War & Peace (Live Replay Extract)

How do we square our spiritual practice with war, conflict and immense human suffering? Philip offers insight as to why these situations arise, how they accentuate the calling for more to realise lasting peace within and how this fits with what we can all recognise about human history. Live Replay #4: Beyond Belief is also recommended for further insight. The fibre optic lamp cover is a key metaphor Philip uses for Self Realisation - the journey within.

Transcript

I just want to share this question from Shanti in the group.

It's relevant and then we'll do some meditation.

There's quite a bit to the question.

I'll probably answer it in stages.

Shanti says thank you so much for this opportunity for the daily live streams.

I am deeply committed.

I have a question and I'm not sure how to phrase it.

It's about how do we square our spiritual journeys from privileged positions when so many people in the world do not even have basic human needs and are living in extreme danger?

Such as the Ukraine right now.

How does our spiritual practice and experience relate to those who cause terrible human and environmental suffering?

There's more to the question to follow,

But it's probably best if I pick up on that in parts.

It's one of the eternal questions.

But you only have to look across the course of human history and you will see,

Even to this present day,

As we're experiencing very clearly now,

That that kind of suffering has been present pretty much as a constant throughout human history.

So does that mean that we shouldn't pursue the inner spiritual journey?

Well,

Clearly it doesn't mean that at all.

Actually,

That in itself and the mere fact that that is there is a profound invitation to come to the realisation of this inner peace.

Because until that is recognised and realised,

Not only will you be suffering personally,

But at the extreme end of the identification that I am this body mind and the beliefs of body mind is war.

Because that inner conflict that arises ultimately manifests in a belief that these people over here are completely separate from me and are somehow lesser than me.

And it's OK for me to do whatever I want to get my will imposed upon those people.

And many a dictator,

An empire over human history has followed that path.

And interestingly,

I think I'm sure this is right,

Historically,

Ultimately,

Although it might have taken a long time,

They've all failed.

And obviously,

A lot of suffering has occurred in that process.

And to explore that belief and how that belief manifests in that way,

There's a live stream replay that's called Beyond Belief,

In which I share some deeper insights and how that transpires.

So do have a look at that shanty,

Because that's important,

Because that belief that all I am is the body mind and separate,

Like on this fiber optic lamp from all these other body minds and my beliefs are the right beliefs and your beliefs are somehow lesser than mine,

Ultimately manifests in war.

It's not as big a step as you might think from I am this body mind to war.

It is actually just a deeper and deeper and deeper build up of separation,

Separation,

Separation.

And then eventually you get to external conflict on an international scale and a humanitarian disaster.

So unless and until we're prepared to face those inner things,

Then that's always going to happen.

So it's in fact very important,

Therefore,

To be open to our spiritual journey,

Because we can see the consequences right in front of us of just staying as we are and believing that all we are is the body mind in extreme circumstances.

Now that traditionally in the East might have involved people going to an ashram and spending years there,

And that still happens.

And that's also OK.

But the whole world can't go and live in an ashram.

Unfortunately,

A lot of those Eastern teachings have made it across to the West now.

We have platforms like this through which to share spiritual insight and bring more people to recognizing that inner peace.

Now,

This doesn't mean that our focus on our inner journey means that we completely forget the suffering in the rest of the world.

In fact,

We are benefiting both ourselves and indeed the world in general by shifting consciousness within.

But we can also take practical measures on a human level.

Just something very simple,

I know it's a fairly minor thing,

But actually the small sums that will come from the donations here going to support the humanitarian aid in the International Red Cross is actually very important,

Because if millions of people do that and they're doing that right now across the globe,

Then that's also going to help.

So it's obviously no good to bury our head in the sand,

But we need to have both.

We need to have the practical actions at the human level,

But we can see that no matter how many diplomatic efforts that have been made over thousands of years across many different conflicts around human history,

Ultimately we have not been able to get to a permanent peace.

And that's because that inner conflict is still there across so much of the planet.

So.

It's really fundamentally important that more and more people open to that for the reasons I've been pointing at.

So let me just go back to the words in the question here.

So it then goes on to say,

And how does our spiritual practice and experience relate to those who cause terrible human and environmental suffering?

Well,

Again,

I've already touched on some of that and it's explored in greater length and depth in the Beyond Belief live stream.

But let's take the dictators over history and what we're experiencing right now.

Then essentially those people in those positions,

Directing those over the course of human history,

Are really deeply rooted in that their belief is the right belief and that they can do anything that they want,

Because they perceive themselves as somehow higher and better than all the rest of the people.

Now,

Interestingly,

These dictators,

They may appear to be very hardened individuals across the course of human history,

Not just in the present day,

But I can assure you,

Spiritually speaking,

Inside they're in deep fear.

They may not consciously recognise that they're in fear because they feel like they're conscious constantly,

Need to protect their authority and control,

Not only over those close to them,

But also over other people who might threaten their dominion.

And all of this fear stems from that sense of separation that comes from the case of mistaken identity,

That all they are is the body mind.

They too are also this infinite silence,

But they're,

Shall we say,

At the extreme end of a spectrum and they can pull enough people along with them,

Or also in fear,

To seek to dominate.

And that's what happens essentially.

But as I say,

For a fuller exploration of how that happens,

Look at the Beyond Belief replay.

What's important then is for awareness to be brought to the situation.

So let me look at the rest of your question.

You said,

In silence last night,

Asking these questions,

What emerged out of fear was an overwhelming love and peace and a prayer of peace to those that are so lost that they seek control through the most barbaric terrorising of others.

Good.

Good.

So it sounds like to me you were using the transmuting fear into love process there to face that fear.

It was dissolving and a sense of peace started to arise.

And actually you'll find compassion not just for those experiencing the suffering,

But also for all of humanity,

Irrespective of who they are,

Will also be present.

Because whilst there's judgement there,

There's belief there.

And that doesn't mean,

By the way,

That we condone these actions.

Absolutely does not mean that.

But until we can recognise that all are this,

We are this and all are this,

Then we're not going to be able to anchor within that vibration of silence and act as a spiritual anchor for others to join us there.

You see,

The process of self-realisation,

Somebody asked me quite a few years ago now,

Was that if somebody was crying,

Say,

In a one-to-one session with me,

Would I cry with them?

And the answer is no.

Because all that will do is drop me to a suffering vibration and then we're basically just going to go on a downward spiral.

What that person obviously might need right in that moment is deep compassion and love.

And that's a much,

Much higher,

Indeed,

Ultimately infinite vibration.

And if you can imagine it this way,

If the vibration of love and inner peace is up here and suffering is down here and this one is held rock steady,

Then in the same vibrational space,

What's going to happen is that this one will be touched by this higher vibration because everybody is this.

Everybody is this.

And by being this anchor,

People will start to entrain,

Rise up to and meet you,

So to speak,

At this higher vibration.

And that ultimately is the role of a realised being,

To act as that spiritual anchor.

It's not that the others aren't it,

Everybody is it.

But when belief is so focused and so dense,

Then you just go on a downward spiral.

So that's very important about holding and embracing and resting as this higher vibration.

Going on to the rest of the comment,

He says,

But it felt that this does nothing,

That those are truly suffering in this moment.

So I was left feeling bemused.

What is it all about?

But then is it true that human consciousness rises as more realised lasting peace?

And I speak from direct experience here now,

Shanti.

Certainly it is my experience over sharing this message now continuously for eight years,

Is that if one is anchored and rested in this vibration,

It will naturally and effortlessly,

Ultimately invite people to join you there.

And the amount of shifts in consciousness that I have seen,

Whether in one to one sessions or groups here in the Universal Studio or online,

On Zoom sessions or even here on Insight Timer.

This people start to get a shift in awareness just by the continuous immersion in that pointing to truth and that holding of that vibration.

So that you don't need to believe anything I say about this,

Because simply because the fact that we are already this and your heart knows this and it recognises the truth behind the pointings,

Then eventually that's always going to dissolve,

Dissolve the beliefs.

There can be two kinds of reactions,

Two extremes to the reactions to this.

One is people melting into that space and experiencing profound shifts in consciousness.

And I've seen that so many times.

Also,

It can have a reaction on people who are deeply lost to shine.

It's kind of like shining a light on the darkness within them and they can have a fear reaction.

But ultimately that will eventually dissolve.

It may take time for that to happen.

But the raising of consciousness ultimately will always lead to this entrainment that I've talked about.

So that's quite a bit of response to the question,

Shanti.

I hope that's been helpful to you.

And as I say,

Do listen to the Beyond Belief live stream replay,

For that is addressed in greater depth there.

So I can see quite a few donations have come in.

So I just want to say thank you for that.

It helps Insight Timer and it's also going to help the International Red Cross.

So thank you so much for that,

For these seven live streams.

That is what's guests think here.

If you had the opportunity to speak,

I think you mean speak to Vladimir Putin about infinite silence,

What would you say to him?

That's a good question because I've never met the guy.

But,

You know,

When somebody like that and this is there's no judgment here.

And what I'm about to say is deeply lost in a belief based story,

They will find it incredibly hard to hear because it would feel like I am speaking Chinese to them.

A completely different language and they would not be able to hear me.

I don't mean physically hear me,

But they would not be able to hear the message.

Far better in such a situation is to simply be with that person without judgment.

And what I notice from people who are in that deeply lost space as they rest in our in your presence and you're anchored in that awareness.

As I say,

Some will run away,

But some will start to resonate and join you at that vibration.

So for somebody in that space,

Such as the person you've identified,

Mr.

Putin and so forth,

It is likely that they just won't be able to hear this message right now.

But that doesn't mean that they can't hear it eventually.

It may take many lifetimes.

So another reason,

Another pointing here to the live stream in silence,

We trust.

You cannot thrust truth.

You cannot thrust spiritual self realisation upon people.

But you can always hold the non-judgmental space of silence.

And this across the planet will ultimately have a ripple effect.

So that's what I would offer to you there,

Guest.

So I hope that's been useful to you,

Shanti and you,

Guest.

Look out for those live streams,

Particularly the Beyond Belief one.

Just to thank you once again,

I can see that there's been five donations come through.

I didn't notice all the names as they came through,

But you know who you are.

Thank you for that.

As I say,

These seven streams,

Those donations are all going to the International Red Cross,

Which came to me in meditation and to put those donations to this.

Sue and I,

My wife and I have already made a donation personally,

But we'll be putting this to it as well.

Nicole Amber,

Thanks for sharing that.

Nicole Amber says,

I sat with someone who watched me cry for an hour with such compassion and no words.

It was beautiful.

And that's really exactly what I'm pointing out.

Just being present without any judgment and allowing that to happen.

And naturally,

That process will just unfold in the way that it's meant to.

I can see Shanti was happy with the insights on his questions,

So that's good.

And guest says,

Thank you for that,

Philip.

You're the best.

Bless you.

Thank you for that guest.

Reviews

Thank you. I also found this helpful in dealing with the topic of narcissists in the world who cause quite alot of harm and helpful for the nervous system response as well. We are in multi dimensional energetic bodies that can be greatly impacted by witnessing harm. Thank you for this poignant excerpt 🙏🏽

So helpful and important to be able to hear this again- thank you 🙏🏼

🙏🏼🌀💗

Appreciate the sharing on how to be with people who are suffering.