And Then the Silence

"And Then the Silence"

No one knows why the power of Teotihuacán was silenced around A.D. 700. People simply stopped living in the city. Perhaps the residents reached a spiritual state that allowed them to transcend their physical bodies and go home to their beloved sun. There is evidence of a great fire that burned most of the main buildings; however, there is no way to know who burned them, or why. Maybe the residents torched their city when they left, or it was conquered and plundered by a marauding tribe. 

Archeologists have not solved these mysteries, and probably never will. Whatever the cause, the great city of Teotihuacán, along with its mystique and magnificence, came to an end. Small village groups continued to live in the area, but the city itself was left alone and silent. The origins and destiny of Teotihuacán remain a secret today. Were these people the first Toltecs, who moved to Tula and began again? Or were they a forgotten group of Toltec masters who came together to manifest a magnificent vision of stone and spirit, and then disappeared into the annals of history?

Although the origins and purpose of Teotihuacán have been lost in history, the site remains alive as a tourist destination, and as a place of great spiritual power. Toltec and other teachers and groups from around the world visit to access the energy there for powerful personal and planetary healing.

~ An excerpt from The Everything Toltec Wisdom Book, by Allan Hardman

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Active Self-Acceptance

"Active Self-Acceptance"

Many of us grew up in less than ideal situations. We were domesticated. We were taught what ways were good to be and what ways were bad, we were rewarded for doing right and punished for doing wrong. The worst punishments was rejection -- being ignored, sent to the corner or to our rooms, threatened with being left out, left behind, or exiled.

In time, we learned to internalize the rejection and reject ourselves. It actually seemed like a good defense against outside rejection -- if we beat them to it, we knew it would be less painful than if they rejected us. After all, we depended on them for all of the basics that supported our survival. 

So, we became the masters of self-rejection. We created a judging voice in our minds, reminding us to do it right, perform properly, be good, and follow the rules the best we could. I'm often surprised when people aren't aware of their inner judge voice, or accept it as a normal part of their mind.

It's painful to be made wrong all the time. Nobody likes it from the outside, but many people unconsciously tolerate it in their own minds. What about you? If someone was following you around talking to you critically like your inner judge, what would you do? How would you handle it?

We don't need to tolerate all that rejection. We came into this world totally IN love with all of creation, and we learned to judge and reject ourselves. There is no reason we can't go back to that default state and live our lives in that same acceptance we lived in at the beginning.

We need to become masters of self-acceptance. It was natural for us until we learned self-rejection. Let's make it natural again. An adult life lived in acceptance of ourselves extends naturally to an acceptance of all creation. This could be a description of "Enlightenment." I can tell you this: It will make you very happy. Perhaps that is a good description of Enlightenment.

For more about Active Self Acceptance, 

join the conversation on my radio show or check the archives, here.

So, since we actively learned to reject ourselves, I suggest we turn it around by actively learning to accept ourselves. Here are three simple (yet not necessarily easy) principles I use. They are borrowed from Nathaniel Brandon's book, The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, with gratitude:

* Value Yourself: Be on your side! Be for yourself. You are a child of the universe and have a right to belong here, as you are. Repeat as needed: "I choose to value myself, to treat myself with respect, to stand up for my right to exist, as I am!"

* Tell Yourself the Truth: Make it real to yourself what is true about you, without denial or evasion. Refuse to have an adversarial relationship with any part of your physical, emotional, or spiritual bodies. "I choose to tell myself the truth about myself and to accept and love everything I am... and everything I am not."

* Be Your Own Best Friend: Have compassion for yourself. You are a perfect human being, doing your best. Be a good friend to yourself. Listen to your truth, your fears, loves, and needs, with compassion and acceptance. "I choose to be a gentle and loving friend to myself, and to accept my feelings and actions without judgment or blame."

There is absolutely no reason to allow the judge in our minds to continue the abuse of self-rejection. But we must take action to stop it, and to learn a new way of speaking to ourselves. 

With all my love,

Allan

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My Weekly Radio Show Continues! Please join me every Sunday evening 7:00 pm Pacific time for: 

"Living in Conscious Relationship ~ A Conversation in the Truth." This is a write-in and call-in internet radio show - I invite you to join the conversation.

Archives are here: HUMAN SPIRIT RADIO NETWORK

Exciting programs are starting once again in Sonoma County, CA, this spring. Please join me!

Every Wednesday evening we resume the amazing "Conscious Relationship Circle" ~ May 2 -September 26, 2012.

And on Tuesday evenings, something new: "Four Agreements Wisdom Circle" ~ May 1 - September 25, 2012

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I'm so grateful to be able to share with you here. My life and work and Joydancer and TACO (my online Toltec spiritual networking community) are all dedicated to helping us learn and remember the truth of our oneness as the Divine essence that creates and animates this universe... and each part of it in each moment. Including you and me!

I am available by phone, Skype, and e-mail if you would like support for your life journey. I look forward to hearing from you.

Details about consultations and apprenticeships in The Four Agreements and Toltec tradition are here.