There is a common spiritual practice of acceptance. That is, the conscious effort to accept what is as it is. This practice has the goal of transforming the chaos of everyday living into the sublime perception of unfailing inner peace. Oddly enough, the practice of acceptance has the opposite effect. It actually increases effort and expectation, the very antithesis of what it is trying to achieve. However, when we throw out the practice in favor of the spontaneous perception of acceptance, inner peace immediately follows. Why?
When you are content with your present existence then you have nowhere to go and nothing to do. In essence, you accept the present as full and fulfilling. (See: The Tail is Wagging the Dog.) Your past and future are unimportant as you revel effortlessly in what is right here, right now. Life is good and you have no need to “make it better.”
When you feel incomplete you feel the need to remove that dis-ease. You search for solutions to your discomfort. The solution is your goal and the procedure you perform to reach your goal is your path. Simple enough, right? The problem is that as soon as you have a goal you are saying, “Where I am is not good enough but when I reach my goal I’ll be happy.” Of course inner peace, or acceptance of what is, cannot be reached. It is as it is and must be recognized as such. Ultimate peace cannot be created. It can only be perceived.
A path connotes motion and ultimate peace is non-moving. You can’t experience stillness by moving along a path. You see the problem? Acceptance is realizing that what is right now is perfect as it is. There can be no path to the present. The practice of acceptance, on the other hand, produces a path to peace, a path that’s goal will never be realized until it is forsaken as the illusion it is. Rather than alleviating suffering, the path to peace increases suffering.
So if you cannot practice acceptance what can you do? Nothing! Now, before you utter a string of blue expletives let me explain. Doing nothing means the mind is at rest and complete in the present. It means that what you perceive right now is perfection which spontaneously yields peace. But doing nothing begs the question, “How do I do nothing?” You may be confounded by the whole conundrum of “doing” nothing but you have everything you need to stop doing right now. (See: The Five Paths to Enlightenment.) You were born with everything you need and you don’t need any special talent or training. Nor do you need belief or faith. You need only point your awareness in the direction of perfection to perceive it. The rest is automatic. I prove this point to people from many and varied cultures and countries around the world on a regular basis. Despite the accepted teaching to the opposite, it does not take years to accept what is right here, right now. We need only stop not-accepting and acceptance dawns like the brilliant rays of the new day.
(NOTE: Any of my Kinslow System™ books/CD’s will describe the simple system of “not doing” (Quantum Entrainment) that lead to the spontaneous perception of acceptance and inner peace. You may also benefit from the Free Downloads of The Gate Technique and The Pure Awareness Technique. While not Quantum Entrainment proper they will indirectly lead to acceptance of what is.)
Ilse Kravack says:
Dear Frank,
I `ve been to many workshops and am an absolut fan of your work. But my main problem is – even after so much time – if I accept the situation why should I do a QE – Intention. This means in other words that I am unhappy with the situation an want to change it….? Corld you solve this basic problem of mine?
Thanks for your answer and warmly greetings from the cold Germany
Ilse
Anon says:
Hi Frank,
You’ve put this beautifully. What the hell we’ve been doing all those years, trying to change the situation, instead of just accept what is?, IMO all this confusion comes from others, i.e from all those gurus out there teaching us to not be ourselves, they told us that there is something else, with the promise that someday we’ll reach the enlightenment and that we’ll be free, of course there is no such thing like enlightenment. ¡How credulous we are!
Thank you very much for making it simple with QE.
Best regards Frank Kinslow,
Birgitta Flink says:
It sounds easy and wonderful in theory but sometimes it is hard to accept things as they are
Frank Kinslow says:
Hi Birgitta, you are right, it is hard to TRY and accept things as they are. That is exactly my point. When you try you create a goal and consequently a path. Acceptance is a natural, nurturing process and can never be forced on you by either yourself or anyone else. This process of non-doing is becoming aware of Eufeeling and is actually quite simple once you get the hang of it. This process we call QE and you can learn it quickly from one of my books, CDs, or most fun of all, joining me in one of my workshops. Not doing is a natural process but, unfortunately for most, it has to be learned. Once learned it is yours forever. Thanks, Birgitta. Frank
Steve says:
This reminds me of what an enlightened friend once said to me. He was encouraging me to move up into acceptance on an issue, and, thinking I understood what he was getting at said, “Okay… I allow myself to accept…” and he instantly cut me off saying, “Too much! Don’t try to accept anything. Rather, BE the acceptance.” That was very helpful and stuck with me. One is in duality, the other isn’t. One is simply being yourself, which is acceptance.
Frank Kinslow says:
You have hit it right on the nose Steve. Trying takes effort. Accepting is effortless. Aware of Eufeeling we swap doing for being. Boy, what a weight off our shoulders that is!
Cheryl McPhee says:
Thank you Frank, how perfectly true this is. Your timing is impeccable. I have been trying really really hard to accept some current situations is my life. I am anything but peaceful about them. Perhaps its time to get my QE books out and start practicing again.
Thank you Frank. I am most grateful to you.
Kindest Regards and Infinite Blessings
Cheryl
Frank Kinslow says:
Thanks Cheryl,
when you dust off and dive into your QE books save the philosophy for last. It will be more productive to focus on QE and awareness of Eufeeling. Philosophy involves the mind and doing. Eufeeling involves awareness and being. As they say, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Enjoy a whopping helping of Eufeeling pudding and a harmonious, loving world will be your just dessert. Okay, corny I know, but you get the idea… Frank
Jet says:
Fits perfectly for where I am now. Thank you!
Theresa says:
Hi Frank
All this sounds really wonderful! But,: what if a person is suffering with extreme physical or emotional pain? Do you agree that there ARE situations that need to be improved to a bearable level, before the techniques of “doing nothing” can be performed?
Thanks for your reply, and warm greetings from Switzerland,
Theresa
Frank Kinslow says:
Hi Teresa, Yes, most definitely! We live in one of three basic levels – survival and procreation, socializing and self-esteem, and self-sufficiency and self actualization. (See Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and George land’s work on Transformation Theory. I’ve addressed their work in relation to QE in earlier blogs) we may be living in a higher level of functioning most of the time but will always revert to the basic needs when our survival is threatened, physically or psychologically. Once you put out those immediate fires however you will return to the highest level previously achieved and continue from there. Hope this helps clarify my position Teresa – – – thanks for reading and writing. Frank
Lee Clarke says:
Dr. Kinslow, It’s nice to here from you thank you for this. Sincerely, Lee