Harness The Transformational Power in Self-Reliance

by Guy Finley

Let us investigate what is required of us - what it takes to become New in mind and heart. This true self-transformation requires a new kind of courage to search out and to "stand" in a new place within ourselves.

How do we arrive in this new "place"? Those of us who seek the Truth of ourselves, of God's life within us, must search out a whole new order of self-reliance. In order to make the real interior Changes needed, we must agree to test the ground ourselves in a new fashion, and not to question our brother or life for what befalls us. Here's how it works: Through the purifying tests of higher self-reliance we come, surprisingly, to the end of what we can do of ourselves for ourselves. It is only within this rarefied air that we may learn to call upon the Secret Source of ourselves and be refreshed and empowered in its flow.

How do we scale these new heights? When finding our self insufficient to the moment's needs, we must not only stop searching for reasons as to why we are the way we are, but we must dare to remain with this unwanted self-awareness. We must not allow negative states to step in, redefine us, and "save" us from our own perceived weakness with a newly contrived self.

The unseen Truth hidden in this order of self-reliance is that we may only truly possess what we need to be strong or wise as we are willing to deliberately reach the end of our imagined strength or wisdom. Here begins the Work. We must stand "there," hands open and empty - in supplication to the Cause that brought us thus far. This petition to the Source of ourselves, raised to awareness by our having reached the bottom of what we call "I," is the first step in realizing our Real "I." This Higher order of Self is what we seek within ourselves. This "I" belongs to a part of us that is unlimited. It is the Self we have always been, but have never seen or known.

The fear that "I cannot," or that "I have not" enough strength or resources of myself to bear such a place in me belongs to the same dependent self that almost daily feels itself come to the "end" of itself. But instead of remaining there, it invents a bittersweet or repenting self from the dregs of itself. This sycophantic self finds solace in lending itself each newly construed sorrowful self and so, in its borrowed self-created comfort, robs itself of the True Strength that, by Law, must pour itself into any properly proffered empty cup.

This is why - if we're ever to find a true and lasting strength - we must cease to dream of powers and realize our temporary inner poverty instead. Powers imagined create imaginary gods. These are false deities who secretly tremble (within us) before their own deception and its work. Only true self-knowledge, the fruit of self-reliance, can detect and deflect these false forces that would play out our lives and steal from us our rightful heritage of being fearless, God-centered individuals. Refusing the illusion of power begins with realizing the real powers inherent in self-reliance. It is only here, within self, bereft of our imagined strength, that we are contacted by our native Intelligence, consoled by our innate ability to regenerate, uplifted and made incorruptible by the action of the awakened Spirit.

Within the next few ideas lies a Great Hope for a Higher Happiness: Is the season we call the Fall "weak" because she forfeits a bit of herself with each dying leaf? Or should we consider the Summer "strong" because she causes trees and vines to burgeon with fruit? Is the Winter, with its often hard, unyielding hold on the earth, less compassionate than the gentle Spring who comes to soften all things with her soft warm rain? Of course not. To fulfill its appointed purpose, each season must stand upon the ground of the one before it.

Let us learn to stand upon what we are - within what we are - so that we may, regardless of our apparent season, fulfill ourselves with what we are next given to see and become in this Great Life. Ponder this idea. It tells a secret about true self-reliance. Within it may be found a Way to invoke Heaven to reveal itself.

We only become fully self-reliant when, at last, we are no longer ourselves, but are willing to take our place, consciously, in the inexorable movement of Life. We need never accept defeat as long as we're willing to learn the Truth, for every truth discerned takes us past the self that was stopped.

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About Guy Finley
Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over! For the daring person who wishes to turn this possibility into reality, the keys to less stress and brighter days are found in Guy Finley's newly revised and expanded best-selling book, "The Secret of Letting Go." Just as gentle spring rains stir the seeds that become beautiful wildflowers, so will the higher lessons in this book help you let go and grow free. Finley is the acclaimed author of more than 35 books and audio programs on the subject of self-realization, and is the founder and director of Life of Learning Foundation, a nonprofit center for self-study located in Southern Oregon. Visit www.guyfinley.org/secret for more info and to request your FREE Unstoppable Starter Kit.


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