I recently stayed near the top floor of a high-rise apartment building. One of the challenges many people experience in such large buildings is the waiting time for elevators. But definitely not in this superstructure.

The elevators ran so fast up and down that the sudden air pressure change totally blocked my ears. Following which, the sounds coming into my head were quite muffled.

Once my ears finally “popped” (eustachian tubes opened), for a brief moment everything sounded so crystal clear. Until the usual din of everyday life manifests its typical desensitization of all the cries around us.

Most of what we hear, we tune out. It isn’t relevant or important enough for us to focus on. But we judge some things to be bigger or more critical for our attention, so we let those in. We analyze and determine them as “good” or “bad” and react accordingly. Following which we say that our emotions (happy or sad) are the result of what enters (or impinges) on our life.

Unfortunately, we have it all completely wrong.

There aren’t differing levels of input stimuli, and our emotions are not the result of what is going on in our life. Rather, our emotions are based on the choice we make for peace or for chaos. And we typically choose chaos.

With regard to what we hear, we believe that our judgments are sound and our responses appropriate. But in truth, there is only one of two inputs we can hear.

The only judgment involved [in hearing] is the one division into two categories; one of love, and the other the call for love. (T-14.X.7)

That’s it. Either love, or a calling out for love. That’s all there is. Everything we hear (and see) is either an extension of love or a crying out for it. Yet our reactions completely belie this truth.

You cannot safely make this division, for you are much too confused either to recognize love, or to believe that everything else is nothing but a call for love. (T-14.X.7)

When we choose the ego as the teacher that guides our thoughts, we fall into the trap of believing the world and other people are the source of our joys and pains.

But once we chose the oneness of spirit, it’s as if a perpetual state of clogged ear syndrome has been instantly resolved. We hear with such clarity and empathetic sensitivity that we experience nothing but love all around us – and our reactions, particularly to the calls for love, will be in whatever form is most helpful to us and everyone around us.

Join us in Monday’s class where we’ll explore this concept of sensing nothing but love and calls for love – and the subsequent peace that accompanies such hearing. I look forward to seeing you then.