You have to have a vehicle to get out. Get out of what? That’s a good question, what are we in that we need to get out of anyway? What I’m meaning is, getting out of seeing life a certain way.
Seeing life through our own story of what we think life is about, or seeing life through our glasses, through our filters and through our beliefs.
You might ask what’s wrong with that? And the answer is nothing; the only problem is that everybody else has a different pair of glasses on. So their story of how life is, is different to yours.
Now the question is:
It seems hard to see someone else’s ‘point of view’ when it comes from what we think they mean, as we are not in their head or shoes.
It reminds me of an exercise we did once on one of my Taiji retreats.
We were on the beach and we made footprints in the sand and then someone else walked on our foot prints. It was a weird experience, to walk in someone else’s footsteps. It was like discovering a different aspect of the other person that we didn’t know. It felt strange, it was like living in someone else’s life. It made me think of how different we all see the world.
So back to the vehicles. What vehicle or process or practice, or teaching can we employ to help break free from our stories?
Our stories about life that might be limiting us, about money, about success and happiness. About what a good relationship looks like, about what good parents look like, how good friends should act, or what good leaders act like.
About what money is for or what children are for or what Governments and politicians are for? What armies and churches are for? What school teachers are for? What wars are for?
We may have stories about what we are here for, our purpose and our gifts. But are any of these true or did we just make up all these points of view, ideals, beliefs, opinions? Or did we as children just agree with what other people told us or taught us, or role modeled to us? People like our parents, relatives and teachers.
So who are we under these stories?
What do we really feel like?
What do we really like and dislike?
If there were no people in the world, what would you act like, what would you do as an occupation?
How important would money be?
I better get my pilots licence or I wouldn’t be able to travel which I love.
Mind you, I could drive a boat; it might just take me a while to get to Europe though.
But this is not the vehicle I’m talking about either.
It is the vehicle to see past our stories of how we think life should be.
How do we see past consumerism where people try to convince you that you need to buy things to be happy.
How to see past owning your own home being one of the major goals in life which is driven by the banks, so you pay them interest for 30 years or even more.
How do we keep our minds open and from being manipulated to see the world in a certain way?
Huge amounts of money is spent on advertising to influence us into thinking that we really need these products or services and if we don’t have them then we won’t be happy, successful and content.
Well, maybe not content, if you are content they can’t sell you anything, except for essential items for survival.
So how can we see past the illusions and what tools do we have?
One way to see past them is not to focus on them. Focus on something else.
Nature for example. Plants, animals, trees, rivers, sea and mountains. See the beauty. Look for the beauty in life.
Another one would be to focus on other people less fortunate than you in the world and how they survive.
There are other ways like service to others or meditation, Qigong and Spiritual practices.
Some of these focus on others and not self. Don’t get me wrong, it is also important to focus on self-empowerment.
None of these may sound that fancy, but what you get in return, is an extraordinary new life, fuller, richer and more expansive.
We gain a view outside of ourselves and the stories that limits us and that keep us in the control of others.
Take the red pill. See a world inside a world.
A world hidden by our stories and confining beliefs.
A world of vastness, excitement and adventure. A world of un-limiting beliefs and freedom.
And then ask yourself, what are my values, rules and stories that may be stopping me from having this?
Be free, be healthy, be happy.
Cheers,
Pete C
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