In the Ageless Wisdom Teachings, you may have run across the principle of “Divine Indifference”. To avoid any misunderstandings, I thought we would discuss its intended meaning and significance and how we might apply it practically as a working principle in our lives. At first look, it may seem as though the term indifference implies that we do not have to care about ourselves and those around us, or that the universe has no awareness of our needs. This could not be further from the truth, as we’ll see. The idea of indifference really concerns the need for us to develop a mental approach to living, as opposed to only feeling our way through. It is actually a skill or tool of the mind that will become important as we proceed on our path to greater understanding. We will discover that a proper mental approach and attitude will help us become more successful in our individual lives and be able to participate in the “Bigger Plan” more effectively. This will bring into our awareness a fuller realization of what is personal and what is impersonal as we go about our lives. Let’s take a closer look.
Indifference Means Mental Objectivity
Ideally, what we hope to gain in our lives is a mental clarity, not only to better understand, but to become better creators in all that we do. To be able to maintain this place within our own minds consistently is a long process. We are indeed swayed by our emotions more often than not. This is what we’re all working on. The principle of indifference is not about the universe caring about us or not. It has to do with the unnecessary importance we give to our feelings. If our goal is to create that which we want and need, we want to find a way to accomplish this in the most effective way possible. Our feelings tend to take us this way and that way and are not necessarily our friend. If we give what we’re feeling too much attention, it will inevitably slow down our progress. We must keep our eyes on the goal, regardless of any temporary emotional state we find ourselves in. We all understand the concept of “feeling the fear and doing it anyway”. This is the true definition of indifference. We feel what we feel and proceed.
Freewill in a Proper Context
The concept of freewill can be found in all the various forms of teaching throughout the world, both religious and philosophical. It is also one of the most misunderstood. It’s a big universe out there, and there’s a lot we do not understand. The universe intends to move forward and continue to create bigger and better things. We have little say about this Divine Purpose. Yes, we have freewill, but this freewill has limitations. Our goal is to understand what our role is in this vast creation. We have a say in terms of what this might be, and the timing of it all, to a certain extent. Whether we are going to grow and gain in our understanding, not so much. The good news is that we will know some day. We get closer to the truth with each successive moment. We want to know, you see. This is a good thing. The reality is that the universe doesn’t intend to keep things a secret. We will become that which we seek when the time is right. Freewill is not about right and wrong, for how can we know unless we give it a try? We are here to gain experience. With enough experience, we acquire the wisdom necessary to know who we are. Freewill is about our willingness to participate, and nothing more. This is what we have control over. This is how we have our say.
Universal Love
Is the concept of universal love beyond our comprehension? It doesn’t have to be. The whole idea of indifference applies here as well, for universal or unconditional love is indeed impersonal in its effect. In other words, love applies to all. We are able to understand its true significance if we remove the idea that it is an emotion. We believe it’s an emotion because it can be felt. When things are experienced at a feeling level, they seem more real to us. This is critical, for we are then able to give a level of importance to the things we require. It helps us pay attention. Love can be understood at a personal level as the highest emotional state we can hope to achieve. However, this is only part of our understanding. Universal love is really a cohesive force. It is a binding energy that holds everyone and everything together. The concept of Divine Indifference applies here, for the universe knows that love is. There is nothing more. It does not matter if we can feel or experience it at any given moment, for we will experience it at every moment at some point in our development. The truth is, universal love is a working principle within our daily life. It allows us to get from here to there.
The Short Path
Our advancement in consciousness always involves a step-by-step process. We cannot proceed to the next phase until the current one is fully developed and experienced. We all want to feel free. We all want to be at peace. This happens at a higher, mental level of experience, for it concerns a state of being. If we want to be there, we must remove all the emotional clutter. We cannot take it with us, we need to be lighter! Love requires of us to feel, so that we can heal. For a long time, we will attempt to bypass the process itself by continuing to achieve an intellectual understanding alone. The desire to take the shorter route is indeed understandable, for none of us enjoys pain and suffering. If we decide to move forward anyway, without a fuller understanding of the purpose of love, we will arrive prematurely. What will be lacking is a sense of wholeness and cohesion. This can only be realized with an open heart. We may believe we have gained a greater mental understanding, but it is only for ourselves. The very best goal we could achieve is the ability to create something for everyone. A true, higher mental state of being is about inclusivity and the needs of the greater whole. Serving our own individual needs and desires therefore becomes less important as we move into the future. This is the meaning of indifference, you see. If we hope to advance in our conscious understanding, we need to bring others along for the ride!
Emotional Involvement and Attachment
If we intend to be successful in what we want to create, and we want a sense of comfort and ease as we proceed, we need to release ourselves from the emotional attachment we have within our experience. What we are doing is letting go of needing things to happen in a certain way. We cannot have everything we want, right at this moment, exactly the way we want it. We can be patient. All will happen when it needs to happen, in the way that it should. We can allow some much-needed flexibility in our own process, you see. We’ll get to where we need to go eventually. Being attached to certain outcomes will inhibit this very process, so always ask yourself this very important and simple question as you proceed. “Have I acquired the essence of what I truly need?”
“Bigger Things Matter More”
If we were to simplify the concept of Divine Indifference, and therefore make it practical, we can sum it up with a basic understanding that “bigger things matter more”. Not everything is about us at a personal level. This we must accept to a certain extent as we move forward. This requires us to seek humility in all that we do. We avoid the development of this essential spiritual quality, because we wish to be important more than anything else. If we are willing to let go of this personal, deeply desired, very limiting need, we will have achieved freedom. A space of humility will bring for us that sense of peace and relaxation we’re looking for. We feel safe and secure now. We have achieved indifference. Do we still care, do we still love? Even more so!
All my love and support, be well