16 years ago, I wrote a short entry called Infinite Futures, in which I talked about the advantages of remaining within that quiet point in existence where all futures are possible, rather than allow my thoughts to limit me to one particular trajectory. My point had been to remind myself how peaceful life is when I am not preoccupied with what the future may or may not hold.
Two years ago, I revisited the subject. In the post, No Past, No Future, Just Today, I wrote about having to unhook myself from my thoughts because they were weighing me down. This latest post looks at the same theme and concludes that, at the core of each and every one of us, there is something which transcends all thought and feeling; something which goes beyond who we think we are and allows us to rest quietly in a place of infinite potential.
The waking world is a busy one, full of events and circumstances which give rise to a panoply of thoughts and emotions. From the moment we wake up, until the solace of sleep envelops us once more, we are active: thinking, feeling, and responding to our environment. We move from one experience to another, often without taking a moment to connect back with that peaceful place of abundant energy which connects us all.
But that place is never far away, because when you let go – if only for a few seconds – of everything you associate with yourself, you will notice a calmness. When you surrender all the thoughts and feelings you have, and drop everything with which you identify for just a moment, you will see that the world does not end. You are still alive. You still exist, it’s just that you have liberated yourself from any of the restrictions of daily living. You are completely free, residing in the tranquility of your true self, free of all burden.
That is who you are. Everything else – the stuff which you say defines you – is just layer upon layer of conditioning, behavioural patterns, worries, and beliefs. They represent the surface noise of personality, arduously accumulated and imposed over the course of your lifetime. But those layers cover up your core self; so let them go for a moment and experience what lies at the very heart of existence.
Another way to experience the difference between the two states is to travel in the other direction – from the deep, back to the surface. Firstly, stare aimlessly out of the window or at something just in front of you, and feel yourself relax. Remain there for a few seconds. Notice that you are still aware of what is going on around you, but for some reason it feels as though you are removed from it all. It’s like peering up at the activity on the surface of the ocean from the silent, slow-moving depths below.
Now bring yourself back to full awareness of your world. Return to the surface; to the events around you and the thoughts you were having before they disappeared. It requires a little effort to come back to ‘reality’. You may even have to shake your head slightly to make the transition because staring off into space feels so liberatingly comfortable.
That simple exercise helps to convey a sense of the baggage we carry with us at the surface. So remember: every now and again, relax, take a deep breath, and drop it all. Relinquish everything you carry with you, and experience the indestructible force which remains. It is more serene, more powerful, and more immense than you ever imagined. And when you feel it, know this: it is ever-present, available to you at all times, because it’s who you truly are.
Related posts: Letting Go On The Bridge | No Past, No Future, Just Today | Infinite Futures | It’s The Thought That Counts | I’ll Make It | Discovering The True Self | Let Go | The Ivy Of Conditioning