Balance and imbalance
From one point of view, the work is a play between balance and imbalance. If we were in balance, would we still need to search for the meaning behind our lives? If the machine is very much out of balance, the foundation for our work would be unstable. It requires presence to observe and act with relativity. Are we too comfortable in a certain situation? Are we starving for more essential influences? In a way, the aim of our work depends on what produces more presence.
What is right work?
Sometimes right work is to get out of our comfort zone and do something extraordinary to produce the third state. We can call this “playing the fool.” It means intentionally moving things out of balance. In other cases, we observe the tendency of the machine to be very instinctive or to burst in an emotional manifestation. Here, right work would be to harmonize the situation. We can do this by bringing in kings of centers and being more intentional.
Being aware of the state
Partly, being more conscious means being more aware of the needs of the moment. This awareness depends on one’s state. In school terms, it is the work of the steward to find the right balance between the different parts of the machine. This will determine the effort needed in the moment. The term ‘steward’ is analogous to managing a large household. The steward ensures everything is working properly and nobody in the household lacks what they need.
Balance, on the level of the steward, also means submitting to the will of the master once it appears. The master represents higher centers or presence. In fact, the steward needs to balance its own work between managing the house, attracting the master, and making the master want to stay.
The journey of a lifetime
Of course, this internal steward does not develop overnight. It starts as a magnetic center, searching for meaning. It is the imbalance in life that drives the magnetic center to look for something else. Frequently this appears as a lack of meaning, a lack of emotional energy, or low impressions. On finding a school, and relinquishing the magnetic center, we develop an observing ‘I’.
The observing ‘I’ can observe one’s mechanicality and changes in the state of consciousness. However, it does not have much control over them. Nevertheless, it helps one observe the causes of certain manifestations. In particular, negative emotions and identification are expressions of one’s internal imbalances. By amassing more being and developing a steward, one starts to shift the imbalances into greater balance and harmony. It is a delicate process that continues to evolve throughout one’s life.
Ernst Newman has written several articles for FourthWayToday.org, including: https://fourthwaytoday.org/right-location/ and https://fourthwaytoday.org/forging-ones-being. For his most recent article, see: