A question on spiritual escape - Francis Answers - 146

Francis Lucille

Hi Francis!

Happy happy christmas, first of all:)

I hope you have a moment for this little question, that has been bothering me..

As there is more presence in this space, it seems like at times life can give you a shock, and because that peace is available always, by “going there” it seems like one uses that as a shock absorber, and i´m pretty sure that is a sort of spiritual bypassing, or escape.

at the same time, if that peace is real, and one can save on suffering, it seems like there is no point in letting one fall into the suffering.

could you shed some light on top of this issue, so that I may be able to know a bit better, when i´m tricking myself out of living life directly?

I hope that makes sense…

Best wishes for the festivities, namaste!

Guillermo

Dear Guillermo,

The relief that originates from a“space” or a “presence” to which we can “go” has a very short life expectancy, for such a space or presence is still a state of mind. The relief that originates from the experience of our true nature is eternal. I would like to use a metaphor to illustrate this point. A jung child is taking walks with his parents in the moonlight. Walking by a gate protected by two lions, he fears for his life, as they appear to be real. Having managed to walk by the monsters, he experiences relief as he walks farther away from the gate. His relief is however short lived, for he has to walk by the same gate on his way back. One day, as he passes by the same gate at noon, he realizes the lions are made of stone. He is immediately and forever relieved from his fear. In this metaphor, the transient relief experienced while walking away from the danger zone corresponds to the “shock absorption” achieved through spiritual practice, whereas the permanent relief experienced as a result of the discovery of the real nature of the lions corresponds to the peace and bliss that follow the discovery of our reality.

Love,

Francis

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