The Mayan* and his partner recently visited our home for an evening of conversation. In addition to his study of ancient cultures and mystery he is a dowser. Brook, his partner is an artist who has a work displayed prominently on one wall of our living room.
We were all catching each other up on little facts we’d come across and integrating them into the bigger picture of our understanding when The Mayan made a passing comment about a personal issue he’s had to deal with. “You know,” he said. “The more I learn, the more I see how little control I have in my life.”
I nodded appreciatively, for I’ve been feeling the same way since my awakening.
There’s so much to knowledge to share and support to offer, but most people prefer to go through life figuring out things the hard way. The Mayan’s comment reminded me of another scene related by our friend Todd who took his teenage son aside and said, “Chad, let me tell you something that will save you ten years of your life.” Chad became infuriated with his father and refused to listen.
When we’re in the “game of life” we are expected to follow the rules, which locks us into behavior patterns. I think this is analogous to what Carlos Castaneda’s fictional Don Juan called “The first ring of power.” Which is another way of referring to the socially accepted norms of behavior.
We who choose to search beyond the norms of social convention risk becoming penalized because we’re not acting as expected. Actions may be judged along a full spectrum ranging from terms such as quirky, through deviant, criminal, and ultimately depraved. Even in those examples people so judged are in many ways locked into a set pattern of action-reaction.
People can express a life plan and make it work, those who I’ve met that have done it usually live in a fairly isolated existence due to the fact that they are not allowing society as much control over their lives. We who search for a greater truth, or adopt a lifestyle more to our personal norms either hide our differences or wear them as a badge of honor.
This is the price we are willing to pay for knowing the truth, for living as who we really are. It means that we may have difficulties maintaining a balance with what we really want to express and where we limit ourselves in order to fit in where we can, or where we choose.
I’ve come to believe that by-and-large people who draw out or list their plans are following a greater plan laid out for them. I say this because it is sometimes so obvious. If for instance you would have met Todd’s son, within a few minutes you might have been able to approximate his state of, understand the challenges laying in wait for him, and like his father, not be at all surprised what influenced Todd to be the man he is today.
We all seem to have a default plan and interact with life like Todd. There is freedom of will, though as seen from my perspective, it is more about the freedom to decide how we feel about the situations we are in and less about the actions we take in those situations. We’re pretty well bonded to an unknown path and don’t often appreciate another person interfering with it.
Because we have morals and because we apply them to some ethical code of conduct; we’ve been trained, and have trained ourselves, to act in particular ways when presented with an issue. If we are married, or in another commitment, then we must act within certain boundaries or expect to pay the consequences. And there are people so committed to their truth, or bound by their code of conduct that they willingly accept whatever they must to be what they have become.
And beyond that, consider this ….
If a person, either through their own connection with the universe, or through some advanced machinery, sees into an unlikely future event and then experiences the event as they saw it – then what kinds of choices did they have along the way? Further what if they had tried to avoid the event and still find it before them?
My action plan got to a point where I placed a welcome banner on my cell phone that read, “Relax and Allow.” This phrase remains a reminder to me that when things seem out of control, there is a solution.
Breathe in Peace, Breathe out Strength,
– Jeffrey A. Limpert
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* All names are changed.
Image Information:
Janus Masks
By gemsling (Nathan Jones)
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/gemsling/589275040/
Amazon – Unfolding: Awakening