Transcending Guilt
Guilt stems from self-indulgence; indulgence in negative thoughts about “me” and choices made by “me”.
One in a joyful state might observe an action taken, and notice the feeling of being in or out of alignment with oneself.
From observing the felt-experience, one may consciously intend to either do or not do an action again, if a similar situation arises.
A joyful person does not judge what was done, they do not lament what was done, they do not engage with stories about “who I am” because of what was done, they do not try to work out why something was done… For none of these actions bring joy and alignment.
They instead recognise through the doing, and the feeling associated with the doing, that an action is either in or out of alignment with oneself.
Actions are taken in every moment. The truth is told, or not told. The plants are watered, or not watered. And as things are done, we observe and experience ease, joy, love, enthusiasm — or an absence of these qualities. There is no middle ground; no grey area.
The “spiritual path” is the conscious moving towards thinking, speaking, acting in alignment with our joyful, free, enthusiastic selves, always.
Will we ever reach “always”? Perhaps not, and, it doesn’t matter. Joy can be found in the noticing and re-alignment process.
It is easy to detect whether a thought, word or action is in or out of alignment with ourselves, by paying attention to what is felt, as thoughts, words and actions come into being.
The experience of being in alignment with ourselves is the feeling of freedom, openness, joy, delight, appreciation, buoyancy, lightness, connection, peace, love, harmony, flow, enthusiasm, completeness…
“Why am I doing what I am doing? Why am I like this?” These enquiries are unnecessary to have answered so that loving, joyful action can be taken, and often comes when there are feelings of distress. When asking these questions, the ego is attempting to find fault or acceptable reason. It is trying to feel better about itself by finding out if it is “at fault”. Knowing why something happened or assigning fault is unrelated to, and often at odds with, being joyful and at peace. It is far more beneficial to relinquish the notion of fault and want for an “acceptable reason” altogether.
If you are “feeling bad” because you think someone else is suffering because of choices made by you, know this as impossible. Suffering is “caused” by negative thought, and so if someone else is distressed, it is because they are engaging with a story that is bringing onto them distress. They may blame you for how they are feeling, but this is because they do not know that they are in control of, and able to change, what they think and how they feel.