Thursday, November 11, 2010
Being Who You Are
Being Who You Are
As always, 'Dr. E." hides a nugget of great wisdom in the wrapping of a few words. This task, of being oneself, in a world that seems to be drawn to the same kind of conformity that a colony of ants or bees displays, is a great challenge. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements adjuring us to buy this or that, to look this way or that way, to do what the others are rushing to do. We seem to be required to think a certain way, to act a prescribed way--and in doing all of this, to forget who we really, truly are, the naked being who came onto this planet bearing a great treasure--our own true selves, kissed by angels as we arrived, ready to claim out own spiritual reality on this strange place that is going to be "home."
And Dr. E. is right. If we somehow deviate from what the others prescribe as the "norm," we may be shunned, rejected, even vilified and scorned.
The result is a deep sense of isolation and sometimes even self-rejection. As I hear the stories of those who have survived and discovered true spiritual awakening, a common thread seems to be an unhappy childhood. The child is somehow "different"--because of race or ethnicity, physical appearance, bodily handicaps, sexual orientation, personal choices (such as wanting to read books or play an instrument rather than trying out for the team), economic status--and this is just the beginning.
The child gets labeled as "the other" and is mocked and excluded. It is a tough ride.
But the fact is that these seeming "handicaps" can play an important role in the child's maturation. She/he becomes introspective, begins to think about things, does not blindly accept the status quo. And, as a result, this young "scapegoat" may grow into an extremely valuable member of society, one not afraid to pursue unpopular but significant goals, to be a leader rather than a sheep following along paths set by others.
Kundalini itself can put one in the category of "the other." One now enters a world that often cannot be explained or shared with those closest. They often are distressed to discover that the "initiate' is no longer the familiar companion, one who shares with them common assumptions and behaviors. The result may be a sense of alienation and rejection for those who are caught up in this new way of being. One is awakened to a new reality, and the world is now a different place.
Oddly, though there are many thousands undergoing such openings across the world, many many are traveling the path alone, without companionship or ready support. But as time passes, more and more are able to find one another, to take comfort and joy from knowing they are not totally alone on the path. They are the forefront of the great spiritual awakening now occurring planet wide. Though there is no ready support group, no welcoming hand at the door, yet each awakened soul has an important role to play in the overall process of bringing this planet into humanity's next level of consciousness.
And, yes, you "might as well be who you are, half the world isn't going to like you anyway."
