“From the Ancient Wisdoms to Quantum Physics,
It's All About the Energy!”
Lessons and Tests©
Dennis L. Dossett
(All Rights Reserved)
Over the past month I have been asked questions about “Lessons and Tests” by several of my clients. There seems to be a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding about this subject, much of it accompanied by an underlying sense of fear about “passing” tests and one’s “failure” to learn lessons. This has happened frequently enough that I’m taking it as a signal from the Universe that the time has come to discuss these topics in this month’s blog.
What Is a “Lesson?”
First, let’s state the (to me, at least) obvious: Life lessons are always about soul evolution—the opportunity to grow into a better version of yourself. And why do I emphasize the word, “opportunity?” The reason is that we always have the choice to face our fears and walk (sometimes “limp” seems more accurate) our way through a lesson or to turn around and run as hard and fast as we can in the opposite direction. In short, soul evolution is always a choice. Sometimes we take the “opportunity” and “run with it,” and at other times we virtually “run away from it”—but the choice is always ours.
So what exactly is a “lesson?” A lesson is something you have chosen—before you incarnated—to learn in your current lifetime (for example, patience, letting go of fear, etc.). Lessons may be learned at any time during your life, but you are most likely to be presented with opportunities to do so when an associated planet returns to its original position in your natal chart or when its transits place it in a particular house or in strong aspect to another planet or energy point in your natal chart. The “opportunity” is simply an “energetic doorway” that opens before you with the invitation to enter—but it is always your choice as to how you respond.
Sometimes that “invitation to enter” feels like a “nudge” and sometimes it feels like you are being “thrown to the wolves.” But the fact is that lessons are not “imposed” on anyone. They are simply the recognition by the soul (YOUR soul) that it cannot continue its upward development (evolution) without balancing “negative” energy (actually only a lower vibrational frequency) or transforming it into a higher vibrational frequency and aligning it with your Higher Self. It’s what you came back to the earth plane to do. That’s why we are all here! The only reason why lessons generally feel so negative is that successfully learning them requires us to change—to get out of our comfort zone, to face our fears, to do something other than what we have been doing (generally for many lifetimes).
The excuse that, “I’m only human!” is nothing more than your unwillingness to take active steps toward becoming more in alignment with your Higher Self. In other words, resistance is just giving way (and giving in) to the Lower Self. That’s okay, no problem. Everyone is entitled to their own truth as well as the choice to advance in soul evolution in their own way and at their own pace. The lesson will remain for another time, another place, but it will remain. The only awkward thing is that an opportunity turned down (however temporarily) only creates an even stronger energy to overcome in the future. In other words, a lesson unlearned now will only be more difficult to deal with later. But it is your choice! Maybe another way to think about it is this: “How’s it working for you?” Enough said.
What Is a “Test?”
In one sense, learning lessons is a process of self-testing. Before incarnating, you (your Higher Self) chose to put your physical self in situations (reflected in your natal chart) that allow or trigger the opportunity to respond (with free will) either with wisdom (unconditional love—reflecting your Higher Self) or with fear, doubt, anger, etc. (reflecting your Lower Self). These opportunities are sometimes called “tests.” It has often been said that “life is a school.” So is there any difference between them?
• “The difference between school and life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.” ~ Tom Bodett (1955-; American author, voice actor, radio host, & humorist)
I think there is a lot of truth to that statement, but to me it still seems to miss the critical point in the phrase “you are given ….” because you are not “given!” To repeat, YOUR soul has simply recognized that it cannot continue its upward development (evolution) without learning “lessons” that would balance or transform “negative” energy, allowing you to align with your Higher Self. It’s not punishment, it’s what you came here to do.
I recently found a wonderful quote (wish I’d thought to phrase it this way first!):
• “The Universe is never testing you, it’s simply giving you an opportunity to practice all that you say you are.” ~ Maryam Hasnaa (Spiritual teacher & intuitive)
That’s it. A test is simply giving you an opportunity to practice to become a better version of yourself. And how do you get better at playing an instrument? Hitting a baseball? Writing a book? Being a more conscious and compassionate human being? Practice, Practice, PRACTICE! And it does take practice. Life isn’t about perfection, it’s about improvement!
When is a Lesson “Learned?”
You can tell if you have learned a lesson if your response to a given situation comes from a space of unconditional love. If it does not, then the Universe (in its infinite and unconditional love) will give you another “test”—an “opportunity”—to learn the lesson, to balance the energy. You may have heard from someone that you can expect to be tested 3 times to see whether you have really learned the lesson. Only 3 times doesn’t make any sense to me—at least not in my own experience. Is “passing” 3 times in succession a guarantee that the lesson is learned? What happens the next time you are in a slightly different situation and you “fail” the test? I can guarantee that I have presumably “passed a test” more than 3 times and I still don't always get it “right!”
The idea behind such statements is that, once you have “learned” the lesson, you don’t need to worry about it anymore. The truth is, you will be tested and retested as many times as it takes until you don’t have to think about it before responding. The lesson learned then just becomes part of “who you are,” not what you think you should do. Lessons learned are about “being,” not “doing.”
So stop worrying about “Lessons and Tests!”
• “Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don’t want.”
~ Abraham (Collective consciousness of Spirit as channeled by Esther Hicks; Asheville, NC, September 5, 1998)
• “Live each day as if it were your last. Do not worry about the future, do not be concerned about the past—you cannot change it, you cannot go backward. The future is yet to be created by you.” ~ Maitreya (Channeled by Margaret McElroy; Newsletter #20, September 9, 2001)
Every test/lesson is for your benefit! Every test/lesson is just a “practice session,” and when you reach the point at which your response comes from a space of unconditional love, you won’t worry about “what to do“ or whether you have “passed the test.” At that point your response will not actually appear to you as a choice at all—you just “are” what you have said you are for a long time. You “do” because of “who you have become.” No thinking is required and it wouldn’t even occur to you to do so.
So what is holding you back?
• “Often, even when we lay before you the opportunity to change, such as money, people, etc. to help you, you still cannot face your fear! You fear and worry about money, work, how you will cope, what will happen etc. instead of just trusting, letting go and walking the new path. Often the new path is and can be so much better than the old way, but you will never know because you have so much fear. Once you do face the fear, then you can change your whole life and soul pattern.” ~ Maitreya (Channeled by Margaret McElroy; Newsletter #166, November 2, 2005)
It’s just the Lower Self. Learn to detach from that and you will automatically “pass” so many “tests” it will make your head swim!
Have a great month!
Dennis