Terrorism has always been, and probably always will be, part of this world.

As long as we believe in a separate God, there will remain the need to capture its attention and prove our innocence to him or her. How do I prove my innocence in the eyes of a separate, ambivalent God?

It’s simple—point to the evil doers in the world and make them the problem. “See god? The problem is not with me, the problem is out there! I’m not the problem. They are the wrong ones and they must be mocked or punished.”

Conscious of it or not, to some degree, we all do this. Anytime we point our finger, we are avoiding our own healing.

By denying our own thoughts of guilt, fear and hate (however small or large), we maintain the mistaken belief that we are separate from God’s Love.

Call it what you want.

Allah’s Love, Eternal Love, Buddha Love, or simply Love with a capital “L.”

It doesn’t matter as long as it all-encompassing and eternal.

True Love is true because it is constant and available to everyone and everything. The trouble is, we replace it with specific and unique love that excludes. We will always know love to be true because it will increase within us as you extend it to others.

What does this have to do with the tragedy in Paris?

What can we learn from this and other worldly atrocities?

It is a lesson and a practice that begins with me—and you.

Our higher yoga is to recognize the moment we point a finger and blame another. Whether “the other” broke the rules of the world or not, is another matter.

I’m talking about our inner desire to seek, find and punish others to avoid our own inner yoga. Blame is a defense against Love. By keeping the problem “out there,” I avoid my inner yoga—the ongoing process of recognizing my own fear (as a result of believing I am separate from God) and realizing this errant thought can be corrected in my heart and mind.

This is the yoga of a lifetime because deep down, we are terrified of perfect Love.

If these words ring true for in any way, perhaps we can begin to piece together the rest of this article.

Can we begin to see how conflict, regardless of its magnitude, is a quest to preserve one’s innocence and make the “other” wrong?

Fear builds and becomes increasingly painful until it must be projected outward in some form of attack. Whether “flipping the bird” to an “evil driver” or unleashing our anger at a family member, the result is the same.

It promotes separation.

An act of aggression is the final brick in the wall that defends us against perfect Love because in that all-inclusive Love, our individual sense of self known as ego, dissolves. Whether with thoughts, words, fists, bullets, or satirical cartoons, the ego will defend and attack to maintain itself at all cost.

We hear about these worldly acts of violence and ask, “Why?”

In an ongoing era of violence, how can we use these events to heal?

The worldly need to differentiate ourselves from others is pervasive. Other than magnitude, there is no difference between this tragedy in Paris and a schoolyard skirmish.

We define ourselves by making others wrong.

It is a hidden insanity in which we all participate. While most of us can operate within the rules of society, we are all secretly driven to prove our innocence.

In truth, there is nothing to prove.

I am Charlie. I am you. I am that. I am love.

Yoga means “to join.”

Our yoga is to join in the healed oneness we share in our hearts and minds. It is the identification and repurposing of inner pain and conflict.

We are all on the journey of a lifetime to return to the perfect Love we never left.

Other than providing motivation to maximize our awakening in this lifetime, death has nothing to do with this process.

Heaven is now.

Many thousands of paths, one shared destination in our hearts and minds.

Yoga is now.

Can we see another’s fear as a call for love? Can we see your own fear as a call to join in Love’s perfect Oneness?

Yes.

Now let that love come through you and trust it. I am in you and you are in me. Let the love we share set us free.
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Author: Jeff Bailey

Editor: Ashleigh Hitchcock

Photo: flickr