Moving Beyond the Patriarch Distortion: Breaking into Enlightenment
In moving fully towards and into Enlightenment, there is often the sense of something much bigger supporting and guiding us. And it can feel so benevolent, so caring and so patriarchal when it's there, that there often grows an incredible craving for it. However, as you move deeper and deeper into presence, closer and closer to the Source within yourself, there'll come the point where your soul yearns to drop into it. You actually become 'the father' so to speak. You become that openness which is the source of all authentic experience. Hence, paradoxically, the 'father' must disappear; the sense of external guidance must cease. It must all come from within. And this can be a very lonely place... at first...
Breaking into Enlightenment
Those on a truly spiritual path will know that we are all 'of the One'. But what does this mean in practice? It means there must be a place where there is no separation between you and life: at some point, inside of yourself, all must merge into pure presence.
Up to this point, you'll have probably had the support of benevolent guidance, helping you forwards on the path - a more highly illumined consciousness perhaps, that has been assisting you along the way. But as we break into Enlightenment - into pure presence - this sense of external help must at least temporarily disappear. In fact, often, on the brink of Enlightenment, guidance comes and goes, waxes and wanes, as all is integrated within.
This can be a very painful experience, generating lots of disappointment and heartbreak (by the ego). It's not that guidance will permanently disappear, not at all, but it will frequently feel that way, thus encouraging you to drop ever deeper inside yourself...
Then guidance can re-emerge once more, but this time, you realise it's YOU that's manifesting the outer mirror, drawing people, guides and experiences that reflect who YOU really are.
True Benevolent Guidance on the Path
So this breaking into Enlightenment can leave one feeling lost at times, stranded on the beach with nowhere to look or to hide. If you experience this, work not to worry. Everything is okay. You are still progressing.
Just feel into the tightness - the sense of separation that the experience creates - soften into it, and keep reaching through into presence.
And if you are working with some kind of teacher or guide, that's fine, but know that only YOU have the complete picture for your own path. You will at times be uncertain, and they can help point you to the Inner Gateways yes, but your path is unique, and ultimately, on the edge of Enlightenment, only your soul knows what works best for you. So let others reflect to you yes, but find your own alignment, your own reflection. This is essential in breaking into the pure presence of Enlightenment.
The world's major religions have seen God in a very paternal way. And on the journey, this can be comforting; but also, the risk is, that it can be very limiting too. Ultimately, we must not be separate from God, we must become the presence of that comfort that we seek. Inside of us.
For me, the best kind of guidance at this point does not build itself as an identity to follow. Rather it ebbs and flows, waxes and wanes within the flow of life itself, pointing to distortions and authentic beingness, but then fading into the background again. It's about coaxing souls into that hallowed space of their own true self - their own experience of 'the father'. To me, this ancient benevolent presence has been sensed by people on the path for eons. I call it Openhand.
The non-duality delusion
At this point, we also need to be careful that another key distortion doesn't build itself into our consciousness - I call it the 'non-duality delusion'. There's a realisation that to be in presence, the sense of anything outside of yourself must cease - you must become as one with it, because you are that.
But life is a heavenly paradox. There is the presence of infinite potential - non being - which then separates into relativistic flows of consciousness - souls having an experience. If there was no relativity, no 'this' and 'that', then there could be no experience at all. You can't know 'you' (as a soul) for example, in the absence of what you are not. Just as you cannot know hot without cold, up without down or love without fear. All such experiences are relativistic.
This is what I call the 'dynamic equilibrium of life'. In pure balance, pure equilibrium internally, there is presence, absolute stillness and emptiness. This is the infinite potential of which I speak - paradoxically that which you are. But to experience this, there must be a dynamic flow of energy from it and through it - a flow of consciousness. The flow that is experienced as 'YOU', is your unique expression of that. It is YOUR soul. And to deny that, actually establishes separation from the source - the presence - that you're ultimately coming into. So there has to be an acceptance of your uniqueness, of your flow, in order to truly arrive at the ocean.
Check out this video...Who are You and how to be that
The 'Holy Trinity' - pure balance in life
Of course the religions sometimes speak of the 'Holy Trinity' - the father, son and holy ghost. Is there some kind of clue here, which can lead to pure balance and harmony in life? I believe there is.
For me, to find pure harmony in life, is to be continually 'meditating' in three directions simultaneously. Firstly, it is to be in pure presence, from which all authentic experience arises. But this must be allowed to flow into being through you (it does anyway, if the ego is not resisting constricting or attaching to it). This flow is what would be the 'soul', sensed as an arising impulse within you. The soul then flows into a vehicle of experience - the bodymind for example.
To help find this alignment, try our Breakthrough Breathing Meditation To me, to be aware of this continually reshaping dynamic and to be aligned with it the whole time, is true Enlightenment. It can't be distancing yourself from experience, because that would be denial - an identity that is resisting. But also, frequently, the ego will own the arising flow of soul, which again cuts one off from the enlightened state, by causing interruptive eddy currents in the flow (inside yourself). It could be always needing the sense of bliss and love for example.
Continually arriving on the shore of pure heaven
For me then, there needs to be this focus on continual opening out, continual breaking through any tightness; allowing the soul to come through in any moment. With any sense of separated self - any need of some kind of patriarch for example - we (the separation) must then dive fully into this experience of emerging soul, as an unlimited, unrestrained expression.
- It's a wave that carries you all the way back to the source - inside yourself.
So in any moment, within any uncertainty or sense of separation, seek to soften inner tightness and resistance, look for, and 'dive fully into', the emerging expression that is your Soul.
You've arrived. You've come home. And you're continually arriving on the shore of pure heaven.
In loving support
Open 
(Publishers - please publish with links intact and the Openhand brief biog. Thankyou <3)
About Openhand:
Openhand is a Higher Dimensional Consciousness. It is a way of tapping into the benevolent guiding hand of the Universe, to help you align with your soul through life. It empowers people to be totally authentic in who they are, and in so doing, facilitating a profound shift of consciousness into a new vibrational paradigm, in the Fifth Density. Discover more...Openhandweb, Openhand fb, Openhand TV
Comments
The Patriarch Syndrome on the Path
Comment
The energy of the Patriarch can be a tremendously comforting presence on the path. It is that trusted sense of support, the strong and protective compassion, the rock in the storm. But clearly it has also been misappropriated in religion and spirituality over the years to control people - followers are encouraged to willingly hand over their power, their discernment and allegiance to some all powerful "God". And there are plenty still affected by the trauma of that karma right now. Fortunately we are seeing through the veil. The true patriach is to be found within. It may well be reflected in an external source, but always those reflections are an encouragement to embody the witnessed quality within ourselves. On the Openhand gatherings for example, I'll often point out that you cannot admire or resonate with a quality that you don't already possess - the resonance is an inherent aspect of yourself.
I would say reclaiming the patriarch energy is a fundamental key to breaking into the fully enlightened state. It's an energy that makes you feel whole and complete on the inside. YOU become the rock in the storm. And at that point, this quality of soul expression can drop you right into the wlecome void of The One - of pure presence.
So reclaiming the patriarch energy inside oneself is a key encouragement from Openhand. It's something that seemed relevant and poignant to express today. Feel free to share your own views.
In loving support
Open
Out of the one
Comment
Hi Open,
Thank you for the article.
I find the part where you write about the "non-duality delusion" an interesting one.
If we are the soul flowing as a unique expression of the one, then even in all it's uniqueness the soul can't be separate from everything that is, so surely that is non duality?
I also see it as divine paradox, but even in the seeming reality of denser dimensions, separation ultimately can't be true.
That said I am not saying we should deny the unique expression that is arising as me over here and you over there, but fundamentally there is no separation between the "I" or the one that is arising because ultimately it is arising from the same place.
What are your thoughts on that?
Warm wishes
David
Chicago, my kind of town, for the Great 5D Shift
Comment
Lighting candles in Chicago
Comment
Lovely quote by St Francis at the end there Cathy.
Synchronistically I'm writing up the new 5D Shift tour dates for Sep/Oct/Nov, and the one I've just this second completed, is in Chicago, at a retreat centre dedicated to St Francis. Hopefully we'll light many candles!
Open *OK*
Awesome!
In reply to Lighting candles in Chicago by Open
Comment
Open!
How awesome is that?! St. Francis is with us!:)
Chicago
In reply to Lighting candles in Chicago by Open
Comment
I'm super stoked that you will be only 5 hours from my home!!!! Sign me up!!!
Eddie
The light of a single candle
Comment
I was chatting over tea recently with my cousin. I recounted how a friend of my daughter's was evicted from her basement apartment on the pretext that the landlady's relative was moving in when in fact the landlady simply doubled the rent and found a new tenant who could pay the outrageous amount for a small, dank, dark, basement apartment. I was surprised when my cousin said she doesn't believe that shelter should be a basic right for all. She argued for the right of owners to charge what they want. But at the same time she wants government to fund affordable housing for the homeless. Because of the growing numbers of people who live in their cars, our municipal government just changed the law to allow them to park overnight on city property provided they move by 7:00 a.m. That said, most folks are preoccupied with their own lives and don't seem to be paying attention to the growing crisis.
My cousin is well-off financially. Given that, I was surprised when she said she would like to be part of the one percent who own most of the world's wealth. I asked her how it could possibly be right that so few have so much and so many have so little. She asserted quote forcefully that citizens have the right to amass as much money as they want and suggested more or less that Greece's economy collapsed a few years ago because of lower income citizens too lazy to work. I used to ponder the meaning of this quote from the Bible, but I fully grasp the meaning now. "And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
In the end, of course, no amount of money will assuage my cousin's fear of scarcity or the one percent's fear of lack. Greed and exploitation are part of the patriarchal distortion which reflects the distortion of the divine masculine within both men and women and bumps down cosmically with the Intervention of Opposing Consciousness. OC exploits humans. Humans in turn exploit other sentient life. Long ago in our history, we lost trust in the flow of divine benevolence and fell into the dark abyss of distorted control and social inequity that worsens day by day.
My heart is heavy these days. But it's still full of love. I may be sad, pissed, and weary, but I'm also loving, compassionate, and determined. And I am mindful not to project my inner distortions outwardly as paternal. I'm mindful of taking back my power and expressing my limitless IS-NESS as the One Absolute Presence beyond all identity, including paternal/maternal and masculine/feminine.
How I long for a world that respects and serves all sentient life with unconditional love and compassion. The injustice I witness out there continually reminds me of my responsibility to stay focused on accepting and releasing my own twisted divine masculine energies within and find the Light beyond. And as I evolve to a higher way of being, I will continue to speak out and work for social justice. I'm a warrior, after all. Collectively, we have manifested a brutal, unkind world including the exploitation of Opposing Consciousness, which points us to our own inner distortions. The massive suffering we witness in the world begs for spiritual realignment. We're living in a House of Cards. And it's toppling day by day.
I am heartened and encouraged by the kind and loving spirit of St. Francis of Assisi who said:
"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."
May we all keep shining.
x Cathy
Awesome inquiry
Comment
I'm with you, Ellen and Cathy - awesome inquriy - keep right on going!
Open *OK*
this is indeed another beautiful piece of gems
Comment
so interesting that this piece is chosen for today.....due to series of Kundalini awakenings experiencing by one of my dear friends, I was drawn to this article as well as the one by Trinity on her full awakening story less than two days ago....I thought of commenting but did not at that time.....
As it is simply not a co-incidence this second time, I just would like to say - very first - is my heartenly thanks and gratitude to Open, of course for his sharing so openly with us on his wisdom..
I cannot remember how long ago.....I do remember was that I suddenly realized my experiences in life, events after events, was there for the reason of shaping me into my "then" being without my conscious intention nor planning...whenever I was out of the alignment, I would get a kick at my back so that I could continue on the right and necessary path to learn and experience what supposed to be on my plate...
Soon I came to that realization, I was lost (or might still be so)...in the sense that I was very attentive to events/people which could lead me to my next destiny...from being totally unconscious as in the past to consciously seeking in the present.
Time seemed to go by by slowly of course, when I deliberately wanted and looked for that something (sign pole or guidance).....and in more or less this attitude - "now I am yours, tell me what you want me to do next".....my oh my...the answers just were not given....
Why not?
quoted from Open above " it must all come from within..........it's me that's manifesting the outer mirror, drawing people, guides and experiences that reflect who I really am" unquoted.
Having no choice in life is difficult/scary, but it is equally difficult/scary when we are so consciously aware of the many choices out there....
with much love and appreciation to Open and this organization
Ellen
The enlightened state
Comment
Ok, there's something in my experience that you've just touched which cuts one (me (mateyboy Rayko)) off from the enlightened state, by causing interruptive eddy currents in the flow (inside yourself). But not it's always needing the sense of bliss or stuff. Thought wise it's expressed as: experience the experience. You know, it's a propa eddy current, it goes around itself. I mean just look at them words. Just look at them: word A, word B, word A.
How do you get around it? it just goes around itself, experience the experience of the experience of an experience of the experience. O.O of what? The experience?
Dunoo how to get round it, gonna go bed.
Good night, see you in a bit.
Dance with Enlightenment
Comment
I have been contemplating the dance with connection and enlightenment of late.
I can practice a particular type of meditation, i can draw in a particular energy, i can choose who to be and how to live but is that authentic? Is that the truest path? Sometimes it feels a little off, subtly controlled, limiting or impure.
So i threw my thoughts and contemplation out there, so that it may unravel and you bring clarity here :-) Beautiful article.
I honour your gift of landing and articulating truth, it brings growth and understanding beyond measure...
With deeply felt love and gratitude xxx
Excellent
Comment
This is really inspiring. Thank you so much for it. There is so much in this article and even much more between the words to drop into. It's definitely worth reading again and again!
And thank you for linking to the seven rays article too. People who are not that familiar with the openhand "jargon" might find it difficult to relate to it. So it's good to have relevant articles linked.
- Add new comment
- 8888 views
Check Latest EVENTS 2024/25
Openhand 5D Ascension Program
Break through Your Tightness
Add new comment