As immortal beings, we are always reaching and withdrawing. If we are not reaching, we are withdrawing. When we reach, we put our attention on something and gather data about it. When we withdraw, we are assessing what we learned from reaching.
How much can we reach? We can become that which we are putting our attention on. We are it and we know what it intends to do and what it is afraid of. How far can we withdraw? We can become part of the material universe and remain in a permanent condition of withdrawal. For example. Is there anything on your desk that is paying attention to you?
If we inspect spirits occupying bodies, we can observe intermediate conditions of reaching and withdrawal. We observe that our pets put attention on us and some of our plants seem to respond to us when we approach. Cockroaches seem to be very aware of our presence, so they definitely reach out before withdrawing. We might even conclude that all living things are reaching and withdrawing to some extent and their vitality can be determined by the extent they are able to reach.
When we observe disembodied spirits, we see that they are reaching for us in various ways. Some put attention on us in a friendly way, while others lash out in fear or anger. I reach for my spiritual companions to get inspiration for my writing and most of them reach back with helpful suggestions and vital information. Every so often, I will get a negative reaction from a spirit who has memories that are being triggered by what I am doing or thinking. When we reach, we cause effects on others and it takes some experience to learn what effects others can experience easily. When we cause effects that others cannot experience easily, we get counter-intention that tries to stop what we are doing.
Since we do not operate in an empty universe, it appears that our reaching and withdrawing needs to be done in cooperation with other spirits, if we are to expand. My realization from thousands of counseling sessions is that our current low state of awareness and spiritual power comes from our reaching and withdrawing without regard for the welfare of others. Creating a “better” world always involves change and if the change is not introduced carefully, and takes into account the needs of others, it will create chaos instead of progress.
It also becomes evident that reaching and withdrawing affects the reaching and withdrawing of others. An expanding population of Coyotes results in the reduction of rabbits, cats, and other small animals in a neighborhood. An expansion of human families in an area results in a reduction in the number of Coyotes in that area. On the other hand, an expansion of human families in an area results in an increase in the number of cats and dogs in an area. We can also see that an increase in a certain human population in an area can reduce the population of other humans in an area.
A population of people or animals has a certain level of agreement on their reaching and withdrawing. When this group encounters a group with different agreements, there will be conflict unless there is a way of reaching new, mutually acceptable agreements. It appears that coordination of reaching and withdrawing between different populations is a skill that needs to be developed for mutual survival. Those individuals and populations that seek to create effects that others can experience easily will probably do better in the long run. We already know what happens when effects are created that others can’t experience easily. It is the unhappy history of our civilizations to this point in time.
Perhaps, in time, we can learn to reach and withdraw more successfully.
