Last Tuesday was a day of significance… a lot was occurring, innerly working. Initiated by the clarity and conviction present in a statement made by one of my path of potential work partners… a statement that her work was about the women, about self-esteem. Somewhere in that process – joyfully experienced by myself – was certainty that an expression of her called work, her instrumental purpose at this time of potential, was emerging… would be seeable and therefore able to be expressed in writing. It was as if – at long last – the prayerful questioning, the emptying out of self that she has been engaged in, came to fruition. A seeing and understanding on her part that had the nature of discomfort that always accompanies the experience of truth – truth with regard to called work… a discomforting realness of “Yes, this is the work… ready or not, it is the work” – and equally present was the notion of teaching brought in by her expression, “If you can’t feel it, you can’t teach it; and if you can’t feel it, you can’t learn it”… followed by “It’s not personal, unless its personal; it has to be personal.” Also at work was the clarity that the issue, the void, with regard to self-esteem was unbounded by – not restricted by – one’s social or economic status. Whether a woman was homeless, or in possession of a home with all the trappings, it – lack of self-esteem – was equally present. Out from this emerged a statement of her instrumental purpose – the intentionally working purpose of now:
With regard to women:
Bring into being, make real, a teaching process for the birthing and ongoing life of self-esteem…
Teaching in a “personal” way; a way that develops an inner seeing of, a true feeling for, and conviction towards the truth that each and all have purpose… a reason for being, a calling of work, a path to take that reflects the intent of the Source.
Since last Tuesday, I have been in an ongoing process of reflection and writing – there is a pile of papers on my desk that reflects my efforts to get to the core of what is at work… having no doubt, based on faith and past experience, that there was something here that was intended to be seen and understood.
The focal point of my processing has been the instrumental purpose – in particular the words self-esteem and teaching; and the clarity you hold that esteem is an “in here,” not an “out there” process. In addition, I found myself returning to (!) Now is the time of potential, a time for advancing our humanness… a time for a step change along the path of our becoming – a true shift in being… a shift in being versus a new doing. No matter where my processing took me, I was seemingly guided back to these notions. Until last night, a night of disturbed sleep, that brought joyful realization this morning; I was beginning to believe I would not see the core of what is at work. Now I can look back at my writings and see the trace of it.
Self-esteem not only relates to, but is in reality, a shift in being called for now. It, as you understand it, is an “in here” process. It is not an “out there” process. It is not about how the world views us; it is not a process of esteem being externally defined. It is about what is brought through us into the world… through essence, through intent. It is not about our being, our esteem, being defined by the outside world, the culture, etc. Rather it is about our being, emerging from, being created through, working in ways harmonious with intent.
Self-esteem is a matter of the heart… an opening of the heart, an unconditioned receptivity to truth, love and good. A heart free from conditioning – be it self or culturally imposed. Conditioning is not a reflection of intent or of intended ways of working. Rather it is that which we bring in, impose, accept and agree to that is the source of the interference with intent… it is what inhibits our living in intentional ways, our being and becoming intentional people. We can see within the working of self-esteem, the process by which we can be true to oneself. Being true to oneself – as a person, a community, a country – is a process in which we are living from essence – patterns of intent… and a process wherein we are taking up and carrying out intended work and roles. We can, in a summary sort of way, say that the being shift of now is about moving away from being energized from outside (status, stuff, doing, etc.) and moving towards coming from, living from spirit… that which self-esteem makes possible. Self-esteem then is not bestowed upon us from the outside; but rather it is the inner experience of the active presence of spirit and intent… spirit and intent at work in our daily living, bringing about a nature of being that offers a way, the potential to transcend many of the issues of today… and is a step towards, a means for creating an intentional culture.
It was the appearance of Mother Teresa’s insight – that the spiritual poverty of America is greater than any poverty she had experienced elsewhere – that brought added focus and clarity to the core of what is at work. In reality, being void of self-esteem really feels like, is the same as, being the poorest of the poor. A recognition that brought forth the Beatitudes. In particular the first one: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Throughout my processing, I kept seeing self-esteem as the first step on the new path of now. The seeing of the Beatitudes as being written for the here and unfolding now has only served to reinforce that notion – perhaps it is on its way to becoming cemented in. Particularly in the context of: “…Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” It is helpful to recall that the language and context was that of the Old Testament; but as was common with Christ’s teachings, he lifted them to a new level – the intended next advancement in our humanness. A potential made possible by his fulfilling of intent. And at this time, we can clearly see the shift from external imposition to intrinsic expression – the means by which love enters the process and spirit is manifested.
I have long felt that the Beatitudes have been somewhat dormant, a bit passed by; not generally or truly embraced. At the same time, I have continued to feel that there lies within them some significant teaching… a teaching especially with regard to the way: “I am the way.” Now, seeing the congruence between self-esteem and blessed are the poor in spirit…, it truly feels like their intended purpose, their reason for being, is coming alive… emerging in the most timely manner. I also have no doubt that the teaching process that showed up in my partner’s instrumental purpose is connected with these teachings.
Terry P. Anderson, Philosopher of Potential
