My last post I discussed the mainstays of my practice, one being the ability to look at my projections. Projection removes ourselves from what is real and what is really truth. When we are involved in the process of projection without awareness, then we are lost in an illusion of the outer world of our creation. The addiction to this unconscious living is as strong as any drug that we use to have a certain experience or use as a means to escape from the ugly monstrous world that we perceive.

You can look at projections as images that we have created. For example, you may look at your partner as the protective father (if you are a woman) or the loving mother (if you are a man). You are not seeing your partner for what they really are. You have elevated them to a certain status; you have created an image that you want to be as your reality. You are now under the influence of a “drug” because it creates a world that you don’t have to face such as being your own protector or seeing yourself as worthy of love.

As long as you continue to uphold the image, you are resisting the truth. You do not need to be in analysis for months or years to have an understanding of the unconscious past, you can understand your dynamics immediately. All it takes is one look and that is within, to listen to your reactivity. By observing this reactivity takes you in the direction of being liberated from it. When you have this type of practice, a walking moment-to-moment meditation with eyes wide open, then you begin to develop sensitivity to life and see yourself as you truly are.

When you observe with sensitivity an image that you have created, then you become vulnerable inwardly, the inner resistances or conflicts drop away and your mind becomes sharp, focus, calm and capable of love. Sensitivity only arises out of freedom of the structure, that gives rise to stillness of mind, that gives rise to compassion and love.

Let’s take a look at the example of seeing your partner as the protective father. At first this can have a seductive component to it. You feel safe. You have given your partner the responsibility to protect you from anything that is harmful. While this may also serve your partner because he may feel elevated in your eyes, you have created an image, a defense to your feeling insecure and powerless. In fact, you have placed your power in an external object (in this case your partner) in which you have little power or control. Your power is outside of yourself. You have allowed your image to absorb you, just like an alcoholic that is absorbed by his drink.

When the projection or created image is withdrawn from your partner, you take back your responsibility to keep yourself safe, and at that point you have entered into suffering. Suffering is necessary because your preconceived image of who your partner is has gone and with it the security your image provided and now you are with your internal fear. The image is security and it is an illusion of security when you are at this level of consciousness development. When you understand projections and image making, then you have self-knowledge and the beginning to the end of your sorrow. You are also on your way to seeing your partner for who they truly are and finding acceptance of them and who in this world does not want that?

Next post: Part II: How to use Image Making to Achieve Consciousness

(I know this is in contradiction to what I just said. Isn’t consciousness wonderful?)