The first six Questions & Answers were added 9/1/11

Question: How can I face reality and not run away and hide?
Answer: Come back to NOW.  Don’t think about yourself. Now you’re safe — with nothing to run away from.

Question: When I ask God for help, it doesn’t seem to come. What’s wrong?
Answer: We’ve been told if we are sincere, if we really want higher help, it will come. Also we’ve been told that people are often not really praying to God but only to themselves or to something very base and low. (See the “Prayer Mountain” story in Solved — The Mystery of Life, for example.) So first always watch and question your prayers: What is my state? What am I saying? What are my real motives? For years we’ll observe wrongness, yet it is right to keep watching and asking, to “cry out for help” (see A Treasury of Trueness, #2303). Daily, minutely, ask what is God’s will instead of my own. Of course the false self only wants its own way, but seeing that consciously will weaken and change the state to a right request for trueness and innocence. God is helping us in ways we don’t yet see. We will gradually be able to see more as we become free of the bondage of self.

Question: We’ve been told to go out into the world and to use our daily experiences to observe the folly of human nature. One thing I observe all around me is that a lot of people seem to be just going through the motions. They’re very active but when you look at their faces and observe their states of mind, they seem to be bitter toward life.
Answer: These teachings say that futility is doing something without knowing why you’re doing it. People go through their whole lives doing things, pursuing things, without really understanding why they’re doing them. They have their money, their friends, their businesses, their families, but they do not operate from an independent spirit, they do not own their own lives. And rather than look for the real cause of unhappiness, they become bitter and hardened when life fails them.
     In reality, the underlying cause of all discontentment can be tracked back to this feeling of futility. At the core, underneath all of the rushing around, there is a voice saying “What’s really the use of all this?” There is a sensing of missing the point of life but unfortunately it’s often accompanied by a pervasive, almost paralyzing fear that lasting relief is not attainable. But Truth assures us that we haven’t been left here alone with no answer, with no way to escape this fierce, mauling world. The solution comes with knowing this feeling of futility is with us constantly, but that we must not try to fill the emptiness ourselves. Everything comes back to wanting authentic fulfillment.  You see, when you’re on the spiritual path laid out by these teachings, there is always true purpose. There are no nagging doubts about whether what you’re doing is right, if what you’re doing is good for you. You will feel the fulfillment and you will know that God can lead you all the way out.

Question: We often see the ‘attack’ or challenge as coming from outside of ourselves. But in reality, it’s frequently coming from our own mind. Right?
Answer: Yes, right. One student recently told this story in a New Life class. She drove a long distance one day to attend an exercise class but when she got there, found out it had been canceled. At this point a choice presented itself — either fall into disappointment and annoyance or try to be fully present in the moment and enjoy the drive back through the beautiful countryside. She chose the latter and stated, “It was so nice not to be attacked,” that is, it was a huge relief not to be attacked by the harping mind which would have complained about the time wasted, about the gas money spent, about not getting the anticipated exercise, etc. Remember that phrase “It’s so nice not to be attacked” the next time something negative wants to act in your name, the next time the impostor inside of you demands that it has the right to tell you how to feel.

Question: Vernon Howard’s books and audio recordings have been very, very helpful to me. I thought my friends would find them useful too, but they have no interest at all whenever I talk about them. In fact, it seems as though they would rather I not bring the subject up. Why aren’t they as interested as I am?
Answer: It is said in these teachings that Truth is the only real friend you’ll ever have so consider yourself very fortunate! Truth continuously calls everyone but only a few can hear. Just about everyone’s peace and quiet is drowned out by the loud noise of society making its silly and dangerous demands, not to mention our own inner voices that add to the cacophony. Vernon Howard once said, ‘Truth is the most unpopular product on earth’ but of course what is right and what is godly is the only true liberator. People say they yearn to be free but almost everybody would rather stay shackled to their fear and their suffering. It’s their idea of security and they don’t want to give it up. They don’t want to learn about the keys that could open the prison door and teach them how to live a happy life with real meaning. Keep walking your own path and don’t worry about doing it alone. Ultimately, you will learn a great deal about your friends and you’ll be thankful for the insights. There is great significance to the saying “And the truth shall set you free.”

Question: Give me something I really need to know.
Answer: If you were to find out who you really are, you could be right in the middle of this cruel world and it would not be able to touch you at all.

Question:  I make a spiritual aim and then almost immediately forget it.
Answer: Suppose you make an aim to get up early to study your spiritual lessons. You set the alarm for 5:30 am with every intention of getting up and doing something right for yourself. But when the alarm goes off at that early morning hour, you don’t get up but turn over and go back to sleep, forgetting the aim entirely. Why? Because the person who made the aim and the one who turned the alarm off are not the same person. The truth is that any unawakened man or woman lives from a very fragmented, scattered, contradictory and changeable nature.
     One of the hallmarks of genuine spiritual work is to begin to observe our own internal life. Even a small bit of work in this area can lead to the shocking realization that we are being pushed this way and pulled that way by internal forces beyond our command. Living in this way tears us up inside. This insight should not be frightening, it should be immensely encouraging and freeing because at last we’re becoming acquainted with the enemy.

Question: How do I keep a spiritual aim?
Answer: To keep a spiritual aim, a super effort is required. Have you ever been at a sports arena after the game is over? People are pouring out of the exits, carelessly jostling others and pushing everyone else aside in their mad rush to get out. The spiritual parallel here is that if you want a different kind of a life, you can’t join the crowd but must deliberately and consciously walk against that tidal wave of humanity to reach safety. You must go against everything familiar to reach the other side. Make an intense effort to become aware of yourself at each moment and the needed help will come. Directing your energy in this way strengthens spiritual memory, which in and of itself can begin the process of uniting all the disparate parts of us. Instead of living from inner chaos, the whole nature can then begin to feel and understand events as they come to us.

Question: Sometimes I catch an imp in me that is shockingly resentful and hostile toward these ideas. Why do I block out and push away what could help me?
Answer: It is absolutely necessary to be aware that what has always had us in its grip will not easily let go. The imposter is very reluctant, resistant and yes, very hostile toward what is trying to shake us awake. Wrongness is extremely clever in making seekers believe that what is good is bad and what is bad is good. Is it bad for a prisoner to wish to escape his or her chains? Just know that your authentic wish to understand is stronger than all the opposing voices and forces in the world.

Question: What can be done to straighten out my mind? I want to be happy and free of suffering and problems but who can I trust to really help me?
Answer: These teachings say, “Follow only Truth.” The dawning light within a sincere student is perfectly capable of discerning the pure truth from an artificial version based on the personal interpretation of some so-called expert or teacher. Pure truth will never try to appeal with flattery nor will it ever compromise with human nonsense. For example, a real teaching will not mix in strategies of how to succeed in business or how to ‘get rich quick’ because these matters are not at the heart of true transformation.
     As much as you’ll allow it, these teachings will get very personal with you. We’ve been fooled and hurt so much by following false paths we carelessly assume that Truth is out to hurt us or cheat us or take something ‘important’ away from us. But in reality it can offer the ultimate help precisely because it is not of this world, it is not like we are.
     We can be very grateful for Truth’s clarity, directness and bluntness in exposing our actual position here on earth. We can also be very grateful for its flexibility as when it provides spontaneous lightness and humor to help us get rid of our stuffy, self-righteous images of being wise and profound. In essence, the spiritual path cuts straight through the jungle of sick human nature and avoidance of the path is avoidance of the Supreme Reason for being on earth.

Question: What is an example of an unseen enemy?
Answer: Well there are so many, like vanity, fear, hostility and pretense, even sadness which we take as us. Or how about insisting on winning the argument, which ends up ruining your relationships with the people in your life? You may not even know you always have to have the last word and insist you are always right and the other person is wrong. We see it in others but not in ourselves. Isn’t that really the cause of all divorces? This is sleep. This is being possessed by an unseen enemy we take as our friend. That is why it is always stressed to turn our attention inward and ask ourselves what is going on in there.

Question: Some people believe that because Vernon is not with us, they don’t need this teaching anymore, or that maybe another teacher will do it.
Answer: I quote, “Happiness is always and only the Spirit of Truth coursing through us.”  What are the chances of finding that out there in this wicked world? For example, we need to be constantly reminded to break the mechanical flow of thought and come awake so something higher can reach us. But how many people can remember to do it on their own? The sleep state is too deep. Once you have found a True teaching hold on tight.
     There are many traps along the path. Vernon once gave a great story about this. Briefly, he said, people heard about the great treasures (spiritual wealth) somewhere beyond the mountains and so began the journey. But one by one, because the journey was long and hard, they came back. They lied and said they found the treasure and began to tell
others how to find it.
     The world is filled with those who start the spiritual path but before finding the treasure, begin to deceive themselves and others in saying they know the way. Maybe a few of them even heard Vernon Howard at one time. Vernon once New Life is like a café, which prints at the
bottom of the menu “No substitutions allowed.”

Question: These teachings state that we can become free. It seems to me that I’m already free. What do you mean?
Answer: Are you free from psychological suffering? Are you free from anger, jealousy, anxiety and other negative states? Do you go about your day happy, knowing that God is truly in charge of this life that you’re living? Or do you feel a haunting and compelling need to protect the things in your life from being taken away from you — like money, people, power, possessions? Is that freedom? We must earnestly ask, “Who is this person that these things can be taken away from?” Any description of this person is not a description of your True Self — your Kingdom of Heaven within. There are no words to accurately describe the True Self — it is something that must be lived by you. As Vernon Howard wrote in There is a Way Out, page 104:
“Describe to me the nature of this new life.”
“Describe to me the taste of a peach.”
     Freedom is like that. You must taste it for yourself. You must see what it is not and it is not worrying about a past or future event. It is lived in the present moment, consciously.

Question: I’ll have a higher insight that I know does not come from my mind but then I’ll fall back into depression. What’s going on?
Answer: What you’ll encounter when truly working on yourself with these principles is that a period of light will be followed by a period of darkness. It was once explained that when you start out, the periods of darkness last for a long, long time with relieving insights coming at short intervals. The further you go, however, the longer the stretches of light become and the shorter the periods of darkness until you are living 100% in the light. The key is to persist during the periods of darkness. Do not give up. Do not give in to the feeling of being overwhelmed and helpless. God wants you to succeed. But the reward will come on Truth’s terms, not on our terms. The light comes because we’ve gone through the wrenching process of giving up what we call ourselves. Spiritual success hinges on the willingness to leave the old nature behind without knowing what will replace it. If we’ll do this, the empty space will be filled with Truth’s light.

Question: Why do these teachings continually emphasize being aware and awake and staying in the present moment?
Answer: “Instead of falling asleep and becoming more of yourself, stay awake!” This is the way out of all problems because what we call ourselves is the problem maker. Staying awake where higher help can reach us is what our hearts really want.

Question: What does it mean to be saved?
Answer: Can you see that there is something wrong with the world and with your life in particular? Honesty and self-study will reveal that a sinister force within is lying to you day and night. Its purpose is to hurt you and to prevent you from rising above yourself. This force does not want even one human being to escape. One of its lies is to place the blame outside — to point the finger at other people and events for the choices we ourselves have made. To live an authentically free and happy life, to make it out, to be saved, we must take full responsibility for our thoughts, feelings and actions. We cannot blame anyone for anything but must come to the freeing realization that the inner determines the outer. The inner state is like a magnet that attracts people and events to itself. Work to release negativity and to raise the level of your state with these workable principles and all will be different. For example, do we need fear or anxiety or anger? NO, of course not! But we must face the fact that if we suffer from these painful and destructive emotions, we’re somehow inviting them into our psychological home. We’ve been hoaxed into believing they are our friends. To be saved means to boot out all of the nonsense so that it can be replaced by genuine celestial guidance. While this is bad news for the artificial nature that’s controlled us for so long, it’s wonderful news for who we really are.

Question: My friends say I don’t need this. They say what I need to do is to believe in Jesus because the bible says we have to believe to be saved.
Answer: Haven’t you met a lot of people who say that but who are still secretly sad and hostile? Notice people, people of all ages, when you go out into the world. Notice the facial expression of those elderly people as you pass them in the grocery store. Do they look relaxed and happy or do they look defeated? Just believing is self-deception and is an excuse for not doing the hard work required to wake up, which is what Christ really taught. Did he not say “Awake, awake, thou that sleepest?”
     Nothing that is worthwhile is ever going to be attained without work. We understand this in relation to our efforts in daily life — on the worldly level — but why do we think that merely saying we ‘believe’ is going to result in spiritual awakening? In this work, we’re told to not believe anything but to prove the validity and viability of everything we’re learning here for ourselves. Truth offers us ample encouragement. For example, when trying to be aware of what’s going on both inside and outside of you, have you personally felt a sense of true power in awareness? Awareness and thought are very different states. Thought is circular and repetitive; awareness is alive and vibrant. As Vernon once said, “Why believe when you can know?”

Question: Sometimes these teachings seem to be too tough on us.
Answer: It is the false self, the egotistical self, which is insulted by these spiritual facts. Who we are in reality is someone else entirely, someone who is not afraid of anything in this whole world. Although undeveloped at present, there is an authentic part of us that loves hearing the truth and responds with delight. This is the part Vernon is trying to reach but because our resistance is so great, shocks must be given to awaken it. Though people search the world over, happiness can never be found without discovering and living from the true self within. It is an illusion that any success in this world can make us content. All of us have known people who, when they reached the height of success, became exceedingly depressed because the promised reward turned out to be an empty package.  Still, this teaching will never be popular with the masses; in fact, the truer the teaching, the fewer the students.

Question: I am beginning to sense the shallowness of the so-called rewards of this world, but still feel compelled to try to achieve public popularity and success.
Answer: Realize what a dreadful price you pay to society for its smiles and pats on the back. If you were elevated to the greatest level of public popularity ever achieved, it wouldn’t reduce your self-doubt one bit. Never fall into depression because you fail to win accolades or wealth or excitement. God doesn’t care one bit if you succeed in this way.

Question: I recently was very hurt by the betrayal of someone close to me. What should I do?
Answer: Know that the pain does not reside in the situation itself. What causes the hurt and the shock and the disappointment is the expectation that the person should behave differently, should behave in a decent way toward you. Each one of us is perfectly capable of ceasing to live in fantasy by beginning to understand that lost human nature can do nothing but betray. The only thing that will never ever hurt or betray you is the truth itself. Truth will explain, inspire and heal in a way that the ordinary solutions of this world never can.

Question: Recent events in the news are shocking and scaring me.
Answer: Because we have a physical presence on this earth, it is very difficult for us to understand that the real rewards of this life are spiritual, invisible. No matter what horrors are going on around us, there is a higher power within that can transcend it all. We are not at the mercy of a society gone mad.
     Never forget that God is stronger than anything that happens to this planet. If we carelessly fall into fear from what we see, we are feeding the negativity, both within ourselves and in everyone around us. The feeling of helplessness can disappear but we must cooperate in our own rescue. That means making an intense effort to see what is really going on.

Question: It seems as if pursuing Truth will take a lot of my time. Why can’t I just work with these principles when it’s convenient for me?
Answer: In order for our true nature to be liberated from the chains of the false personality’s demands, we need to make an unshakeable inner resolution and commitment to understand all of these things. In reality, we are in dire need of Truth’s help. To ever be different, to change our nature, we have to give up something. What we are now must vacate the premises to make room for the new. The beauty of Truth is that it can go wherever we do. This work is not just something we must take time out for in our busy day from a sense of drudgery. As a matter of fact, once we begin to fully realize what we’ve made contact with here, the real adventure starts. The tendency is to live a divided life in which there is ‘my life’ and then there is Truth. Working when we don’t want to work provides the chance to put our petty little life and concerns aside to gain something of real value. Start to use every opportunity to apply these spiritual teachings as you go about your everyday affairs and the division will start to fade. When you walk into that business meeting, for example, vow that you will use it as an opportunity to learn everything you can about yourself by alertly watching what goes on. Perhaps you’ll remember the higher principle of not being concerned with results and that will make all the difference in your feeling toward the meeting’s outcome. The false nature will feel threatened that it’s under scrutiny but do it anyway. This is the path to real self-wholeness.