Take a hypothetical circle.
At the bottom of the circle is a dot where most people start.
Then depending on their natural tendencies, external influences, and a few other factors they set off in either of two directions, fully or partially confident that they are on the right track.
Along the way the horizontal line connecting these two dots keeps getting wider and wider. During this time, they acquire a lot of baggage, some good and some bad. The most burdensome and difficult to break through are the beliefs, whether they be pro or against anything, including material, spiritual, logical, social, and all sorts of other beliefs.
Quite often, the material beliefs are simply reflections of the other beliefs, all jumbled up into one confusing life, supported by odd ends like fate, destiny, malicious influences, and perhaps even god (or lack thereof).
The diametric opposition in the beliefs in these two types of lives traveling around the circle leads to a lot of intolerance on the outside, foolishness on the inside, and general misery all around.
That is where I was until recently. At the 180 degree mark, at the maximum possible distance from and completely at odds with the whole world, drinking myself to death slowly (well, maybe not that slowly).
However, the real tragedy that I narrowly avoided was almost missing out on the beautiful phenomenon when those two dots going around the circle would have eventually started coming together.
It would not be a complete truth to say that I had never expected or wanted to see this happening. We all desire some form of peaceful closure regardless of who we think we are or the type of life we are living. The trouble is that we do not have the required perspective to see what we deeply desire to see. The circle of life (pardon the popular cliche) is too wide for people like me to see the other side, and if one cannot see it, the logical mind will refuse to consider it, except in dislike and hate.
Getting that perspective is one of the most wonderful things that can happen to a human being.
When that circle closes, everything is going to merge as it had been before the circle had started to widen. Perhaps this is why old people tend to become peaceful. A certain awareness of the closing circle - this has nothing to do with death - comes to them and they become peaceful.
Of course, I think it is unfair that now I am not only aware of the circle but can see clearly that for a lot of people that circle is a bondage they will endure, happily I hope, but still endure, for some time.
Imaging having the necessary awareness and tools to skip the circumference and go straight from one end to the other or all the ends at once. Sure I have had to travel more than half that circle in discomfort, but the bliss that followed it made it all worth it. I would gladly suffer that much again for a single moment that I am living now. By the way, I tend to exaggerate.
An awareness needs to be cultivated about the dot at the top, life is taking us there anyway. This is not a shortcut. There are none. Simply that the more awareness one has, the more pleasant will be the time spent in reaching the top dot.
One is going to reach the same spot as every other human being. There is no option in that. But there is a choice in what state of awareness one gets there and in what state of awareness one transcends the circle.
Transcending it, of course, is a different thing altogether, but the only factor that stops anyone is one's own limited awareness.
So, be aware. No need to beware. Just go ahead and be aware. It is rather a bit of fun. Enjoy.
At the bottom of the circle is a dot where most people start.
Then depending on their natural tendencies, external influences, and a few other factors they set off in either of two directions, fully or partially confident that they are on the right track.
Along the way the horizontal line connecting these two dots keeps getting wider and wider. During this time, they acquire a lot of baggage, some good and some bad. The most burdensome and difficult to break through are the beliefs, whether they be pro or against anything, including material, spiritual, logical, social, and all sorts of other beliefs.
Quite often, the material beliefs are simply reflections of the other beliefs, all jumbled up into one confusing life, supported by odd ends like fate, destiny, malicious influences, and perhaps even god (or lack thereof).
The diametric opposition in the beliefs in these two types of lives traveling around the circle leads to a lot of intolerance on the outside, foolishness on the inside, and general misery all around.
That is where I was until recently. At the 180 degree mark, at the maximum possible distance from and completely at odds with the whole world, drinking myself to death slowly (well, maybe not that slowly).
However, the real tragedy that I narrowly avoided was almost missing out on the beautiful phenomenon when those two dots going around the circle would have eventually started coming together.
It would not be a complete truth to say that I had never expected or wanted to see this happening. We all desire some form of peaceful closure regardless of who we think we are or the type of life we are living. The trouble is that we do not have the required perspective to see what we deeply desire to see. The circle of life (pardon the popular cliche) is too wide for people like me to see the other side, and if one cannot see it, the logical mind will refuse to consider it, except in dislike and hate.
Getting that perspective is one of the most wonderful things that can happen to a human being.
When that circle closes, everything is going to merge as it had been before the circle had started to widen. Perhaps this is why old people tend to become peaceful. A certain awareness of the closing circle - this has nothing to do with death - comes to them and they become peaceful.
Of course, I think it is unfair that now I am not only aware of the circle but can see clearly that for a lot of people that circle is a bondage they will endure, happily I hope, but still endure, for some time.
Imaging having the necessary awareness and tools to skip the circumference and go straight from one end to the other or all the ends at once. Sure I have had to travel more than half that circle in discomfort, but the bliss that followed it made it all worth it. I would gladly suffer that much again for a single moment that I am living now. By the way, I tend to exaggerate.
An awareness needs to be cultivated about the dot at the top, life is taking us there anyway. This is not a shortcut. There are none. Simply that the more awareness one has, the more pleasant will be the time spent in reaching the top dot.
One is going to reach the same spot as every other human being. There is no option in that. But there is a choice in what state of awareness one gets there and in what state of awareness one transcends the circle.
Transcending it, of course, is a different thing altogether, but the only factor that stops anyone is one's own limited awareness.
So, be aware. No need to beware. Just go ahead and be aware. It is rather a bit of fun. Enjoy.
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