Dear Ones,
There is reason to rejoice even if you do not see any special results from your actions. Today, we wish to speak about the difference between “action” and reaction”. Many of you are still reacting to people, situations, and ideas. When you do this you are not functioning at your highest and best level.
Let us explain. Suppose someone irritates you or even attacks you. If you react, you are merely reinforcing what you do not want in your life. The more you react to a person’s bad behavior, the more you apparently keep the person operating at that low level. In fact, every reaction is ego based – since there is no one really out there, you are only hurting yourself.
Here’s a concrete example:
Suppose someone calls you on the phone and begins to shout at you about something. If you start shouting back or even explaining why you are right and s/he is wrong you are moving into a defensive position and are reacting to the accusations – whether they are true or false is immaterial. You immediately become out of balance and make the unreal, real.
Whenever a person attacks you, it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the other person. And the same is true if you attack someone – it has everything to do with you and your state of mind, since there is no one and nothing outside of yourself.
So, what is the way to act and not react? First of all, we suggest that anytime you find yourself about to react, you stop and breathe. Take a few moments out to re-center yourself. In other words, step back and quiet yourself. True mastery involves non-reaction. Now most of you are not at the stage of evolution where you can automatically not react. This is why we are attempting to help you here.
How do you know when you are about to react to someone or something?
Pay attention to the signals you receive from your body and mind that indicate you are about to react:
Thoughts you may have:
Ø You suddenly feel defensive and think, “I am right” or “S/he is wrong” or “This situation is not just or right”.
Ø You may begin to feel that you have to prove something.
Ø You want to interrupt the person, who is speaking, to defend your position.
Remember to breathe and not react.
Bodily reactions may include:
Ø Rapid heartbeat
Ø Stomach knotting up
Ø Respiration rate increase
Ø Muscles tighten up – especially in the neck and forearms
Ø Increase sweating
Ø Stuttering
Ø Decrease in vision (fogginess – things appear out of focus)
Ø Headache
Ø Indigestion
Well, we think you get the picture – unpleasant bodily reactions indicate that you are about to react.
There are a number of techniques, which work very well to prevent you from reacting, which usually leads to foolishness and certainly does not add to love and harmony amongst people.
The simplest way not to react is to remind yourself that the other person’s actions have nothing to do with you and everything to do with him or her.
The state of mind of each person determines his or her behavior.
You may imagine that you have a big mirror in front of you and you can grab it and hold it up at anytime, reflecting back the other person’s actions to him or her. Of course, remember to hold the mirror away from yourself – it acts as a shield to remind you that the person in front of you and her or his state of mind has everything to do with the ego and nothing to do with you.
Of course, the real you is creating this unpleasant situation to teach you something, since everything and everyone in your life is called in to help refine your essence. This idea is very complicated since the “you” who is creating your life situations is not the “little you”, not the ego, and this is a very difficult concept to understand. In this message we attempt to give suggestions that will help you at the human level.
Just as a willow tree easily allows the wind to blow through its supple branches, so can you bend and soften so that situations flow through you and do not touch you. In other words, be like a true warrior in the Eastern tradition, when attacked, soften and allow the situation to pass through you.
And finally, when in a difficult situation, remember to tell yourself to step back and breathe. This is easier than you imagine. When you notice you are about to react, simply tell yourself this: “I step back and breathe calmly. I will act when I feel calm and at peace.”
When you react, you attract negativity.
When you act, you attract the positive.
You may ask: “Is there ever a moment when reaction is positive?” Oh, come now, you know the answer here. If your child steps in front of a car, you will react by pulling him to safety. If a piano is falling out of a building and is about to land on your head, you will move. If you were really awake, you would do nothing in these cases since there is only the illusion. However, who amongst you is there? Please don’t go around speaking as if you are enlightened - anyone of you when hung over a 1000 foot cliff with the threat of being dropped will pee in your pants!
So, dear ones, please remember that while some of you may actually be more evolved than others, you are all in this illusion together until you are not.
We are with you.
Message taken by Phoebe Lauren. PhoebeLauren.com
Subject: Action and Reaction 
Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:24 pm
