There's another way to defend my ego. When I'm slow, I could think, "Well, I may be slow, but I'm deep and he's shallow. So there." But the same principle of duality is at work. When I bump into someone deeper than me, I'll need to think of something that would make me not look bad. "OK, he's deep, but he's slow." That's the offensive approach. Whenever the ego is threatened the mind starts to rationalize. It doesn't matter that what it concludes may lack any basis in reality. "Rationalize" does not mean rational.

In the Outer World, we can always find differences regardless of whom we meet. It's a survival mechanism that has allowed humans to distinguish predatory Saber Tooth tigers from fluffy rabbits. [GIF] So-called real life — existential reality — is an ever-present reminder of our separateness.

Although this paints a negative picture of this world, I'm in no way suggesting that we should resist or reject it. Most importantly, life as we know it would not exist without it. The drama it presents offers each of us the challenge and opportunity to express and thereby manifest our dreams and visions of a more heavenly reality. Doing this, we become co-creators of a new world.

The Inner World: Spirit, Meaning, Eternity
Life in the Inner World is independent of, yet woven into, the fabric of the Outer World. It stands beyond the influence of bio-chemicals, socialization, trauma, and even religious doctrine.

We can perceive spirit most readily here, because it is the Seat of Oneness, the Heart of the Moment. In this place, happiness does not rely on our capacity to consume or how we weigh on the sliding scales of fat and thin, short and tall, rich and poor. Rather, the Inner World nourishes, supports, and heals us because we exist. Its essence is eternal, transcendent, and evolutionary. As the realm of Spirit, it is the limitless source of all life. By embodying this state of consciousness even partially we begin to move beyond the ego's narrow bounds of fear and greed. We see through the Outer World's illusion that we are alone. Just look around. It's not that we are alone; rather, we have embodied beliefs and behaviors that support this illusion.

Instead of continuing to internalize the Outer World, which all of us have done to varying degrees, we can begin to externalize the visions, attitudes, and gifts of the Inner World. We do this by sharing them freely. This contributes to the evolution of the individual, of the race, and of the planet. Part of our job as builders is to show that this is possible. We experiment and discover that this lifestyle can provide greater happiness, fulfillment, and peace. By doing this, we become the sprouting seeds of a new civilization.

The Heart Template, Step One:
Clearing the Area

As we grow, society often discourages our desire to live from the Inner World to the Outer World. Socialization makes us conform to varying degrees. We accept a number of its limiting or depressing beliefs as real, and they stop us from living the principles of the Inner World — the principles of our true nature. When building a Heart Temple, we use visualization to remove those limiting beliefs. Some think of visualization as strictly a psychological tool, but others apply it metaphysically. Here, we use it to tidy up our astral aspects.

A Clearing Technique
A good time to do clearing is either during meditation or just before going to sleep. Your mind should be relaxed, but not falling asleep. Once you've reached this state, bring your consciousness inside your chest area. Look around. Chances are you'll see some clutter. These are the astral manifestations of our limiting beliefs. You'll want to remove them, although it may take several days or even weeks to do so. (A comprehensive clearing takes years.)

When I first started this project, I saw a gate made of vertical bars covering my chest. It hung from hinges attached to my throat area. I though it was my rib cage at first, but on my next visit I realized it was a defense mechanism that kept others from hurting me. Unfortunately, it kept me imprisoned as well. Those who have developed a cynical attitude towards the Inner World may judge this as imagination, a psychological exercise, or a symptom of mental illness. They would naturally judge all spiritual work that way. For materialists, the Inner World exists only as thoughts (brain generated electro-impulses) and emotions (chemical-based survival mechanisms inherited from our reptilian and mammalian ancestors). Regardless of the truth, one effect is certain: after I removed the gate, my mind and body felt lighter. Something heavy had vanished, and it hasn't returned.