Chapter 34 Not Being Fooled — from my book Changes
Chapter 34
Not Being Fooled
One of the exercises Tom Brown Jr had our upper level classes do was to learn how our thoughts and emotions are affected by our surroundings … the unseen surroundings.
This was done by taking us to a place in the Pine Barrens where criminal activity had been done, even the worst type.
Alternately, we would go to a place of especially good energy, where prayers were offered and healing was done.
Tom would tell us to pay attention to our feelings while in these places. Learn how the darkness (meaning bad energy) affects you and how the light (good energy) affects you. Tom said, “The dark side knows your weakness and will use it against you.”
We understood that by learning to recognize how the influence of these places affect us, we will be able to battle the darkness with light.
As I sat on the side of the road in the place of dark energy, a place which, at Trackerschool, we called Hell, I noticed my thoughts began focusing on all the things I wanted but couldn’t have. I noticed I felt cheated and was feeling mighty sorry for myself. I felt jealous of others and angry at people in who had hurt me, or held me back somehow. I blamed others for my misery. I was having a real pity party for myself.
Right after that we went to a place of light, where prayers were the focus, and healing had taken place. A place of love, caring work, and positive energy.
As I sat in the pine debris, on the side of the dirt road there, I noticed my thoughts shifted to altruism. I felt unconcerned about my own life — that I had just been feeling so miserable about. Instead I was feeling very happy and loving and wanting the best for everyone. I did not feel like I was missing out on anything, in fact, I felt completely fulfilled and whole.
The contrast of how these different areas affected me was shocking. We journaled about the experience when we got back to the lecture hall.
This was one of many exercises Tom had us do so that we could find out how each type of energy affects us, and influences us.
We get to choose whether we live in the light, or the darkness. Whether we choose to feel whole and full of love, or the opposite.
To recognize how the dark side works on us, is to become wise to the ways of darkness, which can help us overcome that influence. We can also learn to stay away from places or people who carry that darkness and have the same affect on us as the dark side energy.
The other day I was feeling angry at my husband because he was not giving me something I felt like I wanted, needed, and deserved. I found myself sinking into that place of bitter, ugly, hatred; not only towards him, but towards everything … even life. I was having an angry pity party for myself.
Fortunately I recognized that I was letting the dark side influence me because I felt that same way in the place called Hell at Trackerschool, and I had learned what was really going on. Consequently, I was able to change my perspective.
In changing my perspective, I was able to look at my situation in light of the question, “What if I can do what I want with what I already have? What if I don’t really need anything else?”
I realized that I have the power to do what I want to do. I don’t have to blame someone else for what I want. I also have the power to make use of what I do have and still accomplish was I want to do. In looking to my own intelligence and shifting my energy from blame to problem solving, and in having gratitude for what I have already been given, my whole outlook changed to delighted anticipation about how I was going to manage the changes I wanted to make in order to give myself what I wanted.
Now, though I am still struggling with not having everything the way I want it yet, I am sort of blissing out as I imagine how I am going to make things better; how I am going to solve the problems myself.
I love the fact that once I set my mind on something positive, the joy and anticipation of the doing of the thing, makes me feel so happy.
