At first, acceptance can seem hypocritical, for instance:

“How can you state that nothing is either good or bad when there clearly are good and bad things?!”

After solid reflection, I’ve discovered a mental model that solves this dilemma:

The three levels of acceptance (plus also attention/awareness), and how to move up the ladder.

Level 0

Level 0 is pure unconsciousness. You don’t know what is going on and are completely run by reactions

For example: imagine an angry person who shouts back “I’M NOT ANGRY”. This person is not aware of his emotions.

Level 1

In this level you know what is happening but you do not have the power to stop it.

This is where most people are, slightly aware of their reactions and insufficiencies but cannot get rid of them. From mere slip ups to brutal addictions.

On level 1, nothing is good or bad but just is. Judging your actions here backfires. For example, pointing out the bad effects of smoking leads to more smoking.

Instead, accept what you are doing fully. If you have a cigarette in hand, acknowledge its being and what you feel. If you feel unhappy, fully embrace it and express it.

Because when you do it, you will sooner or later find yourself in level 2

Level 2

On level 2, things can be good and bad. After all, smoking and negative emotions are detrimental for your health.

But, and this is important, in this level, you have the power to stop this behavior. You stop it by simply letting go, like dropping hot coal or a heavy suitcase.

You will know that you reached level 2 when it becomes effortless to change. You have accepted your situation enough so it does not cause inner conflict.

Level 3

In this society, level 3 acceptance is very rare. When you are this much awake, all negative reactions and behaviors are not created anymore.

Instead you feel a deep, grounded peace in your whole body all the time, combined with intense joy sometimes. This is the ultimate level of human existence.

But if you are like 99.99999% of people, you don’t need to be concerned with level 3 yet. Just know what you can expect when you grow in acceptance power and awareness.

How to reach the higher levels

In the last post, I introduced the two opposite directions: acceptance and resistance. The more you resist what happens right now, the lower you fall. Conversely, the more you accept, the greater your power becomes.

So next time you see a bad behavior in yourself or other people, do not judge it yet. You are not aware enough to stop it. Instead, embrace it fully, like you have chosen it. Sooner or later, it will effortlessly vanish.

In addition, depending on your energy levels, time of day, circumstances etc, these levels change. You might reach level 2 on some days but fall back to 0 on others. This is normal and expected.

Just continue to accept and pay attention to what you see, hear and feel at this very moment, and you will be in your power.

The 3 Levels Of Acceptance - How To Ascend Them And End Suffering & Unhappiness (2/2)

At first, acceptance can seem hypocritical, for instance: “How can you state that nothing

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