40 Days of Letting Go, Letting God
From Release to Embrace
Rule 17
“The whole universe is contained within a single human being — you. Everything that you see around, including the things that you might not be fond of and even the people you despise or abhor, is present within you in varying degrees. Therefore, do not look for Sheitan [“Devil” in Arabic] outside yourself, either. The devil is not an extraordinary force that attacks from without. It is an ordinary voice within, if you set to know yourself fully, facing with honesty and hardness.“*
*
Today’s affirmation: I am present to each task of the day,
knowing everything is a choice.
Therefore, do not look for Sheitan [“Devil” in Arabic] outside yourself, either. The devil is not an extraordinary force that attacks from without. It is an ordinary voice within, if you set to know yourself fully, facing with honesty and hardness. Rule 17
It has been hard for me to see this Truth for a long time. I grew up in a culture where people firmly believe that all their troubles are generated by others and they are simply victims of their devilish wrongdoing. So, I believed, too.
It is just easier to see others as culprits than looking within and finding the dealignment and the blockages that we ourselves generate by our thinking and emotions. Have you heard the expression: “Change your mind, change your life?”
As I started to surrender to the idea that it is me who is creating my reality, I also got the opportunity to see what these blocks were. I started to notice beliefs that I picked up in my childhood that made me feel like a victim or that I had no choice.
Facing my personal little devils have not been easy, sometimes even painful, but at the end of the day, freedom is a choice – my choice.
What did you discover by contemplation on this rule and Lent reading?
in Loving and with many Blessings,
Rev Kudlik
Please note that though I may use ‘him’ or ‘his’ pronouns to talk about God/the Divine, it is only because the English language does not have a gender neutral pronoun. ‘They’ sounds odd to me to use and ‘it’ sounds lifeless.