From an article by Bernie Siegel, M.D., in the July 1999 edition of Readers
Digest:
The students of an enlightened monk walked up to him as he was
working in his garden and asked, "If you knew you had only 15 minutes
left to live, what would you do, Master?" The monk smiled, said "This"
and went back to his gardening.
I have spent most of my life doing "that" (what I thought I had to do)
instead of "this" (what my spirit delights in doing) because I thought if I
were smart enough or rich enough, *then* I would be able to devote more time
to "this." The truth is I cannot be smart enough or rich enough until I
consciously choose to live "this" right now--no matter what my
circumstances. I cannot choose to live from a continuous flow of joy until
I realize that I am pure consciousness (spirit) living and breathing in a
universe of infinite consciousness (spirit). Until I know this, I think I
am my mind and I think I am my body, and both tell me that I am weak and
limited and cut off from Source. Only pure consciousness (the spirit of me)
knows the truth--I am unlimited, powerful, whole, harmonious, perfect, and
complete. When I know this, the whole Universe gives way to the vibration,
the flow of spirit. My path then seems strewn with rose petals, and when I
say I will do "this" with the feeling of trust and knowing and pure love,
the Universe absolutely ensures that all conspires to lift me to my highest
good, enabling me to live "this and this and this" instead of "that" or
"this and that, this and that." And this is not to say that contrast will
disappear from my experience. Contrast is simply the background experience
that gives birth to new desire. However, when I absolutely know I am
forever bathed in grace (the flow of consciousness, spirit, joy), I
experience no resistance whatsoever to contrast. Resistance comes only from
the mind, from thinking I am my mind/body, that I am limited and weak and
somehow stuck in my contrast. Of course, resisting contrast only amplifies
it and strengthens its gravitational pull.
Choosing now to do this,
Ted
