Does a Moonbeam Have Free Will? by Katie Davis, Author of "Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment"

In spiritual circles, when the interpreting mind of the ego begins to debate, the question sometimes arises whether the human being has free will or if in fact, humans are governed by determinism.

Today, I would like to share with you why both concepts are simply nonsensical and share with you why neither apply. The question only entertains the interest of the separate sense of self that still believes in the limitation of "I am the body" idea that thinks that it is traveling within space and time. Whereas in truth, there is no such differentiation and separation. There is no separated "some-body" to which free will or determinism could apply. The true Self that you genuinely are is completely beyond both space and time.

Perhaps an analogy serves best:

In the photo directly above this blog post, the full moon is setting over the ocean. As the moon nears the horizon, it begins sparkling separate moonbeams across the water. To wonder whether one of those moonbeams has free will or not ... so that it can wander off by itself to some other waters ... just is not a true possibility.

Likewise, to then jump to the conclusion that since the moonbeam does not have free will that it is then governed by determinism and can only move according to its separate, individual destiny would also be a delusion.

Discussion of separate, independent moonbeams would be in total ignorance of the presence of the full moon. The moonbeams only appear to be individuated, but they clearly are not. In fact, their appearances are solely due to the full moon and absolutely inseparable from it. Their existence depends upon it.

In other words, the moonbeams are only reflections upon the water and have no true independent reality. If the ripples on the water were absolutely still, we would in fact have a perfect reflection of a single, full moon ... yet, we would not call the full reflection the real full moon. Only the moon itself is real.

With movement of the rippling water, the reflection becomes diversified and we have dozens of sparkling lights. Whether a single reflection or diversified reflections, both are unreal and refer only to the true full moon.

It is exactly the same with your true identity ... the full moon being the true Self, the water being consciousness, the reflection being either the illuminated, still mind of the apparent realized sage or the sparkling diversified moonbeams that represent the divided mind and its apparent individuality.

The mind is only a mirror. Everything that appears in the mirror is only a reflection that we call the world of form and experience. The divided mind of ego is one of those reflections and it has the false idea that it is separate, independent and it maintains the delusion of space and time with its universal laws. This is in ignorance of Self (full moon).

On the "inward" journey of awakening, we dismiss the reflection (form and experience) as "I am not that;" an important and true realization. However, upon Self-realization with its integration and full embodiment of the Totality, the reflection is realized as the tremendous power of true Self. Self and its power are virtually inseparable; there is only the Self.

With the mind turned outward before the awakening, we have the egoic mind wearing its dark sunglasses of perception due to its original idea of separation. Therefore, it suffers and perceives a suffering world. The suffering is not in the world. The ego is perceiving in the mirror its own pain gap between the magnificent, infinite Heart that it genuinely is and the figment of imagination of being only a fraction of the Totality. Since the ego only knows separation, it can only perceive separation. Its mantra is "me" vs. "you" vs. "God."

Through awakening, when the mind is turned inward through Self-inquiry, the divided mind dissolves into the Divine Self and is illuminated. In this illumination, it provides a perfect still mirror ... a perfect reflection of Self that is the apparent, Self-realized sage.

Whether apparent sage or the ego "I" thought of individuality ... it is only a reflection of true Self (in our analogy, the true and real full moon). There is no sage (perfect reflection) or individual (diversified reflection) that is anything more than a reflection. Yet in this realization, what a profound, infinite and all powerful discovery! You are the unfathomable, omniscient, omnipresent Self!

The purpose of this writing is to cut to the chase ... to point to every reader, here and now, to their full potentiality ... not years from now, but virtually this instant.

There are many universal reference points, through which every human being will pass to Self-realization. Your job is to look directly within to determine which reference point you are currently looking from.

When you become aware of the reference point, I can clearly demonstrate that you are already beyond it and then you need to look again where I am pointing. Knowledge has no value whatsoever, unless you are willing to look directly within you to determine fact and realize the Truth.

When you are permanently free of the delusion of ALL reference points (truthfully, you are already), that is Self-realization ... followed by integration, full embodiment of the Totality and finally awake living, where you may be asked to help "pass the flame," so to speak.

With full embodiment of the Totality:

There is ONLY SELF.

Divine Self (formless perfection) and Divine Self-Power (appearance of the universe)

So the Self has no other to "will" upon ...

The Self has no other to "determine" upon ...

The Self is not a "doer" unto others ...

There is only Divine Self and its reflective power.

As the delusion of the time and space traveler, "you" will live that shadow dream and "you" are subject to the law of cause and effect, the law of karma, the law of impermanence ... and it is all a dream of the divided mind without any true reality.

Unconditional Love allows that dream for eons. I am just here to sound an alarm ... it is time to wake up and be who you are. There is no bondage ... you are Freedom itself.

The individual self is nothing more than a delusional bubble on the surface of the ocean, crying for water, trying to mindfully figure itself out with the wrong tool. Let the bubble burst ... it inevitably will anyway ... all bubbles do. You are the Ocean no matter what you pretend to be.

At this point, the ego may complain and persist, "No, that is too much to lose!"

Really?

I can only reply, that in the end, not one thing is lost, other than fear and its suffering separation. The beautiful body with its given name is still here with all of its beautiful in born talents and unique expressions, just no longer plagued with desires, lack and limitation.

"My body" is now the appearance of the entire Universe ... OM, the rotating planets, the life forces, the tides, infinite creativity, abundance, unconditional and euphoric love, the joy of being, ecstatic bliss, true intelligence, and among those appearances (reflections), the body named Katie.

This is the true and immediate opportunity of the New Dawn that is already here. If you have been on the path for 25 years, I urge its completion. If you are beginning to awaken, the 25 years are no longer required and perhaps never were. I could say that this urgency is a call for the salvation of humanity and yet to the novice this could instill a fear that will prove counter productive.

When you notice the world's structures falling apart such as they are now in today's world situation, please face the unreality of the fear. Be the unwavering, underlying Truth, instead of adding power to the delusion of the collective negativity.

If the cocoon of the butterfly never fell away, it could never fly to freedom. What appears to be destruction is simultaneously the miracle of birthing.

The falling away has within it the full, unlimited potentiality, whether presently perceived as the "individual ego" with the personal story falling apart or perceived as the "collective ego" such as financial world institutions or other collective structures. Today's true invitation is to be the immediate and living answer.

It will be realized in the end that there is no individual or collective ego. While in the beginning, it may seem like "your" awakening, there is only the greater awakening.

The profound miracle is that Pure Consciousness itself is no longer getting lost in form. It is "burning" and permanently dissolving its altered states of consciousness. As it clears, so does the reflection. We see what genuinely is and always has been.

Don't get me wrong, you are welcome to continue the mindful debate of free will vs. determinism for your "moonbeam" nature or otherwise play with the adolescent idea of creating the desires of what you think is your personal reality. Meanwhile, the question is, will humanity make it? There are no guarantees. Even this is realized as not problematic, since there is no such thing as loss as Pure Consciousness.

You also have the immediate opportunity to realize that you are in fact the true "full moon" ... the very Heart of the Universal Being; the Self-illuminating and Self-effulgent Light whose Self-power is every Reflection.


KATIE DAVIS awakened radically and spontaneously in 1986 and since 1999 has been sharing the message of conscious freedom and causeless joy. She is author of "Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment."

KATIE DAVIS WEBSITE www.KatieDavis.org
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