47. 'T'Aint So!

Preface

I've had a back pain for 20 years. There is no physical reason for this pain. I've tried every kind of healing, from cortisone shots to acupuncture, to no avail. Some very high-class psychics (both human and non-physical) have tried to release it and failed. One of the psychics (Lucas, whose dictations appear elsewhere on this site) agreed with my conclusion that the pain is necessary to keep me interested and focused on spiritual matters. It seems that the pain is part of my Plan for this life. That realization dissipated a ton of guilty feelings and a goodly measure of my serenity has returned. Using the Law of Attraction, i.e., thinking the pain away (by me or anybody else) has not worked because the pain is part of my Plan.

There's a bit of grey area between thoughts affecting the outcome of an event and thoughts causing an event to happen. One must be in a car to be in a car accident but being in a car does not cause the accident to happen.

And so, I disagree with most religions, with the notable exception of Buddhism, that teach human behavior as the cause of events. Sorry, 'cause it just ain't so. That's an ego trip and it's spreading. That idea has been around since ancient times and lately it's called, "The Secret" which "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in mid-February talked about for the whole hour. The Secret, translated, is "The Law of Attraction" that states that like attracts like. I watched a gift-DVD of The Secret. I gave it back. I disagree with Abraham and Esther about the Law of Attraction.

The main guest on Oprah's show was the brave, honest and charming Esther Hicks. Esther has, for years, allowed "Abraham" to speak with her voice. She is a "channel" and 'Abraham' is a group of non-physical entities. She channels the spokesman who wishes to be called by that name.

I asked Abraham if my Higher Self was a member of the group and he said yes it was. (I have the tape.) I have a collection of Abraham's writings and tapes. I own and have given many of Esther's children's books as gifts. I've been to a half-dozen of Esther's public sessions and have spoken (through her) to Abraham three times. Abe's words to me (on tape) are very pertinent here.

On October 6, 2002 I asked him who's in charge of what's happening? Was Charlie Mazza? or my 'Higher-Self'? He said it was difficult to answer as we both are in charge but if pressed, he would say that Charlie Mazza is "in the point position". (N.b. a point-position is in front of a main group and senses up-coming possibilities, both good and bad: a scout.)

Fair enough, I'm in the point-position, the scout of the Charlie/Higher-Self Duo. I react positively (joyfully) or negatively (sadly) to the events that come my way. I am, as we all are, an Experiencor (see chapter 6) BUT Charlie is not in charge of causing the events of my life.

Anybody's Plan of Events is wonderfully described by Sylvia Browne*, Buddhist and American Indian traditions, et al. Briefly, you, in your Higher-Self capacity, chart out (with considerable advice from others) your Plan of Events before you take on a human body. The goal is to experience the events and grow spiritually from them. Follow the advice of Byron Katie (see chapter 31), Buddhism, Native Americans and many, many others and love what occurs or as Katie says, "Love What Is".

If there were no Plans or one could cause events as one went along I think there would be utter chaos. If thoughts alone could break the Laws of Physics, no event would be impossible and pigs would fly. Handsome men and beautiful compliant women would 'manifest' themselves by thought alone (hot dog!). Human effort wouldn't be necessary (beyond thinking) and all physical activity, I think, would languish and die and we wouldn't experience much of anything.

It is true that like attracts like and birds of a feather fly together etc. but not, my friends, to the extent of causing events to happen. I don't know anyone who can simply wish into existence something he wants or wish out of existence something he doesn't want.

Review, if you will, a momentous event in your life. (Meeting the love of your life will do although any event works.) Now analyze the many, many prior choices that got you in that precise place and time for the event to occur. You will notice your total unawareness of the effect of your choices. Most of your choices, in fact, were made years before the event.

What you were doing (and are doing) is making decisions that aid and abet your Plan. Meeting Harry on the Coney Island Boardwalk or getting shot in the head or overcoming cancer or winning the lottery was the result of a series of decisions. But you had no idea of finding your soul-mate (maybe you wanted a day on the seashore), dying (maybe you were defending your country), beating a disease (maybe you wanted serenity) or becoming fabulously wealthy (maybe you just wanted to win a few bucks).

Some psychic people can sense when an event is about to happen and soothsayers will always be with us. But, of course, as an event gets closer and closer then the probability of it happening gets higher and higher until it happens. If a beginner skier skies an expert ski-trail it does not take much of a psychic to predict a skiing accident. After the fact, the inevitable unfolding of a Plan, when analyzed on a time-frame, is truly marvelous to behold. Most of my momentous events started years before they happened. My ski-accident started days before I broke my leg.

In summary, your decisions might affect the timing of an event happening and certainly your reactions to it. You are supposed to react joyfully (I was happy when my mother died because she was free of her pain and free to be her normal extraverted personality).

One pursues ones dream with vigor and laughter. Just don't be overly surprised if they don't happen. Bobby McFerrin said it, "Don't worry, be happy".

* "Life On The Other Side", Dutton, 2000