Workbook

Sedona Training Associates

60 Tortilla Drive Sedona, AZ 86336
928.282.3522 888.282.5656
info@sedona.com www.sedona.com
 Beyond Letting Go

The publisher and author of this material make no medical claims for its use. This material is not in-
tended to treat, diagnose, advise about, or cure any illness. If you need medical attention, please consult
with your medical practitioner.

The Sedona Method is a trademarked process.

Copyright 2009 by Hale Dwoskin. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
or by information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher.

Publisher:
Sedona Press
60 Tortilla Dr.
Sedona, AZ 86336
Phone (928) 282-3522
Fax (928) 203-0602
e-mail: release@sedona.com

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Table Of Contents
You already are what you are seeking..............................................................4
Lester Levenson called the main process we will be exploring The 5th Way....4
The first four ways of letting go........................................................................4
Explanation of the I Diagram.........................................................................7
A direct looking through the illusion of separation with The 5th Way...........12
Remember, it is not about the words.............................................................12
You are already awareness.............................................................................13
The false reference point of me.....................................................................13
What is actually here now?............................................................................15
Are you?.........................................................................................................15
Integrating the basic Method.........................................................................17
Working with the wants.................................................................................17
Truth is that which never changes..................................................................18
You are already beyond all the spinning........................................................19
Challenging false identities.............................................................................20
Action as the functioning of the One.............................................................20
There are no boundaries................................................................................21
Is that attached to anything or anyone?........................................................21
Rest.................................................................................................................21
Partner Work..................................................................................................23
Enough...................................................................................................................23
Believe its personal...............................................................................................24
Pretending to be the doer......................................................................................24
Enlightenment belief..............................................................................................24
Maintaining suffering.............................................................................................25
Exist in time............................................................................................................25
Body-mind belief....................................................................................................25
Seeking/striving.....................................................................................................26
Always been...........................................................................................................26
World Peace Begins Within............................................................................29
Share this Message with People Who Are Open to It...................................32

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You already are what you are seeking

Remember, right here, right now, there is already happiness, peace and joynot as some future
attainment, experience or event, but right here, right now. What you are is this perfect presence that
is already seeing through those eyes, hearing through those ears, feeling through that body, all being
translated and interpreted through the inner sounds you hearcalled thoughtsthat appear or arise in
your head. All of this is happening here and nowwithout your help. In fact, all attempts to help or
hinder this natural and effortless happening are merely more sounds or thoughts. Our wanting to change
what is prevents us from experiencing what is actually already here now. You already are Enlightenment.
You can and will not get what you are from this or any other course.

You are already whole complete and perfect as you are. - Lester Levenson

Lester Levenson called the main process

we will be exploring The 5th Way
Lester Levenson believed that the end of the search was the answering of the question What am
I? The 5th Way of releasing is dedicated to helping you discover that you already are the answer to that
question. Long after we coined the term The 5th Way for the exploration that this course is about, Annrika
James pointed out to me that Lester Levenson had been referring to this work as the fifth way. She found
evidence of this on the very last page of the book called The Verities by Lester Levenson. He had been
using this term since at least the 1960s, before there even was a Sedona Method. He used it to describe
what he felt was the highest path of the yogas of the East. This fifth way he was referring to in his book is
called Jnana Yoga or Wisdom Yoga.

Before we get into exploring The 5th Way lets explore the other four ways of letting go.

The first four ways of letting go

Deciding to drop it
Welcoming or allowing the emotion
Diving into the core of the emotion
Holistic releasing

There are the four basic ways besides The 5th Way to approach the process of releasing and all lead to
the same result: liberating your natural ability to let go of any unwanted emotion on the spot and allow-
ing some of the suppressed energy in your subconscious to dissipate. All these ways of letting go when

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taken to completion reveal that which we already are right now. The first way is by choosing to let go
of the unwanted feeling. The second way is to welcome the feelingto allow the emotion just to be.
The third way is to dive into the core of the emotion. The fourth way is by holistically embracing both
sides of any issue or belief. The 5th Way of releasing will be described later in this manual.
Letting go is natural. Babies do it and so do you. It is happening all the time without our even re-
alizing it. Where are all the thoughts and feelings you had yesterday? Unless you call them back into
consciousness now, they are gone.

Deciding to Drop It
Let me explain by asking you to participate in a simple release. Pick up a pen, a pencil, or some
small object that you would be willing to drop without giving it a second thought. Now, hold the ob-
ject in front of you and really grip it tightly. Pretend this is one of your limiting feelings and that your
hand represents your gut or your consciousness. If you held the object long enough, this would start
to feel uncomfortable yet familiar. Now, open your hand and roll the object around in it. Notice that
you are the one holding on to it; it is not attached to your hand. The same is true with your feelings.
Your feelings are as attached to you as this object is attached to your hand. We hold on to our feelings
and forget that we are holding on to them. Its even in our language. When we feel angry or sad, we
dont usually say, I feel angry, or I feel sad. We say, I am angry, or
I am sad. Without realizing it, we are misidentifying that we are the feeling. Often, we believe a
feeling is holding on to us. This is not true we are always able to let go and just dont know it. Now,
let the object go. What happened? You let go of the object, and it dropped to the floor. Was that
hard? Of course not. Thats what we mean when we say, Let go or release. You can do the same
thing with any emotion: choose to let it go.

Welcoming or Allowing the Emotion

Sticking with this same analogy: If you walked around with your hand open, wouldnt it be very
difficult to hold on to the pen or other object youre holding? Likewise, when you allow or welcome a
feeling, you are opening your consciousness, and this enables the feeling to drop away all by itself like
clouds passing in the sky or smoke passing up an open chimney flue. It is as though you are removing
the lid from a pressure cooker.

Diving into the Core of the Emotion

Now, if you took the same objecta pencil, pen, or pebbleand magnified it large enough, it
would appear more and more like empty space. You would be looking into the gaps between the
molecules and atoms. When you dive into the very core of a feeling, you will observe a comparable
phenomenon: Nothing is really there. As you master the process of releasing, you will discover that
even your deepest feelings are just on the surface. At the core you are empty, silent, and at peace,
not in the pain and darkness that most of us would assume. In fact, even our most extreme feelings
have only as much substance as a soap bubble. And you know what happens when you poke your fin-
ger into a soap bubble. It pops. Thats exactly what happens when you dive into the core of a feeling.

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Holistic Releasing
Lastly, as you focus on the object in your hand you will notice that it is defined by opposites. In other
words the reason you can perceive the object is because of the space around it. Without space there can
be no contents. When it comes to emotionally-based problems and feelings, they are defined or held
together by opposites as well. We have good and bad, right and wrong, happy and sad, and love and hate
to just name a few. When you welcome both sides of any of these pairs, as opposed to clinging to one
and resisting the other, you find that they both dissolve leaving you with the empty space that allows for
all experiencing. We call this fourth way of releasing Holistic Releasing.
Please keep these four analogies in mind as we go through the releasing process together.

Notes

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Explanation of the I Diagram

Our entire sense of limitation stems from identification with the thought I or me. When we were
born, we came in with certain tendencies. However, these tendencies did not lock in and bear the sting of
personal suffering until we believed we were the me or I to which everyone we knew kept referring.
In truth, we start out and never leave the stateless state of perfection that contains unlimited potential,
that is beyond all imagined limitations, thats in the background even right now. Any suffering we appear
to go through and all the limitations we appear to be bound by, are only an appearance in, or on that
which we are.
With the Method, we uncover the intuitive knowingness or space, like awareness that is just behind
our mind, which is just behind our feelings, which is just behind our troubles in life. Youve probably al-
ready noticed there is an increasing awareness of this unlimited potential as you explore the truth of who
or what you are.
The other thing to notice about the I Diagram is something quite obvious that most people miss.
If you look at the page it is printed on youll see that, although theres some writing on the page, too, its
mostly white space. Another way to look at our unlimited potential is how we look at the white space of
this page: most of it is already shining through, uncovered. Thats also true in our lives. The unlimited po-
tential that you are is always shining in plain view. As you use the Method, this will become more obvious.
An analogy for what were doing with the Method is taking an eraser to the remaining limitation thats
still on the page (thoughts, feelings, wants) and gradually eroding it or taking it away. Thats letting go.
Now, notice the letter I at the top of the page. It represents our limited sense of who we are: I,
Hale or I, your name. If we didnt believe it was real, and therefore believe in the programs that appear
to be attached to it, it would dissolve right back into the unlimited potential. In fact, limitation often does
dissolve throughout the day. But it would not keep coming back and hooking us without our belief in our
programmed thoughts, feelings, and wants.
Let us move down the chart now, item by item, to see where each fits in. As you can see, the deepest
want is the desire to be separate. Wanting to be separate comes from the sense of being an individual
apart from the presence of awareness. Remember, you can directly release on this want anytime you
choose.
The other three wants, which are right below wanting separation on the diagram, are wanting to sur-
vive as a body (a.k.a. wanting security), wanting approval, and wanting to control. Wanting security is based
on the assumption that we are the limited bodies we appear to inhabit. Even if you dont have any meta-
physical inclinations, I am sure you at least have a sense that theres more to life than the obvious. Thats
probably part of what attracted you to this course in the beginning. As Lester Levenson used to say The
body is the least of us, not the most of us. As you release, youll discover that maybe, just maybe, the body
isnt all you are. By letting go of your sense of wanting security or survival, youll begin to feel safer.
The second deepest program is the sense of wanting survival. Underneath that on the chart is the
sense of wanting approval. We believe that if everyone loves us, likes us, and cares about us, well be safe
and able to survive. We believe that somehow we need to get love and approval from outside of our-
selves. This is not true; and you have probably already discovered this for yourself. You will notice that in
letting go of wanting love or approval, you feel more loving, approved of, and approving. You will discover
that you already are the love that you had been seeking outside of yourself.

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Right underneath wanting approval on the chart is the sense of wanting to control. Sometimes
people dont approve of us in exactly the right way. They dont give us the right gift, the right compli-
ment, or theyre not being nice enough to us. You get the picture. Then, we want to control them
to get their approval in the way that wed prefer. Sometimes we give up on getting approval from a
particular person, or in a particular situation, or we sense an apparent threat that has nothing to do
with others or with love. In cases such as these, we want to control directlyinstead of for the sake
of approvalin order to be safe or survive as a body. Thats what the arrow connecting wanting to
control with wanting to survive as a body represents.
All four wants culminate in the nine emotional states discussed in our basic program: apathy,
grief, fear, lust, anger, pride, and the limited parts of courageousness, acceptance, and peace. Thats
why AGFLAP-CAP appears underneath wanting to control on the diagram. The feelings are what we
use to try to get approval, control, security, and oneness. Our feelings also motivate our thoughts.
In The Sedona Method, weve been focusing more on what we feel, than on what we think.
We do this because it is nearly impossible to make changes in your life solely by thinking positive
thoughts. If youve ever tried, you know it can be very difficult unless you deal with any apathy, grief,
fear, lust, anger, and pride you may be feeling, and the underlying wants.
What youve probably already noticed, however, is that your thinking naturally changes to the
positive as you start to release on any topic, feeling, or want. You dont have to try to think positively.
It just happens of its own accord. You dont have to effort at it. You dont have to try to do something.
It is plain to see that, to a degree, your thinking does color your perception of the world; and, if
youre willing to stretch a little bit, you might even see that it colors what actually happens in your
life. Here is a concrete example from sales. If youre a salesperson and have a positive attitudeyou
feel good about yourself and good about your productits easier to sell your product. Whereas if
youve had a bad day, experienced a series of rejections, or its been a long time since you made a
sale, it is difficult to make sales, because you feel progressively less positive. That is the time to re-
lease. As a result, your thinking will be increasingly positiveand so will your world.
Have you noticed that the emphasis in this program, unlike the emphasis of most self improve-
ment programs, has nothing to do with getting you to modify your behavior? Thats because people
naturally move in a positive direction through releasing. Lasting change, positive change, real change
comes from the inside out, not from trying to impose changes from the outside. Look to your past
experiences to verify this point. For instance, before you had the tools of the Method, you may have
been able to quit smoking temporarily, only to have the habit reassert itself. Or perhaps you replaced
smoking with overeating. Thus, in suppressing your urge, you possibly gained weight. The reason this
happens is that when you push down a tendency in one spot, it usually pops up somewhere else.
That is what most people and organizations do when they try to change from the outside in.
It is different when you fully release a tendency. When you change from the inside out, the
changes are lasting and theyre positive. Every change you make using the Method uncovers more of
the unlimited potential of who you are. We encourage you to ponder the I Diagram. Work with it.
Take it for checking. Dont believe it: prove it for yourself.
Please note: The 5th Way may contradict the last few paragraphs of this explanation. You may
discover throughout this course that you are not your thoughts or feelings and that they are merely
appearing in or on the presence of awareness that you are. In fact you may even discover that what
we call our world is merely an appearance in or on this knowing presence and has no independent
nature, nor is there anyone directing the show.

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Notes

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Notes

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A direct looking through the illusion of separation

with The 5th Way
The 5th Way of releasing is not really a way at all. It is an open, spontaneous inquiry into what is
naturally present here and now. It is also a seeing through of what appears to be here. And that which
appears to be here, for most of us, is merely an interpretation, label or story based on what was. This
story includes the assumption that there is actually a me and a you that are somehow independent
and separate from each other.
The bottom line of what you are is what is actually here and now; as you recognize this, two things
become obvious:

First, that the separate me with its story of suffering is not true, and
What is here is simply here. And it is simply the truth of what you are.

Allow yourself to explore this without forcing, and do this from your direct experience in this mo-
ment, as opposed to from memory, or what you think should be experienced. Also, know that what you
are exploring is really not a technique, but a direct looking through the illusion of separation to the simple
presence that is what you are and is what your client is as well.

Remember, it is not about the words

What you are is beyond all words. Words are just symbols pointing to objects. Most of us live in a
mental world believing that this world and these thoughts are actually a real reflection of what is. What
you are is aware of, yet unaffected by, all words and all thoughts. Another way of saying this is, the word
is never the thing. And no thing has any independent nature apart from the presence of awareness that
you are. So, what we think we are is not us because all words, all thoughts, are simply what we call the
mind. What we are contains the mind, but can never be contained by it.
The thoughts I and me are not who we are. When that is recognized, it has a profound influence
on the way life is experienced. It is very hard to take our supposed problems seriously or to cling to them
when we realize that they are notand, in fact, nothing isactually personal. At the same time, we need
to use language to communicate, so there is no advantage in any attempt to not use words or to modify
your language in any way. When we modify our language we are only looking at the surface and can miss
what is always shinning in plain view before, during and after every word.
Even though we will be using words in this course, it has nothing to do with the words. At the same
time, this manual has lots of words you can use as pointers. Treat them as jumping off points only, not the
gospel of what is right or wrong in supporting yourself in your inquiry. Dont take my word for anything in
this course. Use your own intuitive knowingness as your guide.

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You are already awareness

As you work with yourself please remember that you are already presence awareness. Because
of this, it does not have to take a long time for someone to recognize the truth of who they are. It can
happen with just one question. This is not to say that everyone will find it this easy to be self-obvious
to themselves; however, be open to this possibility.
As you do this work remember nothing needs to change for you to be what you already are. This
means thoughts including the I thought, and feelings including all emotions may continue and this
does not mean you did not get it.

The only difference between someone who knows who they are
and someone who does not is that the person who does know, knows
there is no difference. Sailor Bob Adamson

Emotions may continue to arise, with the difference being that attachment and aversion to what-
ever arises begins to drop away: and know that none of that is about you.

The false reference point of me

When you are looking to discover who you areor you appear to be lost in your story, the false
reference point of methere are many questions that you can be asked to help you rediscover or
recognize that which is beyond the story and any thought including the thought of me.
One of the simplest and most direct is:
In this moment, if you do not go into memory, can you actually find this me that ____?
Whatever your mind has just presented as who you are, or what you are thinking, feeling, or experi-
encing can be added to the composition of the question.
I have yet to have anyone find a me in this moment. For most people, this brings their minds to
a complete stop, and they are then resting as the presence that they have always been.
Many people, rather than allow themselves to remain at rest, re-identify with the false reference
point of me after some time of enjoying this rest. Most also find that the sense of ease and rest
never fully leaves, even when it appears that presence is being obstructed by the re-emergence of
this false reference point of me.
Remember, this is OK. Since we are not doing any of this, when presence is ready, this back and
forth between what is false and what is real will simply drop away by itself. In the words of Nisarga-
datta Maharaj, There can be progress only in the preparation. Realization is sudden. The fruit ripens
slowly, but falls suddenly and without return.
Either way, when you examine the truth of who you are, or support others in doing the same,

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know that what you and what they are never comes or goes. What does come and go cannot be who you
are by its very nature because it comes and goes. What you are is that which is aware and unmoving with
all coming and going.
Nisaragadatta Maharaj put it this way: You are the Beingness in being, the awareness in conscious-
ness and the interest in every experience
If the false reference point does reappear, this does not mean that you have done something wrong;
it only means the habit has not completely dropped away. Simply continue to remind yourself of what is
actually here now or use any of the other tools that are outlined in this manual, as well as any of the other
tools that make up The Sedona Method.
In my experience, the presence that you are is always here and now, and has always been. This pres-
ence is the background on or in which all experiencing appears, including any of the apparent help you
are giving to others.
Presence can also be called knowingness because it is the cognizing emptiness that al-
lows for all experiencing. This knowingness that we are, is closely associated with thinking. Think-
ing, when colored by the belief in the false reference point of me, is limited, but as that dis-
solves, what is revealed is the direct knowingness that is always here and now. Thinking also gets
quieter and more aligned with our natural knowingness, which then shines through the mind as
clear reason and intuitive knowing, and infuses the body with a sense of energy and aliveness.

It is also helpful to add, If there is no me in this moment, is it possible that there has never been one?
And, What is actually here now? Please note this question will be explored in greater detail later on in
this manual.
Here is how you can explore this in relationship to your feelings and problems:
When you appear to be lost in a feeling or a story from the past, or you simply would like to support
yourself in seeing through the illusion of me, ask yourself, Whose feeling or story is this?If you are
identified with the false center, the answer will be mine. If you are not identified with the false sense of
me, which may happen at any time, there may be an experience of no one and no thing taking delivery
or claiming ownership of what is being experienced. If this happens, just allow yourself to rest as that and
know that further questioning is not required.
If the answer is mine, then ask yourself, In this moment, if you do not go into memory, can you
actually find this me?
You can also ask: Does this feeling or story actually belong to anyone? This question will often cut
through any illusion of the personal and allow you to notice that what you are is not bound by, or even in
relationship with any thought, feeling or story no matter how compelling.
When there is not identification, you can also follow it up with, If there is no me in this moment, is
it possible that there has never been one?Could you allow yourself to rest as that?

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What is actually here now?

What is actually here now? This simple question is designed to point you away from memory
and away from labels to what is actually here and now. Most of the time we are more interested in
what was and what might be, and our stories about who we believe we are, and our supposed prob-
lems, than what is actually here now.
As you explore what is here now, you will discover wonderful qualities about what is. What is,
actually is, as opposed to what we imagine, which can only be past and future. Its like eating a meal
compared to gnawing on the menu. Because it simply is, it requires nothing from us at all.
What also can happen as you explore this question is that the mind or thinking may provide all
sorts of answers based on concepts, beliefs, memories and labelswhich, by their very nature, can-
not be here now except as memory. As this happens, simply ask yourself to welcome whatever arises
and then ask the question again, What is actually here now? or If you look through that what is
actually here now? Stay with this line of questioning until the mind no longer has any answers. This
can happen very rapidly even from one or two questions.
Once you feel complete, check to see if it is possible that the Beingness or presence that is more
obvious in this moment has always been here. In my experience, what we are is always present, but
almost always ignored.
What you will notice when the mind ceases to answer is the universal presence of awareness
that you are that needs no description to be. You will also notice an absence of the sense of a sepa-
rate individual in the experiencing that is happening now.
Is that actually here now? This question is similar to the question: What is actually here now?
It can be used alternatively with that question, except that it is designed to be used in response to
the mind when it asserts a belief or problem that you are struggling to let go of, or dis-identify with.
If you appear to be telling yourself a story about what you are, simply ask this question and
notice what happens. In most cases, this helps us discover that our stories are about what was, not
what is. When we recognize this, it becomes much easier to let go of what was and rest as what is.

Are you?
A great starting or ending place for any releasing session when you are wanting to explore the
truth of who or what you are is this simple question: Simply ask, Are you? and give yourself a mo-
ment to rest as the answer to that simple question. Then ask, Could you allow that to be enough?
Keep asking these questions until you find that the mind no longer feels the need to answer and you
are aware of the rest that you are.
Once the mind is done, you can also add: What is aware that you are? or Could you allow
yourself to rest as that which is aware that you are? This can open you even further to true self-
recognition, even though, of course, there is no where to go.
Allow this to happen naturally without forcing, and do this from your direct experience as op-

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posed to from memory, or what you think should be experienced.
You can also use the classic self-inquiry question, What are you? Lester Levenson always preferred
the question of what to who. He knew that what we are is not personal and when we ask who it
appears to direct us towards a person. This question is designed to do the same thing as all other 5th Way
questions: point to the absence of separation and the presence that you are now. By asking that ques-
tion, sometimes the mind will simply stop and rest and you will become more self-obvious to yourself or
the mind will provide an answer. If the mind provides an answer, continue with the question: If you are
not that, what are you? or If you are beyond that what are you? or If you are more than that what
are you?

Here are some other questions that can be used for this type of inquiry:

What is here before, during and after thinking?

What is that which never changes?

What is that which is beyond both everything and nothing?

What is that which needs nothing to be?

What is that which is always effortlessly present?

What is that which was never born nor will ever die?

What is that which is aware of everything, yet is unaffected by anything?

What is that which needs no words to be?

What is that which needs no form to be?

What is that which needs no place to be?

What is that which is beyond the need for help?

What is that which has never done anything?

What is that which is the same everywhere?

What is beyond all concepts?

What is beyond both being and non-being?

What is beyond both everything and nothing?

What is beyond both here and there?

What is that which needs no concepts to be?

What is that which has no beginning, middle or end?

What is that which is beyond all time and space?

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Integrating the basic Method

Remember that you can always switch to the basics of the Method if you are getting a little stuck.
You can also use the following alternatives.
If you are wanting to change anything you can ask:
Are you wanting to change that?
Could you let go of wanting to change that?
Can you find the one who wants to change that?
Does that need to change for you to be who or what you are?
All three lines of questioning point to the presence that you are which is acceptance itself.

Working with the wants

If you are wanting to control, you can ask:
Could you let go of wanting to control?
Can you find the one who wants to control?
If all is well and unfolding as it should, what need is there for wanting control?
Is there actually anyone in control or any actual controlling person here?
Does the thought me actually have any control?
If everything is unfolding as it should, what need is there for wanting control?

If you are wanting approval, you can ask:

Could you let go of wanting approval?
Can you find the one who wants approval?
Is there actually anyone here separate from the love that you are?
Can the thought me actually gain or lose approval?

If you are wanting survival, you can ask:

Could you let go of wanting survival?
Can you find the one who wants survival?
Is there actually anyone here who can live or die?

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Can the thought me actually live or die?

If you are wanting separation, you can ask:

Could you let go of wanting to be separate?
Can you find the one who wants to be separate?
Is there actually anyone here who can be separate?
Can the thought me actually be separate from the presence of awareness that
you are?

If you are wanting to be one, you can ask:

Could you let go of wanting to be one?
Can you find the one who wants to be one?
Is there actually anyone here who can be one?
Can the thought me actually be one with the presence of awareness that you are?

Truth is that which never changes

Truth is that which never changes. Lester Levenson

This statement is a great clue to use when working with yourself with The 5th Way. Our stories, ideas,
thoughts, feelings, experiences, even our body and persona are always changing; therefore, they can not
be true. You can gently remind yourself of this by asking Is that something that has never changed?
or Has that ever changed? or Are you that changing _____or are you that which never changes?
Often you will see right away that if that has changed, you cannot be that, but are instead the change-
less background or that which is aware, yet unaffected by all that changes, including that particular thing.
If the answer is yes, it has always been that way, then look more deeply at this until you can see that it has
changed. Simply seeing that it has changed is often a breakthrough. Seeing that it has not always been
this way will help lessen your suffering, even if you are not aware in this moment of that which never
changes.

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You are already beyond all the spinning

Often, even after you have clearly seen through the illusion of a separate, independent entity or
self-center called me, and you are feeling the relief that comes with the knowingness of what you
are,there may still be a momentum behind the old habit patterns. These habit patterns manifest as
apparently conflicting sounds, sensations and pictures in awareness based on what wasand appear
to be fighting with each otherfighting to influence, control or somehow affect the space in which
they appear, the space that makes their very existence possible.
This process looks a little like the old cartoons where the dog and the cat are having a wild fight,
but all you can see is fur, smoke and pawswhirling around each other.This whirl of energyappears to
influence behavior, appears to make decisions, appears to influence how we experience the living-
ness that is now. It also gives the illusion of some remaining self-center that can be affected. Does
space need the protection or influence of whirling energies; can space be affected?
This, of course, can simply be seen through and often is seen through: now, now, and now.
What also can be doneor may simply happen spontaneouslyis that these habit patterns or
vortexes of energy from the past can be welcomed fully as one vortex of energy spinning in or on the
presence of awareness that you are. This naturally causes them to dissolve, which may look, sound,
and feelsomething like this:
A particular habit pattern is noticed in consciousness and appears to demand your attention.
There is then a welcoming of the pictures, sensations and sounds that arise in or as this pattern,
which can be encouraged using the question: Can you welcome all the pictures, sounds and sensa-
tions that are attached or arising with that? There is also a welcoming of the labels, stories, judg-
ments, conclusionsconcepts that arise with or as this spin of energy. You can use this question to
encourage that: Could you welcome all the labels, stories, judgments, conclusions, concepts that
arise with or as that?
It is also helpful to include welcoming of any desire to do anything with this spin, including want-
ing get rid of it, change it, understand it, wanting to hold onto it or make it real. You can use this
question: Could you allow yourself to welcome any desire to do anything with this spin, including
wanting get rid of it, change it, understand it, wanting to hold onto it or make it real? Even (or
especially) the wanting to do something with it can be recognizedas more of the same spin.
Since ultimately all spins could not be maintained without the belief in the me and the other,
it is also helpful to welcome any feeling or sense that this whole belief, memory or problem is about
me or who I am all identification. You can ask yourself Could you welcome any feeling that this is
about you or who you are?
Then, the welcoming itself is welcomed, and the whole spin is simply allowed to have its own
momentum. As this happens, the spin stops being fed by the individual and it dissolves of its own
accord. And, at any moment, there can be a noticing that this whole spin has no center or is about
no one. This recognition can be encouraged with the question: Could you welcome any remaining
sense of believing this is about a you? You can also ask Can you find a center to this whole thing
or is it empty? or Is this whole thing actually about anyone? If you look through this whole spine
what is actually here now?

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Challenging false identities

One of the questions that is designed to help you break up the hypnosis of identity is: Are you
that____? This can be expressed as: are you that thought, that feeling, that experience, that concept,
that belief, or that identity. Basically, you fill in the blank. When you ask yourself that question, it natu-
rally points you back to the direct seeing of what actually is now. Each time we discover that what we are
is not any of these objects, we naturally notice that we are already at rest as the ultimate subject and
beyond.
This can be especially helpful if you appear to be lost in a story. You can simply ask: Are you that
story? Or, if they are lost in a feeling, you can ask them, Are you that feeling? If the answer to any of
these questions is no, then disengagement from that identity happens all by itself. If the answer is yes,
then you can simply ask yourself to check if this is actually true. If you still feel like its true, then you can
pursue various alternative lines of questioning, depending on how you are intuitively guided.
You can always redirect your attention back to the basics of releasing by asking yourself, Are you
wanting to change that in this moment you feel identified with that? and Could you let go of want-
ing to change that? You can also simply switch your approach to any of the other alternate lines of
questioning, including the most simple: Can you find the one in this moment who believes they are
that_______?

Some other questions along this line are:

Are you that, or are you that which is aware yet unaffected by that?
Are you a memory or are you that which is aware yet unaffected by memory?

Action as the functioning of the One

One of the apparent causes of suffering or of believing in the reality of the separate me is the belief
in the individual doer. In addition to simply encouraging yourself to check to see if you can actually find a
doer in this moment, there are several other ways to explore this belief.
You can use these questions:
Did I just do that or did it merely happen?
Did I just think that or did a thought merely arise in awareness?
Did I just choose that or did an apparent choice merely happen?
Did you try to have that experience or thought or did it merely happen?

As you explore this, you can discover that all action is spontaneous or simply part of the functioning
of the One.

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There are no boundaries

One of the places where we get stuck in the illusion of the separate person is in believing this
person is apart from or separate from others. When this is examined based on what is actually being
experienced now, this illusion can be seen through quite naturally.
One way of exploring this is to invite yourself to see if you can find these imaginary boundaries.
Questions that can be helpful for this are: Can you find a place where awareness ends and that
begins? Can you find a place where that ends and awareness begins? That can refer to any
physical, mental or emotional object.
If you are open to this you can discover that the body, of course, has boundaries, but what you
are does not. All objects have no independent nature apart from the presence of awareness that is
here now.

Is that attached to anything or anyone?

Part of what keeps the illusion of the separate individual alive and well is our belief or habit of
thinking that our thoughts, feelings and experiences are actually attached to or referring to someone.
Explore whether or not this is true. You can use the simple questions of either: Is that attached to
anything or anyone? or Is that actually referring to anything or anyone? You can also use the
question, of course, Can you find the one that feeling, thought or experience appears to be refer-
ring to?

Rest
What you are is naturally unmoving or always at rest. You can end your releasing sessions or
individual series of inquiries or releases by giving yourself time to rest as that which you are. You can
use this simple question of: Can you allow yourself to rest as that? or simply be what you are in
silence.

All of the questions in this manual are just jumping off points to get the ball rolling as you work
with The 5th Way. Follow your heart or your intuitive knowingness, and know that all is well.

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Notes

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Partner Work
We may or may not do all the exercises in this section. However, they are all included here to
support you in continuing the exploration that we have begun together.

Instructions for Partner Work

Be there with, and for, your partners as best you can. Grant your part-
ners their Beingness by allowing them to have their own explorations. As
you facilitate your partners in releasing, also do your best to let go and be as
open and present as you can. You will find that this happens naturally if you
are open to it. Refrain from leading your partners, judging their responses,
or giving them advice. Also refrain from discussing the explorations until
you have both completed them, and you have spent a few minutes in si-
lence. Be sure to validate your partners points of view, even if these do not
agree with your own.
Please refrain from playing the role of counselor or therapist, even if
you are a trained counselor or therapist. If your partner brings up a medi-
cal condition that would ordinarily require the care of a trained medical
professional, recommend that he or she get whatever professional sup-
port is needed in this area. If you are not sure whether or not your part-
ner truly needs medical support, you can recommend that he or she seek
professional medical attention, just to be sure.

Enough
How has _________ appeared to either not have enough or not be enough?

Could you welcome whatever that brings up inside of you?

Could you welcome any and all wanting associated with that including any wanting to fix,
change, hold onto or control that?

Could you also welcome any sense that that is personal, who you are, or about you?

Could you let go of wanting to believe you either do not have enough or are not enough
again?

Could you rest as that which is now and has always been whole, complete and enough
exactly as it is?

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Believe its personal

What did ______ believe was personal?

Could you welcome that?

Could you welcome any and all wanting associated with that including any wanting to fix, change,
hold onto or control that?

Could you welcome any sense that this is about you or who you are?

Could you let go of wanting to make that personal?

Could you be open to the possibility that nothing is personal?

Could you rest as that which is beyond the personal and the impersonal?

Pretending to be the doer

How has _____ appeared to be the doer?

Could you allow yourself to welcome that?

Could you welcome any wanting to do anything with that?

Could you welcome any sense that that is personal, about you or who you are?

Could you let go of wanting to pretend that you are the doer again?

Could you be open to the possibility that you have never done anything?

Could you rest as that which is beyond both doing and non-doing that simply is?

Enlightenment belief
What did _______ believe was freedom, enlightenment or awakening?

Could you welcome that concept, experience or memory?

Could you welcome any wanting to do anything with that?

Could you welcome any sense that that is personal, about you or who you are?

Could you let go of wanting to believe that again?

Could you let go of waiting for that to appear in order for you to be what you already are?

Could you rest as that which needs no memory, concept or belief to Be?

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Maintaining suffering
What was _______ s favorite routine for maintaining suffering and separation?

Could you welcome that memory or story?

Could you welcome any resistance or wanting to change that routine?

Could you also welcome any sense that this routine is about you or makes you special?

Could you let go of wanting to maintain suffering or separation in that way again?

Are you that which needs no maintenance to Be?

Could you rest as that which needs no maintenance to Be?

Exist in time
How has ______ appeared to exist in time?

Could you welcome that?

Could you let go of wanting to identify with what was or what might be?

Could you be open to the possibility that you are only NOW?

Are you that which is only NOW, beyond time?

Could you rest at that which is only NOW, beyond time?

Body-mind belief
How has ______ bought into the belief I am the body/mind?

Could you welcome that?

Could you welcome any wanting to do anything with that?

Could you welcome any sense that that is personal, about you or who you are?

Could you let go of wanting to buy into that belief again?

Could you be open to the possibility that you are not now and have never been the body/mind?

Are you that which needs no body/mind to Be?

Could you rest as that which needs no body/mind to Be?

Could you allow yourself to look through the body/mind and notice what is actually here now?

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Seeking/striving
How has ______ been seeking what he/she already is?

Could you welcome all seeking or striving?

Could you welcome any wanting to stop or hold onto the seeking or striving?

Could you welcome any sense that seeking or striving is personal, about you or who you are?

Could you let go of all seeking or striving in this moment?

Do you actually need to seek or strive in order to be what you already are?

Could you allow yourself to look through all seeking and striving and allow yourself to notice
what is already and always here now?

Always been
What is the advantage/disadvantage in accepting and knowing that you have always been, and
are now that which you were seeking?

Could you welcome whatever comes up in response to this questionalong with all wanting?

Could you allow yourself to simply let go?

Could you allow yourself to look through all seeking or striving and to the HOME that is right here
right now?

Could you allow yourself to welcome yourself back to the HOME you have never left?

Notes

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Notes

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Notes

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World Peace Begins Within

At our core, every human being contains the seed for world peace within them. This seed for
world peace is our own presence of awareness or intuitive knowingness. In most of us, our aware-
ness appears to be covered over by many layers of contrary beliefs, attitudes, thinking and feeling.
We often treat these coverings as though they are who we are and as though they are the truth,
thereby forgetting that we can simply let them go.
This article explores a few of the key perspectives and processes that you can use to dissolve,
see through, or let go of these obstructive beliefs, thoughts and feelings. These inner actions, when
done in combination with positive external action, can make a huge difference in the outcome of our
efforts to save this beautiful planet.

Be For the Solution and Let Go of the Problem

Since our world is a reflection of what we think and feel, what we resist or oppose grows stron-
ger. We create our reality based on what the mind can picture. If youre anti-war, for instance, what
you are picturing is war, not peace. So, the best way to support any cause is to be for the solution,
rather than being opposed to the problem. As you take action toward supporting world peace, hold
in mind what you would like to achieve. If you find your mind fighting the problem, do your best to
let go of the fight and refocus on your desired outcome.
Using world peace as an example, you can use these questions taken from The Sedona Method:
Am I fighting or resisting war in this moment? Could I welcome whatever feeling this brings up within
me? Could I let go of this feeling of fight or resistance? Would I let it go? When?

Dissolve Your Hate

To the degree we hate anyone, we hate everyone. If we feel darkness in our hearts, we tend to
project and attract that into our world. We then feel like we have to fight with our world in order
to accomplish positive change. The more we feel like we have to wage war for peace, the more we
create the opposite in our experience. It is critically important that we work on our own inner land-
scape in addition to working on the outer landscape to create lasting peace on earth. The best way
to do this is to let go of fear, frustration, hate, doubt, or whatever inner obstacles you may be facing
personally as you strive to do good. As you let go, you will naturally uncover the peace that is at your
core, and youll find that the outer opposition melts away as well.
You can use these Holistic Releasing questions to assist you. Ask the following two questions in
succession several times and allow these two opposing energies to dissolve into each other. Could I
allow myself to feel as hateful as I do? Could I allow myself to feel as loving as I do? Continue to ask
these two questions one after the other until you feel your inner peace and love shinning through.

Become Transparent
As you move to help others, you may experience opposition as the world appears to push back.
This can take the form of others resisting or doubting your efforts, acting threatened by you, or your

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own difficulty in following through on positive actions. In order not to collapse under this intense pres-
sure, it is important to learn to become as transparent as you can to these turbulent energies as they
appear to come at you.
Our reflex when challenged in this way is to contract, shut down, protect ourselves or simply push
harder. When we protect ourselves in this manner, we are merely holding in the pain and suffering. Even
though it is counter intuitive, the safest and most effective thing you can do when being challenged is to
let go of whatever feelings this brings up within you. Open inside and become as transparent as possible.
Transparency is whats here naturally when you dont erect artificial walls around you.
As you become transparent, you will discover that you actually feel safer and have more energy to
support positive change. This allows you to act from what you know is best in each situation, rather than
getting caught in defensive reacting.
If you find yourself shutting down or burning out, simply ask yourself: Could I welcome whatever is
being experienced in this moment? Could I also welcome any wanting to do anything with this experi-
ence? By welcoming what you are experiencing, you naturally open, let go, and allow these energies to
pass through your awareness.

Lasting Peace Is Beyond Belief

Recognize that the solution is beyond our beliefs. Most of us find that we get lost in or identify with
our beliefs, both positive and negative. When we come across a belief in the world that we feel is destruc-
tive to the planet or ourselves, we tend to oppose the belief by trying to construct a positive belief in its
stead. However, if you allow yourself to explore this, you will see that these opposing beliefs spar with
each other, feeding each other and keeping conflict alive.
The best solution is to go beyond belief. This supports yourself and others in trusting their own direct
knowingness rather than any belief. This helps us to allow everyone to believe what they choose and
creates the opening to move beyond belief to our inner intuitive knowingness and trust in our positive
thoughts and deeds. This knowingness that we are is a very powerful place from which to create positive
change.
If you find yourself slipping into defending or attacking a belief, first remember that your beliefs are
not who you are, nor are the beliefs of others who they are. Then, as best you can, let go of the desire to
defend your beliefs and attack the beliefs of others.
If you find yourself getting stuck in defending a belief, you can ask yourself: Could I allow myself to
welcome this belief? Could I let go of wanting to defend, justify, explain or prove it to myself or others?
Could I let go of wanting to believe that again? If you find yourself feeling compelled to challenge others
beliefs, you can ask yourself: Could I allow myself to let to of wanting to attack, discredit, argue with or
disprove this belief? Could I grant this person or group the right to believe as they do?

Break Free of the Ego

As you have been discovering in this seminar, true peace is beyond the individual. As long as we be-
lieve that we are separate from others, we feel unsafe and need to fight for our own survival in a hostile
world. This prevents us from supporting an inner and outer environment of peace. The best way to go
beyond this artificial sense of separation is to examine our basic assumptions about ourselves.

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In this moment, see if you can actually find the me if you do not go into memory. If you are
open to it, you will discover that in this moment there is no separate me at all.
You can also ponder simple questions like: Am I the body or am I that which is aware of the body?
Am I the thoughts I think, or am I that which is aware of thinking? Am I this body or is the body an
appearance in or on the awareness that I am?
As you ponder these questions, examine your basic assumptions, and are open, you may just
discover that what you are is not a separate person, but rather the presence of awareness in or on
which the thought of me appears. As you discover that you are not actually separate, you feel safe
and at peace within, which translates naturally into positive outward action that supports the whole.
You become the living embodiment of peace.
I highly encourage you to explore these simple shifts in consciousness in order to bring the peace
that is at your core into your moment by moment experience. The more energy you put into explor-
ing these positive inner actions, the more you will find that your outward actions bear more fruit, and
you will also find that your own experience of living will change dramatically for the better.
As we practice loving kindness and compassion in the world in order to give inner peace a chance,
remember it is also important to let go of whatever is inside of us that is obscuring the peace that
is already within. By letting go, we allow the flower of peace to bloom in our hearts and take root in
the world.

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Share this Message with People Who Are Open to It

I hope you agree that the message and processes in this seminar can truly help the world. Imagine
a world where people are letting go of the past and living and loving in the present moment. Imagine a
world where conflicts are resolved through discussion and releasing, as opposed to violence and aggres-
sion. Imagine a world where everyone lets go of their non-love feelings and uncovers their true loving
nature. Imagine a world that supports people in being themselves. This is the world I envision as an in-
creasing number of people learn to release and love what is.
If you support this vision, I encourage you to share this work with anyone you think can benefit from
the message it contains.
In a sudden rush of enthusiasm, however, please dont be like the youths in the following story. In a
Boy Scout meeting, two teenage friends are reporting their good deeds for the week to their scoutmaster.
First one gets up and reports that hes helped an old lady across the street. Then the next gets up and re-
ports that hes helped the same old lady across the street. The scoutmaster looks puzzled and asks them,
Why did it take both of you to help the same old lady across the street? In unison they reply, Thats
because she didnt want to go.
When many of us feel enthusiastic about a particular concept, we can become a little overzealous
about sharing it. Please do not cram this down anyones throat. Allow yourself to share releasing and the
truth you have discovered for yourself only with those people who are open and interested.
On the other hand, people may be more interested than you might credit them with being at first.
Anyone who has a sincere desire to change or improve his or her life, and has even a little willingness to
do something about it, can benefit from The Sedona Method. We invite you to join us in sharing a mes-
sage of possibility and freedom with the world.

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Notes

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Notes

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2010 by Sedona Training Associates and Sedona Press
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info@sedona.com www.sedona.com 2010 by Sedona Training Associates