Assess How Well You Fit In
Remove The Veils of Separation
The sense that we humans are separate from Nature is a mirage caused largely by what are metaphorically called the “veils of separation.” These “veils,” which are causes of the illusion of separation, occur because one’s understanding is limited by the small amounts of perceptions made available through the use of human eyes, ears, mouths, noses, thoughts, and feelings.
The veils of separation—we will discuss seven—are made of the false data one gathers from one’s deluded perceptions of the experience of life. These illusions are thus woven from the threads of one’s assumptions, decisions, and determinations.
Assess how well you fit in.
The process of removing the veils of illusion need not occur in a particular sequence. It matters only that, by the time the veils are removed, a sense of universal consciousness is remembered and one then naturally begins to think and behave on behalf of the whole (which includes the natural environment and the individual self).
The sense that we humans are separate from Nature is a mirage caused largely by what are metaphorically called the “veils of separation.”
The first veil makes one seek to conform to one’s tribe at the expense of one’s unique individuality. With this veil one forgets that life is created in divine perfection and that everything is part of a perfect plan. The Heartwood Path is designed to strip away this veil by the end of this course.
The second veil causes one to forget one’s authentic identity, which is one’s individuality and one’s own unique emotional repertoire. Course Four: Ecos of the Heartwood Path is designed to help course participants remember and fortify their own spiritual essence—their own uniqueness. This illusion of separation is removed by anchoring one’s uniqueness.
By the time the veils of illusion (separation) are removed, one naturally begins to think and behave on behalf of the whole.
The third veil of separation makes one see the world primarily only as solid objects in a “real world.” Against this apparent rigidity one feels powerless. This veil is removed by the discussions in the fourth Heartwood Path course that informs the participant of the reality behind the surfaces of the real world, such as the spiritual aspects of Nature, Nature’s unseen powers, and appropriate power-producing rites used in Mother Earth Spirituality (such as the use of totems, sweat lodges, and medicine wheels).
The fourth veil of separation, created by feelings and emotions that have not been healed and released, masks one’s ability to relate profoundly to another. Creating a common and valued pattern of behavior wherein such feelings and emotions can be healed and released is a key components of the fifth Heartwood Path course—“Ethos: Acquiring Valued Traits from Nature.” This course helps to lift the fourth veil by helping participants acquire traits that are valued highly in one’s culture.
Once the will is bolstered one is able to speak out and act more clearly, creatively, and forcefully.
The fifth veil masks one’s individual belief system, thoughts, theories, hypothesis, and mental computations. This masking occurs as one, over time, gives in to the dualistic beliefs, judgments, and unworkable learned patterns of behavior absorbed from one’s family and peers. As one develops one’s own will—including the will to differentiate oneself from one’s family or peers—one is completing the set of assignments described in detail in later courses. The result is a course participant who has appropriately stripped away incorrect conclusions or false ideas so that the individual will can act forcefully and unencumbered. Once one has bolstered one’s will one is able to speak out and act more clearly, creatively, and forcefully. This veil of illusion is lifted as one gets in better touch with one’s own individual intentions.
The sixth veil of illusion blocks one’s access to other worlds, other realities, other time periods, and other dimensions of awareness. Ways to remove this veil of illusion are included in the Nocturnal Pilgrimage sections, especially where dream interpretation helps readers access the vast reaches of human and universal consciousness.
To assess how well you fit in, commune with nature and determine if your work improves the world, determine if your companions look out for you, determine if you have friends outside of work, and determine your trust in your supervisor.
The seventh veil of illusion is created by one’s sense of individuality, rigid ideas of one’s identity, and an inability to experience oneness. Such illusions are taxing; and they are reasons why people procrastinate, become inactive, or fail to persevere. Those who follow the Heartwood Path’s recommendation to find enchantment in everyday life—the main topic of Course Eight: Remeos—lower this veil and, therefore, are able to continue to serve others without crashing.
Such service depends, in part, on your social fitness. Take a moment to assess this aspect of your life in the following activity.
