave it to her.
ha ha ha! I love this! When the timing is right, things have a way of showing up in our life exactly when we need them 🙂 Enjoy the book Juliana! you’re awesome!