Things happen as we grow up, and we define ourselves by the experiences. These definitions can often act as fences to protect and guard our authentic, true self.
Uplifting definitions, like: I’m a good boy. I’m smart. I’m nice. I’m a hard worker. I'm loved. I’m likable. I can trust people.
And self-deprecating definitions, like: I’m worthless. I’m unlovable. I’m not enough. It’s all my fault. I’m bad. I’ve got to protect myself. Life is dangerous.
Sometimes it takes something to express ourselves through the thick shell of our invented identity.
Sometimes it takes something to really trust someone enough to allow them through that same thick shell.
If someone speaks the right password, they occur safe enough and we open up the gate and let them in. We allow ourselves to trust them, to love them. Also for these people, at least some of the time, we open the gate and let our authentic self out.
When our primary objective in life is to be safe, this is a valuable mechanism! In fact, this mechanism is over tens of thousands of years old for our species. It’s been honed over generations upon generations. This default mechanism has components built into our DNA and components baked into our culture.
People are dangerous! Life is dangerous! We can get hurt! Pay attention and play it safe!
And we all have this mechanism to some degree. For some of us it’s a lot weaker than others. For others of us, it’s a lot stronger.
What feels like it needs protection is our ego, our identity, our stories about ourselves and others that seem to give structure and permanence to ourselves, others, and the world when in fact it’s ephemeral and made-up.
But what if we didn't need as much protection as we thought? What if the true self that we’re guarding can’t actually be harmed as easily as we fear or in the ways that we anticipate? What if this true self we're protecting doesn't actually need to be guarded?
What if these safety mechanisms were no longer really needed as much as we think they are?
Our true self - soul, atman, buddha-nature, Christ-consciousness, whatever you want to call it - resides in Eden. It’s a pure, untarnishable, unbreakable core of our being that needs no protection. It’s whole, it’s complete, it’s perfect, and it’s beautiful.
Protecting this part of ourselves is like putting up a gated wall in Eden. Here are a few questions to ponder:
What is it we’re trying to keep out?
What is it we’re keeping in?
What are your personal passwords and conditions to allow someone through that gate?
What are the conditions that must be met to allow yourself to exit?
I invite you to try an experiment, even if just for a day: make that gate a little easier to open - make it a little easier to allow love in and to allow love out.
I'm curious what you would do, who you would be, and what love might you experience if you woke up one day and realized you've been living in Eden this whole time, and that it's a lot safer than we thought...
Thank you so much for reading. ❤️
💌 If you'd like to explore what it might look and feel like to fear a little less, love a little more, and live your life in service of your most true callings, schedule a free conversation and let's chat.
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