Hi Uniquesoul,
I had to smile when I read your post and the reference to my niece (an Ozzie, by the way) and clashes between science and reality. No sir, no clashes here. To give a flavour of what it means to be a fundamentalist: She is 100% commited to her god, and in return she is saved (= life after death). She doesn't need to strap her son into the car with a seat belt because she trusts god implicitly and explicitly - if her son's time is up, it is up, seat belt or not. What is written in the old testament of the Bible is the word of god, so science or anything else for that matter doesn't even enter into the frame.
It doesn't serve to enter into a debate on the validity of her religious indoctrination. I mentioned this because I could not fail to notice that the up-side of 100% faith is absolute serenity. She worries not about the future (for it is assured), she regrets nothing she has done (she has repented), she lives by the word of god (in her view) and she lives entirely in the present. Whether the moderate amongst us want to admit it or not, she lives a rich, contented and serene life. She has FAITH, and believes god's promises without need of proof.
I agree that the procedures Jack has proposed in ES are very logical. I enjoy his straight-forward approach. Think positively always. Set goals - preferably really exciting, rewarding ones, and take action. Ask. Prepare to receive.
Nonetheless I have found there is many a slip twixt the cup and the lip - or easier said than done. While I focused on the positive, created mouthwatering dreams, and I even managed (and continue to manage) to take action, some elements of my old patterning continue to surface. I had assumed that I could step into the ES lifestyle and remain there, practising my daily disciplines etc. and (like my niece) assuredly 'getting there' in the end.
Reality (I don't like my work), my past (which only raised it's torments once I got into ES), my erroneous programs and wonky perceptions about myself and others are still very present. Just as ES is present. Only now I have to deal with both sides of the coin simultaneously.
A few months into the ES challenge, I feel that I am making progress, but I will have to travel the whole journey. My current challenge is to get in touch with my feelings. For almost half a century I have selectively accepted, ignored or dismissed them. For me, at this moment, there are no short cuts to Effortless Success. Being in touch with my feelings is challenging at times (I often don't know how I feel).
Letting go of desperation (and Joe Vitale's Expect Miracles book has made the difference between desperation and effortless anticipation crystal clear)was another personal journey. I had to pinpoint the invisible boundary between faithful anticipation and overzealous desperation.
Stever's and Margaret's playful allusions to 'giving up' wobbled my security a bit too (no point in not being honest). This tested my faith. If a smart guy like Stevers can question it, well do I really want to stand naked and holding the batton? Fortunately this feeling of insecurity was fleeting. Faith rebuilt my motivation.
Faith, unquestioning faith in myself, is a challenge for another day, another bridge to cross on the ES journey. I also need to forgive myself for all the cruelty I have inflicted upon myself - I am far gentler on others than on myself.
Enough said.
I wish you all a magnificent day - and an even better one to come.
Adieu,
French Claire
