TLC Application August 3, 2011 “Awareness of the Two Voices”

There are two voices that operate within every one of us. Most people only know one of them — the loud, familiar voice that says things are going wrong, that something bad is coming, that it will never be right again. This is the voice of oppression. But there is another voice: quieter, steady, full of energy and creative possibility. Learning to distinguish between these two voices — and to choose which one you follow — is one of the most transformative skills you can develop.

The Voice of Harmony

There is the voice of harmony — the voice of optimism, the quiet voice. When we are in a good mood, we are resonating with that voice. We are in a jovial place. We talk with people, we are nice and we share, we are laughing. We cannot wait to do things and we are making lots of plans. We seem to have a lot of energy and creative excitement about life.

This is the voice of our Creator resonating in us — the inner voice that we are asking to come into our lives, that we now pay attention to. When we are aligned with this voice, life feels spacious and full of possibility.

The Voice of Oppression

And then, all of a sudden, we realize that something happened and we have less energy. We do not realize that it is the other voice — the voice of oppression, the voice of fear, the voice of pessimism — that has come back into play. We do not hear it. We feel it. That is the thing: so much of this voice is attached to feelings, and that is what gets us — sometimes before we hear the voice itself. But we must learn that it is that voice that has created these feelings, and learn to not run from it but to become aware of it.

This voice is built from the life we have lived. We suffered some tough times and went through some really hard experiences, and those experiences make the oppression voice really loud. When we have traumatic experiences, we do not want to have them again. So we become fragile and scared of them repeating themselves. That voice of oppression gets very loud: “This feeling is going to happen again.” We must disengage from it.

It is in the awareness that we have choice: to choose the voice of harmony or the voice of oppression.

How to Distinguish Between Them

Instead of running from the voice of oppression, we must run toward it. We must become aware of what it sounds like — when it is most likely to present itself. And then at that point we can choose to align ourselves with the voice of harmony: what that sounds like, what that feels like, and what kinds of thoughts go in line with harmony.

Distinguishing between the voice of harmony and the voice of oppression is the practice. Not running from the oppressive voice but running toward it — because we do not have to engage with it. If you can see it, you have the choice to observe it without taking it personally, without letting it grab all those feelings and lock you up. You do not have to let it have power over you, because you have learned what harmonious thoughts are and what good-feeling thoughts are.

Two Character Types and One Practice

We look at two different types of characters: the power driver who seeks conflict and asserts strongly, and the quieter, more passive character who avoids conflict. Whether we are the power driver or the temperamental, softer type — both of us are subject to these two voices. Deciding which type we are helps us understand how each voice presents itself specifically in our own personality. The treatment is the same for both: awareness, observation without engagement, and choosing harmony.

So have fun with the good feelings. Become aware of the oppressive voice so that you can recognize when it is there — and disengage from it. With your Creator you have choice. You can sit and watch it try to present itself within you without having to act on it, without having to engage with it, while recognizing that it is there. That is the practice. And it is a fun one once you see how much less power the oppressive voice has when you simply observe it rather than obey it.