Part IVk
The Past as Illusion

Human beings are amazingly adaptive machines. Each day brings new and unexpected challenges. As psycho/spiritual, physical machines, our human nature naturally responds to a million and one incoming impressions. Along with our innate ability to adapt automatically is our innate ability to store information, as well as any lessons learned, under the agency of association. Once our formatory mind makes a match, (this equals that), the storage bin for all similar impressions has been created. When our formatory mind begins to store information under a specific category, unless a certain 'trigger' is activated, the entire 'storage bin' drops down into the subconscious, where it remains unless or until a requisite trigger reactivates the association.

Our innate ability to experience the past as either gone or dead is one of our greatest illusions. Actually, our past is quite alive, but remains dormant. Real Objective Truth sustains the fact that our past is alive and fully present deep within our consciousness. Once a 'trigger' activates a long-forgotten association, our hibernating past becomes reactivated.

Life is similar to a long-playing recording. As we listen to the contents of the seventh song, we are aware that the first six songs have not disappeared. Under the right conditions, wise Work students can review their entire lives and consciously reconnect with a host of long-lost insights, emotional valuations, along with many treasured memories.

Every thought, feeling and behavior has been faithfully recorded in centers, in their proper categories. These rolls in centers comprise a great portion of the Book of the Dead, which is read at the final judgment. In the end, we get away with nothing. The only way to win at the game of life is to learn from every experience.

Our psycho/spiritual/physical lives resemble one long obstacle course. As soon as we manage to transcend one hurdle, we find the next hurdle right in front of us. One of our greatest internal illusions is to believe that our past is dead. The past was recorded, uncut and uncensored. These long-forgotten recordings are alive, containing endless forms of untapped spiritual manna and meaning.

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