Chapter 15 Looking Into Our Story As we begin to see ourselves more clearly,
We can start to comprehend the power we possess to change our lives.
With each step that we take toward liberating ourselves from blind judgments and unthinking acts,
We free ourselves from the need to constantly react unconsciously to the world around us.
We also begin to understand our unique nature and have an ever-clearer picture of ourselves.
As our old ways of craving and avoidance are brought to our attention,
We can start to see how we can further liberate ourselves.
As we face our hidden fears and illusions and embrace the reality of our own lives,
We can begin acting in ways that are more authentic and empowered.
When we stop losing ourselves in external struggles and begin embracing our emotions and exploring our inner world,
We'll find ourselves on the path to true freedom.
It's important to realize,
However,
That investigating our inner world and facing our fears is not necessarily something that we'll particularly like.
Our mind and body may kick and scream as we expose them to fears that we've hidden from our whole lives.
Our mind may tell us that we're going crazy or are helpless or weak,
All in an attempt to avoid growing and letting go of the lie that we're totally in control of our destiny.
But if we listen very closely,
Beyond our quivering body and defiant mind,
We'll hear our spirit saying,
Come on,
You can do it,
Urging us on to greater and greater depths of freedom.
We all have the opportunity to be free.
And to be free,
We have to find the courage to face ourselves.
We have to find the patience and determination to embrace whatever we discover with compassion and truth.
By exposing our inner world to the light of our awareness,
Freedom and fulfillment can be found.
We seem to constantly be looking outside of ourselves for answers,
However.
Be it a spiritual search or one solely for pleasure,
We often tend to think that someone or something out there will solve our problems and make us feel better.
We'd like to believe that just one more self-help book or one more sermon or one more relationship will make us feel better,
Or one more donut or beer.
Of course,
It is prudent to look for support from those who can help us to see our own truths,
To help us unearth our own gold,
So to speak.
But remember,
No one can do this inner work for us.
No one can mend our soul,
As it were.
To realize our true potential,
We must open up to all of the answers and possibilities that are already within us.
The path to true happiness can be found by discovering,
Accepting and learning from our inner world.
Seek people who can help you do this.
Those individuals who can objectively help you to see the truth can be very important to you on your journey.
But know that you already have all of the answers inside of you,
And that life is designed to bring them into your view in every moment.
This is why yoga and meditation can be so helpful.
They are two important doorways to an inner world that we perhaps aren't even aware exists.
The truth is,
We have to do the work of bravely looking into our own story,
And this can only be done by looking within ourselves and at our lives.
One way that we can do this is to look at the different people we know and ask,
How do they truly make me feel?
Perhaps ask yourself,
Does anyone leave me feeling insecure or awkward?
Do I avoid spending time with them because they're mean to me,
Perhaps in subtle ways?
Do my friends and family all treat me well?
Do they accept who I am and encourage me to do whatever feels right,
To be the person that I,
Or they,
Know I can be?
And look for a moment at how you treat them.
Do you belittle them for doing things differently than you?
Do you get angry at them when things don't go your way?
Do you find certain things about their behaviors challenging but refuse to mention them?
If so,
Why do you remain quiet?
What does your silence represent?
Are you afraid of conflict,
Or do you consider it impolite to express how you truly feel?
Are your relationships built on a foundation of vulnerability and truth,
Or are they more shallow?
Do you wonder who your friends really are behind their outer expressions?
Do you put them or yourself in a personality box at all?
He is this,
She is that,
And I'm something else?
And most importantly,
Can you accept and learn from any answers that arise from these questions?
As we begin looking into the reality of our own lives,
We should do our best to stay focused on our own actions and the ways in which we treat those around us.
Rather than attempting to control them,
We should remain committed to change,
To changing ourselves according to the truths that we discover within us.
As we become more aware of our inner world and our interactions with others,
We can begin to see how all of our relationships can help us further liberate ourselves from our unconscious patterns and help us live in more peaceful and authentic ways.
We can also begin to realize how our lives can be like a petri dish in a giant laboratory,
And how we can become important scientists on a mission to find a cure for the most dangerous disease of all time,
Ignorance.
