Letting go of efforts

Seth: “Now: you are, of course, taught that any meaningful endeavor takes a great amount of effort of a certain kind—the exertion of the will, the utilization of the time in an organized fashion—and this can promote a tooth-gritting determination in some people.

In a sense, to “give up all effort” is almost blasphemous in the light of predominating beliefs to the contrary. Eastern religions are the only ones that even remotely try to approach such a principle, and they do so in highly distorted fashions. Western religion and science promote the ideas of competition, effort, the EMPHASIS” upon the will, divorced from the imagination, so that to “give up all effort” can be read as an abdication of responsibility, an indication of laziness and sloth; or in fundamental Christian terms, the devil finds work for idle hands.

In a strange fashion desire promotes action seemingly without effort, or the effort seems so natural, so spontaneous and so joyful that it is not recognized as effort in the old fashion. The great artists did not use their abilities so much through the utilization of will and effort as they did through following their own natural impulses, desires, and intents. These form a true sense of purpose, so that the aspects of the will and the effort fall naturally into place to bring about the desires.

Parts of original Christianity did indeed speak of this “letting go of effort.” In a curious fashion, such letting go of effort might well result in an increased abundance of creativity, for example, but the mental and psychological set allows an individual to become become more aware of the basic motivations of the personality, that show themselves quite clearly through the impulses, and through desires—particularly when they are not overlain by layers of “I must,” “I should,” or “I must do THIS or THAT.” Such thoughts cut down on both impulses and action, by setting up invisible barriers.

For example, Ruburt might think “I must make up my mind, go out into the world, do lectures and tours, state my case, be an excellent example of the material, not only in normal physical condition but in glowing health.” or “I must stay at home, hide from the world, keep myself restrained lest I give into images of self-grandeur.” Either course, a true letting go of effort, leads to the realization that the impulses of the personality innately know of the self’s best paths. AND ONLY WHEN SOMEONE BEGINS TO DOUBT THOSE IMPULSES AND THEIR VALIDITY DO DIFFICULTIES ARISE. ”

*Roberts, Jane. The Personal Sessions: Book Four, session: DELETED SESSION JUNE 21, 1978 10:28 PM WEDNESDAY*