Illusive Secrets 2: Embracing Your True Self

By James Patrick McDonald

In Illusive Secrets2: Embracing Your True Self, James P. McDonald continues his candid demonstration of the capacity self-honesty has to change our lives. Through each self-deception McDonald shares, he empowers us to look at our own lives with transformative honesty and tempts us to find the small measure of willingness needed to meet our true self. If we want peace and happiness, this book is the perfect tool to help on our journey toward the uninterrupted experience of love.

As with the first Illusive Secrets, this second book is effective as a stand-alone daily guide or in conjunction with the first book. In either application, both inspire us to look inward as the means of transcending our fear-based state of consciousness. We can read the entries in succession, savor one per day, or randomly open to the entry that is right for this moment.

Jim’s examples demonstrate self-deceptions many of us experience, but few of us are willing to acknowledge in ourselves. In contemplating them, we are inspired to welcome the healing power of self-honesty into our own guarded lives. Once we begin, we quickly realize that the external factors we think are the cause of our less-than-peaceful feelings are not at all responsible for the fear, anger, worry, and stress we experience on a daily basis. We begin to understand that our thoughts, judgments, and unconscious sense of inadequacy relate directly to our experience of personal happiness and inner peace. Moreover, we begin to rediscover our true self, maybe for the first time.

The Illusive Secrets books offer relief from our own self-deception and the unnecessary suffering it creates. While our initial glimpses of the lies and deceptions we tell ourselves may be frightening enough to evoke resistance and blinding denial, each awareness softens that resistance and intensifies our desire to continue. We grow with each step, coming ever closer to the happiness, joy, and peace we long to experience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Patrick McDonald
• Release date: Oct 17, 2013
• ISBN: 9781939927279

James Patrick McDonald

James Patrick McDonald is the author of multiple books.INTERFERENCE (coming soon)WHO WOULD I BE WITHOUT - Based on a True Story of a Little WillingnessILLUSIVE SECRETS: Discovering the Power of Self-HonestyILLUSIVE SECRETS 2: Embracing Your True SelfJames is a contemporary author and spiritual guide who does not align himself with religion or specific teachings. He offers a simple and accessible approach to finding harmony and inner peace through willingness, self-exploration and honesty.At the age of 30, James experienced a profound transformation of grace that left him in a state of complete and total surrender. That awakening experience propelled him on an intense journey of self-discovery allowing him to understand and integrate all aspects of the experience into is his daily life. In the years that followed he experienced a series of inner transformations that shifted the direction and purpose of his life. Each experience brought a deeper sense of peace than the previous and enhanced his devotion and willingness to share what he was experiencing with others.James' awakening has been a real-word process dependent upon the suspension of judgment by looking directly at the suffering our judgments bring us - an experience that emerges from willingness and self-honesty. He uses an enriching blend of teaching styles and traditions and draws on his education, skills as a training and development professional, personal experience and humorous insight as the foundation for his sharing and teaching.He offers himself as a guide to others ready to rediscover their inner peace through one-on-one mentoring sessions, books and audio, presentations, groups, and workshops.Visit his website http://www.jamespatrickmcdonald.com for more information.

Book preview

What would your life be like if you had no secrets?

This is the second Illusive Secrets book. As much as we like to think otherwise, we often need to hear, see, and experience things many times before they integrate into who we are.

The entries in this book demonstrate.

Let the entries serve as inspiration to find your Illusive Secrets.

Use the entries that inspire you, leave the rest for now.

While reading, notice what comes up for you.

If something surfaces in your attention while reading a specific entry, that is the entry for you at that moment.

Check in; see if you have the willingness to follow your thought, feeling, etc.

If the willingness is there, pause in your reading and follow.

Follow the path to your true self.

Ego represents the aspect in us that thinks about self and reacts in self-preservation.

Essence is the aspect of stillness and quiet acceptance.

Nothing is all-inclusive.

All of the self-honesty discoveries in this book could begin with Sometimes…

All of your self-honesty discoveries could begin with Sometimes…

Remain vigilant against the ego thought system’s striving to make each secret all-inclusive.

If we notice today we are being manipulative, it does not mean we are a manipulator.

For many, this is not an easy process.

Ask for assistance.

Ask for willingness.

Ask for guidance.

Allow it all when it comes.

There are no steps to meeting your true self. There just aren’t. If there were steps to meeting your true self, there would be one book listing those steps, we would all follow those steps and live in the peace we long to experience.

Remain vigilant and devoted to uncovering your true self.

Embracing your true self is one of the most remarkable gifts you can ever receive.

"Honesty does not apply only to what you

say. The term actually means consistency.

There is nothing you say that contradicts

what you think or do; no thought opposes

any other thought; no act belies your word;

and no word lacks agreement with another.

Such are the truly honest. At no level are

they in conflict with themselves. Therefore it

is impossible for them to be in conflict with

anyone or anything."

A Course In Miracles—Manual for Teachers

It Takes Time

I think experiencing the inner peace and joy of enlightenment is a process that takes