What I Learned from the Universe
by David Schwerin
Thank you, dear friends, for being here today as I slowly get used to my new age and all the challenges that come with it. I must admit that when Zhihe asked me if I would make some remarks about what I have learned over many decades, I was initially reluctant. I wasn’t sure what I would talk about that would be of interest to all of you. But since I have been very fortunate to have received wonderful guidance from many wise beings over most of my life, I felt an obligation to share what I have learned on the chance it might help you on your journey. Your current understandings may not be the same as mine, but I would be surprised if there isn’t a reasonable amount of overlap; particularly if this is something you have thought about.
To begin, it is essential that we understand who we really are. Our beliefs and how we act in the world are dependent on this question. Who are we? Based on my experiences and understandings—we are spiritual beings having a physical experience. The physical body is our temporary home while we live on earth. In essence, each of us is part of an eternal Soul that temporarily chooses to experience life in the physical so it can fully express its creativity and experience things that could not otherwise be understood or known. For example, hate, envy, selfishness, loneliness and especially fear can only be experienced when one erroneously thinks everything is separate and autonomous. Experiencing our self as separate from everything else is an illusion but one that is necessary to understand all of life’s possibilities. When we leave our body, we realize everything is connected and inseparable. With that new, realistic understanding negative behavior and emotions are all but eliminated.
Therefore, spiritual ideas and practices need to be prioritized over our very temporary physical needs and desires. That doesn’t mean that the physical practicalities of life can be ignored or eliminated. We must find the proper balance between the two so we can live a constructive life. There are many challenges we face when we have a physical body. There is no roadmap of where to go or what to do. Fortunately, higher powers, such as our Soul and spirit guides, are here to help. However, since we all have free will, higher powers won’t interfere or exert influence over our decisions without an explicit request. Therefore, our desire for help must be sincere and persistent. You must consciously ask for help. When we do, Higher powers, with their greater vision, have the ability to guide us. One of the main things that distinguishes higher powers (Soul/spiritual guides) from human beings is their ability to see the big picture. Humans lack this ability when encased in a body.
With this background I will cover some other ideas you may not be aware of. These are things I’ve learned from my guides over the years; we can discuss them in more detail at the end if anyone is interested.
We all have a Soul. We are part of this Soul; the part currently living in a physical body. As such we are a spiritual being having a temporary physical experience. Though times can be challenging in a body, we need to remember that as part of a soul we are loved, safe and eternal.
We all have free will. Therefore, our Soul makes no judgment about our decisions; neither should we about our self or others. We don’t see the big picture, we can’t know what traumas or challenges or Karma others are dealing with.
Our Soul learns from everything. To quote Nelson Mandela—“I never lose; either I win or I learn.” Whatever the circumstances, always ask, what can I learn from my current situation?
Nothing is always good or bad, right or wrong. One usually considers stealing a loaf of bread as bad. But what if that bread is stolen to feed a family that will starve without it? Everything depends on the situation. Nonetheless, any harmful, hurtful experiences we thrust on others delays our personal evolution.
No one is perfect nor are they expected to be. Do your best and help will come.
Perfectionism, which affects most of us, makes it impossible to accept our self or others; it destroys relationships.
We are all given a task by our Soul; complete it to feel most fulfilled. The importance and ramifications of completing our task is detailed in my book, Know Your Soul: Bring Joy to Your Life. Your task is usually aligned with your talents and passion.
Knowing yourself, including your unflattering traits, is a key to a successful life. This advice has been offered by the wise for millennia. This may sound contradictory—who wants to look at their flaws—but if you don’t deal with your faults and unflattering traits, tension and stress will remain in your body and cause physical and mental problems including dis-ease.
Einstein said the most important decision an individual will ever make is to decide if the universe is friendly or unfriendly? In my experience the universe is friendly and sensitive to our needs. It may not always appear that way but over time the wisdom of following our Soul’s guidance becomes more evident.
Life is a function of everything we think, say and do. We are, therefore, responsible for what happens in our life. This is very important to remember; we create our own reality. Don’t look to others to solve our problems. We created them and need to solve them.
Fear is humanity’s greatest enemy. Among others: fear of other people, fear of life, of death, of losing control and fear of the unknown. Fear is always focused on past or future not the present. The past can’t be relived, and the future is unknowable.
There are no accidents or mistakes and therefore no reason to fear—all is purposeful. This is often hard to accept but to extent you can surrender to what is happening, your difficulties will dissolve and free up your energy. Resisting what is happening blocks the flow of our energy and causes us harm.
Humility, generosity, and forgiveness are keys to contented life; they are byproducts of knowing ourselves. Self-knowledge is key to a fulfilling life.
