The power of awareness.
Consider the idea that we influence the world we inhabit. What I mean by “inhabit” is the environment or space we occupy physically, mentally, and spiritually. We have choices in our physical world with where we live, whom we associate with, the material things that attract our attention or possess, and so on. Our mental space is comprised of inputs provided internally and externally. Much of our internal thoughts are influenced by what we choose to see, read, or hear. We may be spiritually guided by an internal compass or follow a given religious or philosophical ideology, manifested internally or influenced by the outside world. The challenge with living a full life is to recognize your role, where you are, how you got there, and what you allow to provide your sense of what is true and what isn’t. We are equally the architect of our domain as we are prisoners to it.
Understanding and accepting this reality is important when seeking the truth. We are responsible for our thoughts and behaviors and must also investigate the nature of where they come from and whom we allow to influence what we believe. One could argue that our ideas simply appear in our minds, and we don’t know where or how they got there. But when creating our realities, we often authorize external influencers to teach us right versus wrong. Media images, personalities, and literature offer opinions and suggestions on where we should direct our attention and act. Questioning the nature of these proposals leads to challenging our own long-held beliefs.
It's important to distinguish between those who offer bad advice with good intentions versus those who do so with the goal of manipulating. The image makers we allow to influence our lives often have an end goal: to guide us down the path they want us to go, not the one we consciously choose. We often accept artificial inputs designed to create a lesser version of the truth and relinquish control to those who provide those inputs. It is our responsibility, and we are accountable for our decisions based on the information we allow to influence them. We can’t blame some external source when we follow bad advice that we never stopped to question in the first place. We may consider the source authentic if we have experience and have built trust with someone or something. But if we accept information by default simply based on the role, or worse, ignore our sense of logic and reason, then we’ve chosen to be shackled within a sphere we didn’t create.
There will be opportunities when the sum of your values, decisions, and outcomes are brought out into the open. If what you’ve believed to be true is, then you’re likely prepared for whatever possibilities appear. However, if what you believe is nothing more than a shadow or amalgam of a different version of reality, you are faced with a choice between epiphany or oblivion.
Emerging from darkness can be an unpleasant experience. Your vision is hazy, and it takes time for what you see to come into focus. It’s often amendable to stay in the dark and avoid the unpleasant change. But doing so would sustain the misperception and ignorance created by others and the existence you are responsible for. Accepting, for the first time, what is real may be one of the obstacles you must overcome to evolve and grow. This new knowledge motivates us to dig in and seek new levels of understanding. We may start to question our other past behaviors and beliefs. What else did we get wrong? What did we have right all along? These questions lead to mature growth, greater self-awareness, and true happiness.
As invigorating as it feels to remain in the light and seek greater depths of wisdom, we are responsible for sharing our experience with others who may still dwell in their self-made prisons. This is a unique challenge and obstacle with no guarantee of success. Imagine being challenged about an idea or belief you’ve held your entire life. Or a core value you have centered your life around. Whether trusted or not, someone challenging those convictions may be seen as the adversary, no matter how honorable the intentions. Those who aren’t prepared or willing to have their ideas challenged usually reinforce what they currently believe by default. Change is uncomfortable, and we can’t force it upon others.
We may not know where or how our thoughts manifest, but we know we created them. They weren’t placed there by someone else. If that’s true, we have the knowledge and power to mature and evolve. The aim is to find the right formula to unlock these insights without unnecessary suffering or grief. There will be some, and there should be, but taking ownership of our realities requires questioning its nature. We create and overcome our suffering as we grow.
Understanding and accepting our roles and responsibilities for our existence is a step toward greater insight, action, and evolution. Our past does not shackle us once we’ve questioned and uncovered what was true and what wasn’t. But this journey is something we take voluntarily and proactively. We must acknowledge that what we believe may not be true. The people, things, or information we allow to influence our decisions and actions may have ulterior motives that aren’t in our interests. Accept that you are the master of your continued existence and can mold your reality based on truth or remain a prisoner to those you allow to control it.