Being with ‘What Is’ is the path to spiritual acceptance and transformation.
Understanding spiritual acceptance and allowing from a spiritual perspective radically differs from the ego’s dualistic view. Ego compares and rejects to know reality as “this vs. that.” Its acceptance merely flips rejection to its opposite. But true spiritual acceptance transcends the ego’s framework altogether.
The ego mind is dualistic in nature; it “compares to know” – this is like that, that is like this. When it comes to choices, it is mostly either/or.
From the perspective of ego-mind, accepting and allowing is the opposite of rejecting. But ego’s primary activity is rejection, AND if we look very closely at ego acceptance and allowing, we will see it is based on rejection. It is rejecting something as part of its allowing or accepting.
As A.H. Almaas explains, “Just being with whatever we are experiencing is sufficient to experience its inherent perfection. This acceptance of what is is not the ego’s version of acceptance, which is the opposite of rejection…The acceptance that leads to Holy Perfection is a not-saying-no and a not-saying-yes.” Facets of Unity: The Enneagram of Holy Ideas
Spiritual acceptance is an openness and availability to the immediacy of experience – a willingness to feel it fully. There is no judgment, no push or pull. It is a simple being with ‘What Is.’
Eckhart Tolle describes this state as “the Now – the eternally present unconscious state of pure potentiality, the unconditioned consciousness that contains infinite possibilities.” Being rooted in the Now connects us to our essential nature.
This openness is a simple yet profound availability to the immediacy of experience, openness, and willingness to be impacted and influenced by what is happening right now.
As Ram Dass said, “Be Here Now – because the only time you’re ever going to be happy is now.” Suffering arises when we resist the present moment. But each moment holds the potential for awakening if we release the ego’s judgments.Acceptance of What Is
This means we are wide open to experiencing our experience – to feel it fully. One cannot be in the Now when the activity of rejection is present. Rejection always involves a rejection of the Now.
The essence of spiritual inquiry is questioning thoughts that argue with reality. Byron Katie says, “When you argue with reality, you lose, but only 100% of the time.” Accepting ‘What Is’ allows reality to reveal its inherent perfection.
As we relinquish the ego’s rejections, comparisons, and judgments, we create space for the aliveness and luminosity ever-present in the Now. Our essential nature is revealed when we cease imposing the ego’s filters on the suchness of reality.
The word acceptance is somewhat misleading, for the aspect is not an active attitude; there is no activity of acceptance. It is a presence of Being when there is no attitude of either “no” or “yes.” A “yes” could mean a prejudice, a certain point of view. But this aspect does not have any attitude. It is a pure, delicate and gentle presence, of utmost humility and exquisite refinement. It is like a gentle rain, that brings freshness and life. Most individuals, when they experience it, refer to it as blessings. – A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations Approach, Ch. 24
The path beyond ego is being fully open and intimate with each moment, just as it is. When we let go of wanting reality to be different, we align ourselves with the flow of life. Suffering ends as we enter into a state of allowing and natural surrender.
“You don’t have to wait for enlightenment to be real. Essential qualities can be accessed on day one.” – Zarina Maiwandi
Acceptance of ‘What Is’ dissolves separation by unifying us with life’s unfolding. No longer divided against the moment, we enter the purity of Being – our natural state of timeless awareness.