Notes on Conditioning of the Past - (4514)

The right way to look at the past is to look at it with hope. Because by seriously working on the past we can create new strengths.

If we have no past of weakness there is nothing to transform into strength. Thanks to the past weaknesses we can now develop new strengths.

Redemption and the past are linked. We don't redeem ourselves from the future nor the present.

No past then nothing to redeem ourselves from. But yet we are fallen and so there is much to redeem ourselves from. Our inner redemption is complete when we have cancelled the cause of our falls in the past.

The key to redeeming ourselves is the past, and ridding ourselves of that inner guilty feeling to our Inner Being is seriously transforming the past.

When we have transformed the past we no longer feel guilty. Because the possibility making an error again is gone because now there is a new strength and no possibility of erring.

Every weakness of the past can be transformed into a real strength. 

The past holds strengths and virtues in potential.

The past holds much wisdom in waiting. A wealth of wisdom from lived experience.

Such statements as: 'once an alcoholic always an alcoholic" in the work are not true. We know that once the "I" of alcoholism is dissolved we are no longer that.

The past is only as valid to the degree that it is relevant to the present moment.

Some keys to freeing ourselves from the conditioning of the past is hope in the work. Working on the past, forgetting the past, embracing the moment and trusting in whatever is happening right now in the present moment. This even includes trusting that in the apparent 'bad' that is happening to us in a the present moment. 

End (4514).