DAY 9 (Mike's Journal)

Mike's Journal
DAY 9

DATE: Thursday, August 30, 2012
TIME: 7:30pm

A. OPENING THOUGHTS/OBSERVATIONS:

I continue to study A Course in Miracles and understand the idea that there are really no “higher” or “purer” emotions when it comes to Love. Throughout today I’ll be exploring, and separating, the emotions into Love, Joy, Peace, Clarity, and Enlightenment. But when one truly chooses Love over Fear, to know the Holy Spirit over the ego, then there really is only One emotion. We put the words Love, Peace, Joy, Clarity and Enlightenment on these emotions, our ego can even distinguish subtle nuances between them, but ultimately it is the rejoining of Oneness.

I am enjoying doing the exercises I’ve created for this book and find them useful. But I also realize these are merely tools to allow my ego to chose differently. This choice is to acknowledge that God Is. What that means is that the Truth is simple but not easy.  

B. DREAM ENTRY: 

Dreamed about helping others to navigate their dreams. This is rewarding because my subconscious is supporting me in my endeavor to share my knowledge.

C. Today you will continue your free association work with the “positive” emotions. The value here is the ability to identify these emotions as you’re feeling them. You can use sights, sounds, feelings, or moments from the past. The emotions being addressed on this day include Clarity (Reason), Love, Joy, Peace, and Enlightenment. On the final physical exercise, you will identify each one of your original intentions and do a free association with each.


***

The Workout
 
Focus on Shoulders/Abs

1. Exercise 1: Overhead Dumbbell Press

___4___ Sets of ____12_____ Reps

Free Association: “Clarity” and/or “Reason”

Clarity: A basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc. A statement presented in justification or explanation for a belief or action.

Reason: Clearness or lucidity as to perception or understanding; freedom from indistinctness or ambiguity.

(a) I’m clear that I’m a soul having a human experience.
I’m clear that being human means having moments of weakness.
I’m clear that every moment is a choice.
I’m clear that I can choose to dwell on my moments of weakness or do the next set of physical exercise.
I’m clear that to proceed is to do the next set of exercises here in the gym.

After Set 2: Continue with “Clarity” and/or “Reason”.

(b) I’m clear that a body is a project, never an end product.
I’m clear that my body does feel different after finishing these workouts
I’m clear that I truly am motivated.
I’m clear that this is a unique way of mastering the mental-emotional connection of approaching physical fitness.
I’m clear that this is fun.

After Set 3: “Clarity” and/or “Reason”.

(c) I’m clear that I can choose what to focus on in this moment.
I’m clear that I care about others enough and can listen with a full heart.
I’m clear that perfection only exists in the mind and not in reality.
I’m clear that I need activity and rest in equal amounts.
I’m clear that this book is a creation, not a law.

After Set 4 (or between sets): “Clarity” and/or “Reason”.

(d) I’m clear that there’s a powerful connection between rest and activity.
I’m clear that there’s a relationship between expansion and contraction.
I’m clear that my head is cool.
I’m clear that I’m experiencing a sensation of focus.
I’m clear that I’m breaking illusions of past failures and future aspirations.
I'm clear that these "higher emotions" are more accessible in the present and not from focusing on the past.


2. Exercise 2: Machine Shoulder Press

___4___ Sets of ___12____ Reps

Free Association: “Love”

A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. A feeling of warm, personal attachment or deep affection.

(a) I love life.
I love Laura.
I love that I’m experiencing myself as pure consciousness.
I love God/Source.
I love knowing that God is Infinite Love.

After Set 2: Continue with “Love”.

(b) I love helping/healing others.
I love creating.
I love being here in this moment.
I love working out when I feel like this.
I love that I can appreciate myself through this endeavor.

After Set 3: “Love”.

(c) I love that I don’t have to ever “push” for anything again.
I love that it is within me to share insights like this through the written word.
I feel love in the solar plexus and heart.
Love is all there is when looking past the illusion of the world.
Love is knowing the separation between God and Man never happened.

After Set 4 (or between sets): “Love”.

(d) Love is creating.
Love is seeking to know God/Source.
Love is everything connecting and bleeding through my consciousness.
Love is awareness that God Is.
Love is all there is.


3. Exercise 3: Shrugs

___4___ Sets of ____12___ Reps

Free Association: “Joy”.

The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.

After Set 1: Free Association using “Joy”.

(a) Joy is an amplification of love.
Joy can’t be worked for, only accepted, allowed and passively nourished.
I feel joy as a sustained explosion in the heart and solar plexus.
Joy is complete freedom to create heaven on earth.
Joy is beyond words and description.

After Set 2: Continue with “Joy”.

(b) Joy is in this moment…and no where else.
Joy is a complete allowing and of letting go of outcome.
Joy is a calmness that leads to peace.
Joy is where true freedom of choice must lead.
Joy is freedom.

After Set 3: “Joy”.

(c) Joy is a commitment to love.
Joy is an amplification of Love.
Joy is acknowledgment of love.
Joy is unstoppable.
Joy is where we naturally are intended to be.

After Set 4 (or between sets): “Joy”.

(d) Joy might not be of this world.
Joy is choosing to be in the world but not of the world.
Joy is allowing Holy Spirit to guide thought and action.
Joy is listening.
Joy is letting go.


4. Exercise 4: Lateral Dumbbell Raises

___3___ Sets of ____12_____ Reps

Free Association: “Peace”.

A state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations.

After Set 1: Free Association using “Peace”.

(a) Peace is knowing you already have everything within you to create happiness.
I feel peace in the forehead.
Peace is beyond words.
Peace flows through me in the workout and on the keyboard.
Peace is a surrender of ego.

After Set 2: Continue with “Peace”.

(b) Peace is accepting and living gratefully between the pole of opposites.
Peace is the final transition between perception onward to knowledge.
Peace is reuniting the Mind that separated from God.
Peace is perceiving knowledge.
Peace is seeing others as already perfect.

After Set 3: “Peace”.

(c) Peace is beyond creation and thought.
Peace points toward Enlightenment.
Peace is here…always.
Peace is where “I” was being led to.
Peace is omnipresent.

After Set 4 (or between sets): “Peace”.

(d) Peace is knowing the bridge between Joy and Enlightenment.
Peace is never in a position of attack.
Peace is never in a position of judgment.
Peace can not be corrupted or fooled.
Peace is wondering if there really is a difference between Peace and Enlightenment.


5. Exercise 5: Negative Sit Ups

___3___ Sets of ____12_____ Reps

Free Association: “Enlightenment”.

The act of enlightening. Intellectual or spiritual light. Instruct, impart knowledge to.

After Set 1: Free Association using “Enlightenment”.

(a) Enlightenment is experienced now.
Enlightenment is evasive once I put words down.
Enlightenment was touched a moment ago.
Enlightenment is only in the moment.
Enlightenment becomes Peace once I try to articulate what Enlightenment is.

After Set 2: Continue with “Enlightenment”.

(b) Enlightenment can’t be written about.
Enlightenment is knowledge.
Enlightenment is not needing expression through a body.
Enlightenment is knowing God never created the world, we did.
Enlightenment is.

After Set 3: “Enlightenment”.

(c) Enlightenment is reemerging with the “One” Source of all things.
Enlightenment knows there is no thought only knowing.
I feel enlightenment all over to the point where there is no body, only pure thought with the body as an extension of this pure thought.
Enlightenment is here now and no where else.

After Set 4 (or between sets): “Enlightenment”.

(d) (Author’s Note: At this point I stopped trying to put Enlightenment into words and simply doodled in my journal.)


6. Exercise 6: Side V Ups

 ___3___ Sets of ____15___ Reps

Review Intentions and Free Associate Each Intention

After Set 1:

INTENTION 1:

(a) Increase Confidence. Originally I wanted to look good for the performance. I think I’ve accomplished this as we are now in “dress rehearsal” mode where I am commonly find myself undressed. This mission was accomplished as I can focus on my performance and not so much on what people think of me. Confidence now is more a process of letting go then of trying to do or be something.

After Set 2:

INTENTION 2:

(b) Deepen my spirituality. In addition to this 30 day quest I’ve been reading A Course in Miracles while simultaneously doing the workbook exercises from the text. At the moment the course work is most appealing to me because I’m seeing the outer world and my inner world as both the work of my own ego. By taking personal responsibility for both I become more aware of my identity of being a part of God’s mind.

After Set 3:

INTENTION 3:

(c) Develop content for this book. The meaning behind this intention is to gain confidence in my intelligence. This is unnecessary because as I deepen my spiritual awareness I realize the only thing that blocks wisdom (or what I previously thought of as “intelligence”) is fear. By returning to these exercises I am functioning at my optimum capacity and wish to continue to do so.

After Set 4 (or between sets):

INTENTION 4:

(d) Become a “new person”.  Well, the “new person” is one that’s constantly aware of his connection to all humanity. The new person is not someone I aspire to be but someone I wish to remember I was and then claim him again. I think by letting go of the need to TRY or strive to become a new person I have become a new person willing to let God lead me.



DIET JOURNAL: (log in any foods you consumed for the day)

Blueberry Muffin
Protein Shake
Egg white omelets
Peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms
Chicken Sandwich
Fish



ADDITIONAL JOURNAL ENTRIES:



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