Today I Swim Upstream. What Fun!
Item Number: a009-121-1-98

Summary
The following is transcribed from a session by The Wonders entitled "Today I Swim Upstream. What Fun!" This teaching challenges us to examine our belief structures and limitations to determine whether we chose them or if we are simply following what society has chosen. The Wonders illustrate how one individual choosing to swim against the current can significantly change and expand our society.

Transcript:
Greetings.

In returning to spawn, why is it that salmon swim upstream? Is it that they have such a desire to nurture or die that they constantly move to that point where, in extending themselves in the laying of their eggs, they can then choose to cast of feet of clay? Or rather is it that within themselves there is a certain necessity, a certain urge to move beyond that which they are?

The title of this session represents an aspect of the individual within you that allows you to move beyond that which you are. On a daily basis in a normal existence, how many individuals get up in the morning, brush their teeth, comb their hair, do their normal toiletries, go to work, spend eight hours functioning at barely functional levels and then return home to veg in front of a television?

Only to spend approximately eight hours sleeping, regenerating their bodies in order to return to the same process - continuing this on a daily basis over and over again for one, two, three, ten, 12, 15, 30, 40, 68 or even 72 years and then cast of feet of clay?

Then, through the process of reintegration and reevaluation that takes place in the casting off of feet of clay, review the choices made during their particular existences and realize that, in actual fact, much more could have been accomplished? That which kept them in their particular processes, however, repeating the same pattern over and over again from day to day, was, in fact, a portion of the self that was so fearful of change that they chose not to - not to do, not to alter, not to shift or change.

And so remained in the same process quite content with their existence, we assure you, seeing themselves as having accomplished a great deal. And therefore cast off feet of clay, quite happy from one perspective, yet from another perspective realizing that which they accomplished was but a fraction of that which they could have accomplished had they chosen to.

In your existences over the last six to eight months, some of you here this evening have repeated certain patterns, certain movements, certain growth processes - repeated them over and over and over again and felt quite proud of that which you've accomplished. Yet if you perceive yourself from the perspective of all that you have accomplished, all you've done in effect is repeated that which you've repeated previously.

Now, we do not choose to minimize your accomplishment, dear friends - quite the contrary. We assure you that they were valuable. That they were great accomplishments is to your credit. However, we assure you that if you had chosen to view your perspectives from a slightly altered state - a new methodology, a new paradigm for yourselves - you would recognize that you could have accomplished more: in three cases here this evening, approximately 138 percent more and in six other cases, between 82 and 96 percent more, approximately.

That you chose not to is to your credit. That some of you will now choose to is also to your credit. However, dear friends, recognize that, in order to choose differently, sometimes it means that you have to swim upstream. Not downstream as all the other fish in the river do, but rather upstream.

You will notice that when the salmon start swimming upstream, there aren't many other fish in the water swimming around them. Why? Because they choose not to be around when the salmon swim upstream. For then it would be an example that they would have to recognize and the odd individual fish would then also attempt to swim upstream. And all the other fish, knowing that this one individual fish would attempt to swim upstream, would then get on that particular fish and try to convince him that he is incapable of swimming upstream for, after all, he is not salmon. He is simply trout, perch, catfish - whatever. And as a result there is a great degree of probability that, wanting to swim upstream, the little fish, upon being convinced by his fellow fish that he isn't capable, will then choose not to.

Apply this methodology to yourself and recognize that in your existence each and every one of you has surrounded yourself with individuals that would support your particular chosen direction. Now, in choosing your direction, some of you have chosen a direction of repetition. As a result, you have chosen individuals to surround you that would support your process of repetition. And we assure you that, as a result, when you choose to alter your direction different from repetition, these individuals would be the first to assist you in convincing you to do otherwise - to alter certain belief structures, certain thought structures that that would, in effect, move you in a different direction, in order to maintain you in the process of repetition. For after all, dear friends, you are not fools, we assure you. You have chosen wisely. You have chosen individuals who would encourage and support the process that you have chosen - and as a result you find yourself surrounded with individuals that do that.

How many times have you viewed individuals in your existence and seen someone change directions? Some individuals leave relationships, some individuals alter job functions, some individuals make drastic changes, leave a particular existence behind to begin a new existence. And yet how many times have you yourselves been the first nay-sayers to say to this individual, "Recognize, dear friend, that what you are doing is unthinkable, unimaginable. That you cannot?" We assure you, those words have come out of each and every one of you.

And yet when you view yourselves as being altered, as changing, then your friends will also repeat to you, "See the pitfalls of the direction you're going in?" Or, "My God, do you realize you can't do that?"

In the past few months there was a certain individual who approached a government in his country in order to alter the government's policy regarding compensation for certain actions the government had taken towards individuals who were viewed by certain members of the government, certain members of society, as being "lesser than." And as a result of his approach to government, he was told by all the individuals around him, "You cannot change government. You cannot change their minds." Yet this individual refused to accept that particular paradigm for himself. And therefore refused to believe that the decision making process could not be altered.

Now, that individual swam upstream. And in swimming upstream, recognized how much fun he was having. And in recognizing how much fun he was having in assisting the governments to alter their perspective, enjoyed himself so immensely that the governments altered their perspective. For they saw the benefit of the alteration through his particular joy. And as a result, they changed their minds.

That individual chose to swim upstream. Chose to go against all of society's methodologies to move him in a particular direction and went instead against the norm. Chose his own direction.

Each and every one of you is capable of creating your own reality. We have certainly emphasized that over the last five years. You are capable, dear friends. You have the ability, you have the talent. In fact, you have the choice. Yet you choose to create a reality for yourselves that conforms to the limitations of society around you. You accept other individuals' perspectives, belief structures, limitations and make them your own. And then choose to live in a society based upon their limitations.

Now, we're not suggesting that you immediately let go of the limitation of "thou shalt not kill," as some would say, and go out and kill whomever you want. Though you could, the benefit of that to yourself would be rather limited - short lived, we assure you. However, there are limitations that are worth reviewing, dear friends. The limitation of "thou shalt not kill," is a limitation that is worth reviewing. Does it fit with who you are? Does it fit with your particular choices? Is this a choice that you yourself are making or is it a choice that society has made for you?

What we are suggesting here is to review the limitations that you have accepted in your existence, including the limitations that some would perceive as "major taboos" -that you yourselves say are unthinkable, unreviewable, from their perspective, and therefore move through your existence accepting. When something is unreviewable, unthinkable, we assure you it has been thought - it was thought of and reviewed by certain individuals at certain periods of time.

True, over a period of time, society has decided and recognized that there is not the necessity to go around killing each other in order to provide each other with a spiritual experience. As a result, the necessity of casting off feet of clay no longer exists. Yet, is this a belief structure that you yourselves believe or is it something you accept simply because someone else has told you that you can't do it.

Let's review something else, something simpler - the belief that all females must bear children. Now there is an interesting belief. As females in this particular group this evening, each and every one of you accepts the belief that the female body was constructed for childbearing. After all it does have the right plumbing, does it not?

However, dear friends, this is a belief structure that society has imposed and that you have accepted. Where is it written that females are the only ones who can bear children? It's anathema for us to say that females are the only ones that can bear children, for after all everyone knows that females are the only ones with the proper plumbing. True? As well, men are incapable of nurturing. Therefore, why would a man ever want to child bear?

Yet we assure you that in this world presently there exists a culture in what could best be described as deep parts of South Africa where, though the female brings the child into existence, the male is the child-bearer, for the male nurtures the child from the moment of birth to the moment of growth into adulthood. The female, having performed her function, simply removes herself from the process of child rearing - in effect, childbearing. Certain techniques are also being developed at this point to allow males to "child-bear." Interesting concept, isn't it? Yet it would affect the basic structure of the view of womanhood and how women view themselves.

Now, we are not suggesting that you are incapable or undesirable of childbearing. All we are suggesting is for you to review for yourselves the choices pertaining around childbearing. Yes, you do have the physiology to create a life within yourselves. However, is it your choice as an individual, as a person, to subject yourself to particular hormonal, physiological and emotional shifts in order to bring another life into this particular existence?

Each individual - each one of you here this evening, each female - has an opportunity to review that particular belief structure within themselves that would allow them then to choose whether to become child-bearers. Or to choose whether to become parent, mother. And therefore not simply play the role which society has dictated, but rather consciously to make a choice.

In the last one hundred years in society, women themselves have gained a certain measure of respectability - in North American society specifically and some parts of European society. They've gained the right to vote. They have gained the right to work. They have gained the right to abortion. They have gained the right to life. And yet, dear friends, have they truly gained or is it that at some point one person chose to go against what society dictated and said, "Today I swim upstream. What fun am I going to have!" Chose to change society's perspectives by choosing to alter her own perspectives.

The right to vote did not come about as a result of male gratitude, we assure you. Most men in society were quite upset at having to give up a portion of what they perceived as their "God-given right." Yet it occurred. Why? Because one woman chose to say, "Today I swim upstream. Today I change. Today I no longer accept society's views. I demand that which is mine, I take that which I am, and I assert that which I choose to be." And as a result society shifted. One individual altered society irrevocably, we assure you. For though there is still movement under foot to take away the vote from women - after all, it is viewed in some circles that women do not have the intelligence to vote intelligently - we assure you that it will never be taken away.

Why? Because a greater portion of society recognizes the value of the intelligence from the feminine perspective. A great portion of society has altered as a result of the feminist movement. True, viewed from one perspective, individual women who viewed themselves as feminists created and shifted society's perspectives. And yet, they now find themselves caught in the same circle they created when they began the process forty years ago. No longer are they swimming upstream. Now they've simply changed streams. Moved from one stream to another stream.

As a result, a greater number of women now move in the same circle, in the same direction. Different from some of you here this evening, however, still in their own same directions. Yet, how much more could be altered in society if simply one of these women were to choose to alter her perspective and, instead of swimming in a different stream, chose to swim upstream, away from the feminist movement?

We assure you, dear friends, as women, you have strength, you have value. In fact, it could be said that you are quite interesting characters. You have an ability to see society's movements from the feminine, nurturing perspective. As women, perceive movements in politics and business from the perspective of the games that are being played and, as a result, you can alter those particular games, if you choose. Yet how many dare to swim upstream? How many dare to go against that which society has dictated? The role that you've accepted, the self-imposed limitations - imposed by others, but accepted by yourselves?

If one woman - and we do see that this woman is coming, we assure you - were to alter her perspective to recognize that her femininity is her power - that her being a woman is that which empowers her, is that which gives her the "God-given right" to be a woman - and therefore alter her perspective on the basis of just being that which she is then, dear friends, we assure you that society will shift dramatically. And this woman, we assure you, is coming. Within the next few months this person will manifest herself.

Watch carefully how many of you individual women choose to denigrate her, for she is different. Choose to view that which she is as unacceptable. And we assure you, when this person speaks her story, she will say how many individuals surrounding her attempted to alter her perspective. Now, dear friends, if each and every one of you were to view yourselves from that perspective, think of how many salmon could swim upstream.

One word here - this particular individual will so alter your societal realities that the balance of power will shift dramatically within the next fifty to eighty years. So dramatically, in fact, that men will see themselves as fearful. Women will see themselves as fearful. But men who recognize their masculinity and their feminine aspects and women who recognize their femininity and their masculine aspects will be quite comfortable and be in positions of power. What an alteration of society will take place. And why? Because one individual chose to do something different. Chose not to accept structure, limitations imposed on her by others and chose differently.

How can this be applied in each and every one of your daily lives? How many times as individuals do you get up, go to work and function in a job that you are not quite happy with, yet are very happy to have - after all, as society states, you should be happy to have a job and be thankful that you have one, for look at all the individuals who don't? And when you come home, you take off your shoes, pull down your nylons, sit in a chair and say, "What an awful day, but thank God I have a job." Okay, some of you don't have nylons. Yet, if you were but to recognize that you've accepted a belief structure that states that you are "lucky to have a job," you would see that you live by that belief structure.

You pattern your life by that belief structure. You make choices based upon that belief structure. You created families based upon that belief structure. You exist based upon that belief structure. You die based upon that belief structure. What we are suggesting here is rather drastic, dear friends. It is the most drastic thing you will ever accomplish in your existence. We are suggesting that you shift your belief structure to recognize that you deserve a job.

Oh, what an amazing thought. Can't be done. Why would someone deserve a job? As women you should be thankful - thankful that you have the most menial jobs possible, for after all you're simply women. We are suggesting that you shift and alter your perspectives. Recognize that each and every one of you is equal to each and every one around you, male and female - and a few neutrals. You're equal, dear friends and therefore it is to your credit that you perceive yourselves as being as deserving as the next individual. As capable as the next individual.

And therefore choose to alter your perspectives. We assure you, dear friends, if you choose to alter this simple, very minute perspective of limitation, you will be so drastically altered that the society around you will perceive you as being radicals - as being not part of the group, undesirable. You will lose friends. Some of you will lose relationships, we assure you. Men that you've had in your lives will shift and alter. Some will shift with you, most will not. This simple shift in perspective will so alter your life that within three years you will not recognize yourselves from where you are today. In fact, you will see yourselves as being capable, interesting, quite beautiful, deserving, powerful and able to alter society. For you will have altered yourselves.

How many here this evening are willing to view themselves as deserving? You need not answer us, dear friends. However, we would suggest that you review this particular process within yourselves, for you will recognize that the word "deserve" brings about a certain element of fear within each and every one of you as to your capability, as to your ability, as to your acceptance by others, as to your desire.

Once you've shifted the perspective, dear friends, then choose how you manifest your deservedness. Do you choose to become chief executive officer of a major corporation or do you choose to become chief executive officer of the family unit? One as valid as the other, we assure you. And that is the fault of the feminist movement today: they perceive themselves from the perspective that if you are not making great strides, competing in the men's world on the men's level then you are not strong feminists.

What is the definition of a feminist? Someone who has cut off her head in order to recognize that she simply has a woman's body or one who uses her intelligence and uses that which she is given - the talents and abilities which include a feminine perspective - in order to be that which she is. Our suggestions to you, dear friends, is to recognize that of greater benefit is to perceive yourself as feminine. As feminine energy. As mother energy within yourselves. With a good balance of masculine energy. Not quite fifty-fifty, we assure you. Forty nine percent masculine, 51 percent feminine. For men, the perspective changes. Fifty one percent masculine, 49 percent feminine.

Now, this particular article is addressed mostly to women. For, we assure you, this particular evening that is the energy that requires shifting. However, the same words apply to men. For they also perceive themselves as being undeserving. As a result, they choose, in their masculine way, to attempt to overpower the person next to them in order to justify themselves or to make themselves feel powerful. Were they to recognize their feminine energies, they would recognize the value of being. To your credit, dear friends, as women, because of the slight extra portion of feminine energy within yourselves, you have an ability to recognize the value of beingness over the value of doing.

Choose to see it from that perspective, if you choose. Choose to recognize your deservedness. And in choosing to recognize it, dear friends, alter and shift your environment. We assure you, things will shift and change. The housewife will no longer perceive herself as simply a housewife, but rather as the chief executive officer of the family unit, capable of making decisions, capable of coordination, capable of interaction, capable of decision-making - and as a result take charge. Yet take charge not from the masculine perspective of having to assert, but rather take charge from the perspective of sharing decisions, of choosing to create an environment where decision-making and recognition of self exists. And this is key, dear friends.

We assure you, this woman who is coming within the next few months will not be asserting herself in the masculine perspective but rather will simply create an environment around herself whereby her sense of self, her femininity and her masculinity will be recognized as interactive with each other, both necessary to complete the whole. And therefore both have value.

Today I swim upstream. For a simple perch that chooses to take a different route what perils could it encounter if it goes against the grain? Many. It may survive, it may not survive. Whatever the outcome, however, we assure you that that little perch will have accomplished something so huge that all other perches will, on one level, recognize that they too have that ability if they choose.

If one of you chooses to alter your perspective, chooses to review your particular belief structures, your limitations, chooses to swim upstream, then we assure you, dear friends, the benefit is not the success of having swum upstream. The benefit is in the success in choosing to swim upstream. Simply choosing differently creates a new energy around you, a new environment, a new paradigm, a new perspective for yourselves and, as a result, shifts a great deal of fear within yourselves. Simply choosing.

True, more fear can be shifted in the doing. However, a great deal will be shifted in the choosing. Once you perceive yourselves from the perspective of "being able," then anything is possible. If you perceive yourselves from the perspective of unable, incapable, undeserving, then nothing is possible. For all that remains is for you to repeat that which others have created.

What would happen if in the game of baseball one were to run to third base first? True, that person would be called out at third base - or at first base once the ball is thrown there - and everyone would laugh at this runner. Yet, dear friends, would he then not have created a possible new game? One which, if explained from that perspective, would provide others with the benefit of a new paradigm and therefore the possibility of a new game?

What we are saying is that often the one individual who begins the process is ridiculed, set aside. It is difficult to be the leader and break the trail. Yet we assure you that once the trail is broken others will follow. And that, dear friends, is the benefit of that which you are accomplishing. For you are not doing it for others but for yourself.

If you choose to alter your perspective from one of incapable and unable to the perspective of deserving, then you choose to do it for your benefit. Not for others. And though from one perspective it could be said that you have not succeeded in shifting a great deal in society, we assure you, as the snowball becomes a landslide, so too will your shift create massive change in society. For society itself cannot continue to exist in the same methodology when one chooses to swim upstream.

For then you've created the example. Using our example of the fish, if that one little perch chose to swim upstream instead of going downstream, then all other perch would be aware that one could do it. It may take awhile before another one attempts it. It may take even longer before two or three and four and five and ten and 20 and 30 and 100 and 1,000 and 10,000 to do so. Yet that will occur. And just as surely as that occurs there will always be perch that will swim downstream for that is the way they were born. But there will be some that will swim upstream for that is the choice they make.

View your society around you. How many areas of society are being shifted, altered and changed because certain individuals are not accepting the limitations of others? Areas of natural health, areas in regards to law, DNA structure, areas in regards to societal acceptance with regards to fire arms, in regards to dealing with individuals who are victims of society's decisions? It takes one to begin change, dear friends. Change cannot occur by itself. But that one individual who chooses to change can change the world. The choice is yours.

Now, we're not suggesting that you rush out this evening and change the world. What we are suggesting is that you create for yourselves the opportunity to review your choices - from the perspective of, is it a choice that you've accepted because that is the way it has been done for the last one thousand years and therefore will continue to be done that way or is it a choice that you yourself understand and have created for yourself?

A simple example. In society in the last 70 years, how many individuals who were left-handed were ridiculed as being "not quite all there," for after all they were left- handed. Only right-handed people were smart, intelligent people. Left-handed people were dumb. Not quite all there. Interesting and yet how many of your leaders -presidents, prime ministers, premiers - are actually left-handed? Now, we're not saying that all politicians are not smart. Some of them are. Left-handed ones especially. It could be argued, however, that from one perspective all of them are not all quite there.

Recognize, however, that certain individuals who choose to use their left hand, choose to do so at their peril, at the ridicule of all those around them. Yet after a period of time, they become accepted and then supported. As a result of these individuals who chose to manifest themselves as left-handed individuals instead of right-handed individuals, society has shifted, has altered its perspective ever so slightly in order to allow more creativity in the learning process. It took a number of years. It took a great deal of effort and time but it did occur as a result of individuals who chose, in spite of all attempts to alter their behavior, to use their left hand.

Choose, dear friends, to create. Choose to choose your limitations for yourselves. If you accept a limitation, know that you have consciously chosen that limitation. Not something that society itself has imposed and that you've unconsciously accepted, rather that you choose consciously to accept that limitation. For when you own that limitation, dear friends, it is then quite easy to alter it if you choose. But until you own it, you cannot change it. For it is not yours to change. It is for societies or others to change.

Much more could be said on this subject involving choices made by parents, choices that you've accepted as children from your parents, choices that you've accepted from friends and acquaintances. We suggest that you review these choices. And if you choose to accept them, accept them consciously - live by them, for they are yours. And you are not fools, dear friends, we assure you. You are capable of choosing to live by certain limitations, if you choose. The benefit is that once chosen consciously, you then can alter consciously, if you choose. Do you see the connection?

As an exercise for this evening, dear friends, alter one small perspective of yourselves, if you choose. Alter the perspective of "I am lucky to get a job" to "I deserve a job, I deserve an existence, I deserve to be."

There are approximately three minutes left for questions in regards to this particular subject.

Q: What would be the first step? Is it good enough to start with intent?

A: You've taken it already, dear friend. What you have done is you've allowed yourself the opportunity to observe your belief structure, your limitation. Intent to change is good, true. Our suggestion is, of greater benefit is to change. Having said that, begin the process of observation for yourself. Observe who you are. Observe your talents, observe your abilities, observe your choices, observe your thoughts, observe your interactions with others. That in the observation you can recognize that you deserve to be. Do you see?

Q: I'm not sure that I really understand.

A: You will if you begin the process of observation. Don't judge the process of observation. Don't see it as right or wrong, good or bad. Rather, observe. Observe yourself. And in the observation, dear friend, recognize that which you are. Also in the recognition, you will begin to recognize that you are equal to all that exists around you. Different, true. You have different hair, different clothes, a different style of speaking, a different facial structure, different methodologies for interacting. Yet you are equal to all that exists around you. And that, dear friend, is your gift to yourself - your uniqueness. You created yourself as unique and, dear friends, you are unique.

Q: But I feel I do have that, really strongly. I really feel it. It's just that it seems like I'm not really practicing it.

A: Then may we suggest you apply the old terminology that one of your shoe companies uses? Just do it.

And we do thank you. To each and every one of you, God's blessing. For you and only you can create. And God creates through you.