Resistance

Sat: Resistance always stems from duality, good and bad, like and dislike. We were cultivated in this atmosphere from the very beginning of our life. We were in a situation that we either review as bad and good, because the norm was that ‘this’ is bad and ‘this’ is good. It is one of the very tough ones to see, to see where did it originate [from] in the beginning.
In the beginning it was in duality of having a choice between good and bad and not having a grey place, not having anything in between. We either hated it, we either wanted it, or we did not want it, there was no middle. When we are not in the middle, we have no balance. If you don’t believe Me, just think of yourself on a rope or on a piece of wood hanging from one tree to the other. If you don’t stand right in the middle … but none of us were taught [that]. So, what happened is that there is a mechanism that has been created in our mind that immediately resents it or immediately resists it.
Now we are beginning to see it- not as a personal weakness, but as a collective belief. Resistance is mostly, if not 100% from a memory of different experiences and an acceptance of good and bad.
This week we can pay attention to see if we feel that knot which begins to form, whether it is in our emotions, mind and or body. One sign to be watchful of is when we are not open and there is a contraction or a tightness.
If we can be watchful and not take it personally at all, but to see it, and to recognize it and to know how we had nothing to do with it. It was just what took over our being as far as beliefs go! We then begin to release it and find balance, equanimity and also a joy in that place. That is a very good way; just watching, not judging, not conversing, just watching and letting it relax. Let this be our practice until next Tuesday.

USA Chat
August23, 2022

One week Later in August30, 2022, some People shared their practice and experiences….
Mansour: My practice of non-resistance was actually so much accompanied by grace. Yesterday I found out that at work they want me to take on a totally different role. It took me by a huge surprise, I had a very negative mental reaction to it for about an hour. The thoughts kept coming, the old me would have jumped in to action and would have tried to do something very quickly. But I remembered a lot of the tools. I tried to Stop-that was very helpful. I reminded myself of the Trust and the Promise, both of which were extremely helpful to me. 24 hours has passed, I feel that no matter what happens I will be ok, and that there is no lack. I feel that this incident, this sequence of events could not be accidental, I had this opportunity to watch all my thoughts, all my reactions, all my old ways. I am so grateful that I have had so much help in pursuing this exercise, I feel as though it has been extremely beneficial to me to watch the thoughts that went through me and see how bogus they are. I wanted to thank You.
Sat: Yes, as you were telling of the incident at work, I also felt like this is a good omen, whatever happens. Like you said, the worth of living is to live with the least reactive life. And that is because when we are reactive, no matter what position we are in, even our favorite position, that does not mean that the reactive life will be any less. It will probably be even more than that. So, by using the Art of Living like you did, by remembering that what is happening is not as important as keeping your peace and relying on the Trust- that is living. That is a living where your reliance is not in somebody’s hands or in somebody’s way of thinking, but it is taking it to the Source of all of that. Yes, that is living by grace right there!
Mandana: I was reviewing some of the teachings and I came across a teaching from 2004. There was a lot of information in there that was just amazing. I came across something that I think could possibly be the cause of resistance. In one part of it You say “a lot of people are not exposed to the Truth, so they believe it and it becomes their experience. What we believe, we contemplate on, we become consumed by it, what we get consumed by, our vision becomes foggy.” (From ‘Cruelty’ DVD, 5.18.04)
I believe the fogginess of the vision is because of the fact that we have not been truly exposed to the Truth, even though we meditate but we may not have contemplated on it and that causes us to be more resistant. I wanted to share my interpretation and ask You to correct me if my understanding is not correct.
Sat: Yes, it is right on because a lot of people meditate, of course My meaning of meditation is one-way, [for] other people that meditate [it] is another way. My meaning of meditation is who we are as a being, so when we say we meditate, meaning that continuous feeling of wellness in our state of being. But like you were mentioning, it starts with accepting something, then it turns to beliefs, then it becomes stronger as we give it attention, sometimes it even becomes the law (laughs).
Most human laws that are happening, it is a collective belief and acceptance of what is right and what is wrong, and that is a lack of being exposed to the Truth. Once we get interested to hear, to see, to feel, to experience and to realize the Truth, we see what a lie we accepted and lived by! It is important that we contemplate on the Truth, as you all did with resistance, each one of you that has shared so far, you saw that when you saw through the resistance, there was nothingness, it was replaced with joy, tranquility or okayness. And yet, all our life we accepted resistance as a part of must do, must have. What dissolves it is the light of Truth that we all carry within ourself!
Radha: I have a question about what You just said, when you see through the resistance to the nothingness, if there is an action that needs to be taken, are you then prompted or guided to take that action by dropping the resistance? How does that happen?
Sat: Every action is a prompting but we call it thought; we don’t call it prompting, and then we become responsible for that action. Resistance is just the story around the action, it is not the action itself. So, the action will go on, but the resistance to it is what we are dealing with. Do you understand what I am saying?
Radha: Yes, I think so. When I experienced it twice this week, it was as though at that point, the whole thing I was going to try to avoid or get through, there was nothing there, it got dropped. From there though, if I did need to do something, would I have then been prompted to do it not because of the resistance, but from that nothingness, from the silence?
Sat: Listen, as you see it more and more on a deeper level, everything that is happening, you find out everything that happens, just happens- whether we resist it or we don’t resist it. So, resistance is not discrimination. It is just resistance of like and dislike. Although each situation is different, all I can say to you is that resistance is a habit that does not give us enough information. It doesn’t say ‘if you do this, this happens,’ or ‘it is better for you not to do that.’ It is just a wall that comes up- this uncomfortable wall.
I will give you an example, the other day I was swimming and of course a lot of contemplation takes place automatically when My head is under the water, because everything looks the same, there is no particular attraction. I was wondering why My hands and feet go forward so harmoniously, what a cooperation is between the hands and feet. Then I realized they came from one thought, a thought that had nothing to do with Me: ‘I am going to swim.’ When I said I am going in the water to swim, the swimming happened because of this connection with the body and mind. Then I observed where do I stand between that automatic and natural thought and the body acting upon it? I did not do anything between these two events. I was just the watcher of one thought and continuous action.
Going back to resistance, resistance is real doership but the mind will tell the body with one thought ‘go forward’. It is very hard to explain, it really is! I am afraid I am going to be confusing you guys. But there is a truth in it, at least for Me. But you have to experience it by yourself.
Kavi: I had an experience that I would like to share about. Today something happened at work that caused some concern, something I did not want to hear nor deal with. As soon as it happened, I could hear the inkling of stories, thoughts, concerns, worries coming up. But I really knew better and wanted to cut it off before it could get a hold of me. So, I went on a walk, while walking I was reminded of Your words that everything the mind says is a lie. That relaxed me some and I then listened to an audio, where the topic was on doership. After listening to that, I paused it and looked at the thoughts of doership in my mind. In these moments when these thoughts begin to come up, what do they really want, where do they come from, what is this? As I was doing this, everything went quiet and stayed that way. Soon thereafter, these chaotic thoughts were replaced with inspirational thoughts, a real clarity about the situation and an okayness. Then everything started going in a great direction and it no longer felt problematic. Looking back at my life, especially before I found You, doership is so much of what I was doing all the time. It was worrying and story making and it all kept getting in the way of the clarity. I have had these experiences before, but each time that it does happen, it feels new and exciting and I wanted to share it with You and to thank You because this is such a different life than it used to be.
Sat: Yes, yes Kavi. We worried for things that were never worth it, nor [will they] ever will be worth it. But what gives Me joy about your sharing Kavi, is that as soon as you saw it, you said ‘ok, I am going to leave everything behind and remedy this,’ and you went for a walk and worked on yourself. What self did you work on? You left the ‘self’ that could have been a disaster, story teller and went to the Self that you could take refuge in. It takes a very sharp alertness for us to be able to remedy it immediately. I am glad that you are doing that.
It is funny how time flies when you are having a good time, I just looked down and our time is up. Well, what is time? Continuation of being who you were before the 30 minutes (laughs). If we still see any problem with resistance, just be watchful of it, you don’t have to do anything about it, except to see it and by the fact that we see it, we recognize it, the Stop happens automatically.
Until next time, have a great time, Namaste to all of you.

USA Chat
August30 2022

A few months later, in April04, 2023, Sat added the following comments about resistance…

Sat: I would like to talk a little bit about resistance that could be so subtle that you don’t even know that you are resisting. If your body is not relaxed including your mind, in all situations, you are resisting! If you have an opinion about what is beneficial in your life and what is not, a set opinion, it is resistance! I am talking about resistance because it can be very subtle, but it causes pain! When we want to change a situation or avoid a situation, it is resistance! If we are looking for a solution, an immediate solution, it is resistance! In other words, if you watch yourself, of course less for us than ordinary people, if you really watch yourself, you become so familiar with the thoughts that are presenting some sort of resistance in different forms. So, watching oneself is very, very important because you get to know the things that you didn’t know about oneself that actually is a nagging pain and once you see it, it will never be the same again.
So, that is what was My prompting just now. Not wanting to change the situation and accepting what is, is nonresistance and it is peaceful, the body becomes relaxed, the mind settles down! Not wanting to interfere with people that are around us at all times- even in the form of advice is nonresistance!
Resistance and attachment are two brothers that go together very well, so you catch one and the other one weakens. Although it is a character, you are not trying to remove that character or criticize yourself, you are just becoming aware of it and that is enough! Namaste to all of you, have a wonderful week and dwell on what is being said and talk to you perhaps next week.

USA Chat
August23&30, 2023 + April04, 2023