The Word (Ch. 7 of 'The Impersonal Life')

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The Impersonal Life, Chapter VII
THE WORD

'The Impersonal Life' says that ALL ideas and thoughts originate from the I AM. Even fragmented thoughts and misconstructions of the mind which are the root of so much suffering ultimately serve the grand purpose of Source. 

Yes, if the observer backs away into space from the chaos and despair of human life, watching as the earth grows smaller and the cries grow muted, and considers that as Friedrich Nietzsche said, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger," then perhaps it is so. 

However, according to the Wikipedia article, Nietsche towards the end of his life was 'taking huge doses of opium,' 'embittered by feelings of revenge and resentment,' and 'suffered a mental collapse.'

That seems the hard way.

Why take the hard way? There is another way, one that is easier, smoother, more joyful and more directly connected with one's own True Self, the True Self of all that is. In my stage of life, after experiencing the hard way, I am more and more attracted to simplify. My lifestyle is now much simpler, more fluid, more adaptable, more present and insightful. I am also simplifying my way of seeing life to these:

Know O.B.
Know O.B.'s Idea
Know O.B. and Me

'Know' here used means intimate knowing, sensing, feeling, being one with. These three are becoming the central reference points of my daily life and give a direction for writing ahead, beyond this commentary.

'The Impersonal Life' refers again and again to these themes, in the author's language and from his perspective. So much has been written about such things as the origins of life, the nature of existence, and the place of humankind in the grand scheme. To me, it is all a lot of verbiage with little practical effectiveness.

​The basics are simple. To be of any value, the communication of them must be simplified. I have taken note of this, and sharpened my pencil to reduce the waste of words. 'The Impersonal Life' is still one of the most potent texts on the subject I've encountered, and writing a simplified companion from my perspective is still an idea in the incubator.

From Chapter 7,

"Man believes he thinks, but before he has awakened to a realization of Me within he only takes the thoughts I attract to or inspire in his mind, and, mistaking their real meaning and purpose, places a personal construction upon them and, through the selfish desires thus aroused, creates for himself all his troubles and brings upon himself all his woes.

"These apparent mistakes, misconstructions and interferences of man are in reality only the obstacles in his way to be overcome, that he may, through the overcoming, finally develop a body and mind strong and clean and capable enough to express perfectly and consciously this Idea of Mine eternally working within his Soul."

There is a significant distinction between effortless thought which arises from pure consciousness and analytical, rational thinking and reasoning. 

Conscious thought from a higher plane arrives effortlessly.  It is expansive and nurturing. Automatic, reactive, overly-focused or random thinking separates me from the experience of life, constricting me out of a felt relationship with the present moment.  Thought received while attending to aspects of pure consciousness and attuned to higher frequencies, more likely will reflect the highest choices for manifesting an original idea of creative source.

'The Impersonal Life' goes on to say,

"Man, then, is only the organism I AM thus preparing through which to manifest the perfection of My Idea. He provides the personality, with its body, mind and intellect, through which I can express this Idea perfectly, the physical brain with which I can think and speak It into outer manifestation. 

"I plant in man’s brain an Idea—any idea. That idea would grow, mature and speedily ripen into complete outer fruition or manifestation,—if man only would let  it, would give his mind and all its thoughts, his heart and all its desires wholly over to Me, and let Me come forth as the perfect fulfillment of that Idea."

...

"Now, a word to the human understanding is a symbol of an Idea; that is, it stands for, embodies, and represents an Idea.

"You are a Word, a symbol of an Idea, if you can see it. So is a diamond, a violet,    a horse. 

"When you can discern the idea back of the symbol, then you know the soul or the reality of the manifestation appearing as a man, a diamond, a horse, a violet. 

"Hence, a word... means an Idea, an Idea latent and unmanifest, however, waiting to be expressed, or thought and spoken forth, in some form or another."

...

"This, My Idea, therefore, is now in the process of unfoldment or of being thought into outer expression—some call it evolution,—just as is the flower when the bud puts forth from the stalk and finally opens into the blossom, obeying the urge to express My Idea hidden within its soul."

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THE IMPERSONAL LIFE, UNABRIDGED