From: Bart Marshall
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 2:54 PM
To: Paul C.
Subject: "ante room" to the Absolute

Hi Paul,

I've been sitting on your message for a few days, too, waiting for the "right" words to come. They didn't—because there really are none—but here's some anyway.

Two things occur to me to say. One is in regards to the (very natural) fear of the death of the mind. I feel myself wanting to reassure you that there is nothing whatever to fear on that score—Realization is perfectly safe and is no threat whatever to all you hold near and dear. Yes, the mind will "vanish" during the "experience" of Realization, but it will return soon after, intact and fully functional—even more so. The only difference is that now it knows its place. It is no longer master, and holds no illusions about being in control of anything.

The other thing has to do with your last paragraph. When I said "ask for Truth" it was not meant to imply there was any effort involved. Quite the opposite. You need only ask, nothing more. You are saying in effect: "I want to know Truth right now, without further worthiness or preparation—I am done with effort." The only effort required is release. A letting go of thinking it is up to you somehow. Let go and let God. You have been holding him at arms length your whole life. The only effort required is to drop your guard and remain open and vulnerable to WHATEVER may result. You do not need to "go" to God—you only need to stop holding Him at bay with your insistence that "You and He" are separate.

What you are looking for is staring back at you—it IS you. You are looking for your glasses while wearing them. Stop looking and SEE.

Bart