Dancing in the Light (50 page)

As the new physics and the ancient mystics now seemed to agree—when one observes the world and the beings within it, one sees that we are in fact only dancing with our own consciousness. Everything we feel, think, and act upon is interrelated with everything everyone else feels, thinks, and acts upon. We are
all
participating in the dance.

When I began to see the world with karmic consciousness, the knowledge that we all create our own paths of our own free will made me recognize the cosmic justice in everything. I understood that there was a purposeful good in all occurrences if I allowed them to provide a path of experience and understanding.

The total understanding and realization of my self might require eons for me to accomplish. But when that awareness is achieved, I will be aligned completely with that unseen Divine Force that we call God.

For me to deny that Divine Force now would be tantamount to denying that I exist.

I
know
that I exist, therefore I AM.

I
know
that the God-source exists. Therefore
IT IS.

Since I am part of that force, then
I AM
that
I AM.

To me, understanding spiritual principles is identical to understanding scientific principles. The two approaches to truth are searching for the same answer: What is God?

I believe that one day scientists and theologians will be sitting together on top of the same mountain of knowledge.

As far as my own life is concerned, my higher self is with me every moment. When I get in trouble, I consult with it. When I have a question, I direct my
inquiry to it. It is my teacher. It is the master of my soul. It is
me.

When I feel out of touch with it, I take the time to be peaceful and meditate until I am aligned with it again.

The flowing, nourishing, knowing awareness of my own being is as essential to me as air. I cannot prove its existence to anyone else. One has to experience it to know it.

When that happens, it is possible to understand the reason for life, why we do what we do. But more important than anything, in my experience the purpose for continuing is simply to understand SELF. The dance within and the dance without are intertwined. The Dance and the Dancer are One.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shirley MacLaine
was born and raised in Virginia. She began her career as a Broadway dancer and singer, then progressed to feature performer and award-winning actress of television and films. She traveled extensively on her own all over the world. Her experiences in Africa, India, the Far East, and Hollywood formed the basis for her first book,
“Don’t Fall Off the Mountain,”
which became a national bestseller, as did her subsequent books.
You Can Get There From Here
and
Out on a Limb.

DANCING IN THE LIGHT
A Bantam Book / October 1985
Bantam hardcover edition / October 1985
A selection of the Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club.
An excerpt of this book appeared in
Cosmopolitan
magazine, January 1986.
11 printings thru December 1985
Bantam paperback edition / November 1986

All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1985 by Shirley MacLaine.

This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission.
For information address: Bantam Books, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

MacLaine, Shirley, 1934–
    Dancing in the light.

    1. MacLaine, Shirley, 1934–          .    2. Entertainers—
United States—Biography.    3. Spiritualists—United
States—Biography.    I. Title.
PN2287.M18A32    1985         791.43′028′0924    [B185-47621

eISBN: 978-0-307-76506-2

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