an illusion that is seated in another illusion (the one of the nonexistent small self). Let us clarify that there is a single “Self,” and that it does not need to be perfected. God created it in a determined way, and it continues to be as such despite everything that may have happened to it.
The slumbering, or conventional, coach distinguishes individualities. He calls them clients. But when the coach is enlightened, he sees One in all those who reach out to him or her, without exception. The slumbering coach believes in fragmentation; he believes that the world is an immense puzzle, and that his work is to join the pieces. The unconscious coach wants to make changes in the world, and a few personal adjustments or tweaks.
The enlightened, or conscious, coach, instead, resolves to discover himself, renouncing to change anything or anyone; not even himself (and much less anyone else). When he understands this, then he no longer needs for anything to be different, to change, or to improve. The coach who understands this has awoken, and is an “enlightened coach.” He is a point of light shining on his surroundings and on those who, being ready, contact him. His changes come from not changing. His success consists in not chasing success.
Many of us have images of Buddha at home or in our gardens. It is neither devout nor religious; it does not necessarily imply that we are Buddhists... It is a symbolic act, having to do with the fact that the image of Buddha evokes feelings of peace and calm in the observer. That is why the image of Buddha is so popular in the decoration of so many homes. It is a point of light, illuminating with its mere presence.
Keep reading because, further along, I enumerate 32 characteristics of the “enlightened coach.” This is not a book for coaches... anyone can read it; because we all have an “internal coach” that is always with us. I dedicate this work to him.
If you have read my book, “Supercoaching,” (published by Editorial Conecta), you will know that I already taken a step in this direction. Now, with this book, I take a step further.
In my case, one day I simply stopped being a coach, and abandoned the peregrine idea of improving myself... and also that of being complacent in the embellishment of my clients’ ego. I told myself: enough with trying to be better. But who wished to be better? Exactly: ego, in its illusion to advance when there is nowhere to advance to, nor anyone greater to become.
In my eyes, it became evident that everything was a huge misunderstanding.
I came to the conclusion that there had to be something more enriching than struggling for success. What is more, there had to be something better than the mere achievement of success. What I found are the revelations which I make in this book. I finally understood that what I needed to do was recognize myself, for the first time, instead of trying to reinvent myself for the hundredth time.
Suddenly, and definitively, I felt that there was nothing to improve. What a load off my shoulders! How did I arrive at that conclusion? Guided by the extemporal truth that I read in a sacred text, which impacted me greatly: “That which is subject to change is not real.” So I deduced that if I was able to change myself it was simply because the “self” that I was modifying was a fantasy.
You, as well as me, do not need a better “self,” you need a real “self.”
That is awakening.
Be real, my friend.
3
FROM VICTIMIZATION TO ENLIGHTENMENT
Imagine a staircase with three steps.
Between the darkness and the light there are three levels (so to speak) which are clearly defined. We can also call them “mentalities,” “mental dimensions” or “states of consciousness,” and they are radically different attitudes toward life. People who live in these three levels seem to inhabit different universes.
Depending on which one you are in, you will experience different things in life. And in these levels, or dimensions, live the people who live in the world of things. Their postures are so differing that, even though they may be “staircase neighbors,” the experiences of one may have nothing to do with that of another: they live in parallel universes.
Let us see the three levels: they go from victimization to responsibility, and from there to awakening:
1 In the first level, victimization, you have overbooking, where more than 80% of the world’s population is.
2 In the second level, responsibility, we find a small advancement (around 19% of people), who are more or less empowered.
3 In the third level, awakening, we find less than 1% of the population; people who have had some perception (non continuous) of awakening.
With these percentages, the picture is not that encouraging. Possibly, you now understand why the world is a “valley of tears.” In reality, the world is neutral, neither good nor evil; it is simply the stage where our drama plays out. There is nothing to fix out there, everything is happening within you, in the projection room. Do not blame the world for what may happen to you, or you will be a “victim” (but not a victim of the world, but rather a victim of yourself).
The first level, victimization, is ruled by the “Law of Talion:” eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. I do not believe that anyone belonging to this dimension will be reading this book, so let us pass directly to the second level: those who apply the “Law of Action:” self-improvement, goal setting, empowering... In short, they are individuals who strengthen themselves, struggling for a better life. The third level is inhabited by individuals who apply the “Law of Assumption.” They are those that have looking within themselves, and recognized their authentic identity: the Presence of I Am.
1 Law of Talion.
2 Law of Action.
3 Law of Assumption.
In all these levels you experience an innate desire for freedom... a wish to free one’s self (from your egotistic mental structure). However, these people do not live it in such a way, instead attempting to free themselves of the effects that they are, themselves, creating. They do not seek the causes, and barely fight against the effects. In short, if we would ask them all, they will recognize that they have objectives in life, but they all share a unique meta-objective, if you will: to free themselves. Freedom from limitations is happiness.
If you would permit an analogy... In penitentiary terms, the “victimized inmates” are slaves to their own cerebral patterns. Their chains are mental and, in being invisible, are very difficult to identify and, in consequence, to break. Since everything happens to them without their responsibility intervening, they renounce themselves to never improve their existence.
In the “responsible inmates” level are the ones whose “dream” (within slumber) is to improve their “penitentiary conditions:” more time in the yard, better food, better cells, better beds, better treatment... and yes, maybe even a conjugal visit from time to time. These inmates have decided to prosper in jail; however, they have not decided to wake up from the slumber-nightmare which keeps them in it. They struggle to reform their penitential conditions, that is all. They get out of their cells for more hours, but the farthest they ever go is to the prison yard, right up to the fence.
The
