Buddha once said, “Believe nothing,
no matter where you read it or who has said it, unless it agrees with your own
reason and your own common sense.”
The wise person steps back and
realizes they know nothing. I wouldn’t consider myself exactly wise, but
someone who seeks to understand and value the path others seek for themselves,
even though I do not agree.
Ultimately the challenge for anyone
on this planet is to understand and perceive truth as it exist. Not how we want
it to exist. My comfortable reality is challenged every day. Reality shifts all
the time.
What was once believed to be true a
year ago often morphs into something else. The leather jacket I had to have as
a teenager to define the image of who I wanted to reflect no longer is as
important now. My focus on meditation has shifted from hour long sit down
trances to meditating by living in the moment, aware and awake. To absorb one moment
at a time and appreciating the interactions I have with people, animals and
nature seems more appealing to me now.
It’s
interesting how so many of us on this planet blurt out our beliefs and ideas on
politics, religion, and how best to live. So very few of us do not have the
answers. Yet, we preach that we do.
I’ve come to believe that we are an
incredible species with great potential. Even as we live in a world that seems
so chaotic and dark.
The only power we do have is to
mold our own consciousness. To create something better in this world we have to
own our minds. Most importantly, we must respect the paths others seek as long
as they do no harm. This is a colorful multi-hued world we live within. Diversity
defeats the robotic reality and imagination is the key to unlocking the
mysteries within the human psyche.
How we respond shapes everyday
reality as we walk consciously in this world. Unfortunately, so many of us do
not own our own thoughts and beliefs. We borrow them from our families,
friends, or some quirky know-it-all in the media with a list of credentials. My
first step in learning how to live fully is to realize I know nothing, but I
sure like to imagine.
