The Unique Journey of You
We may understand on a very basic level that our journey is unique to us and we shouldn't compare ourselves to other people but we still do it kind of automatically sometimes. Why is that? First we will illuminate the very simple reason why then we will point ourselves in the direction of our very own unique life journey.
The Mind’s Comparing Mechanism
When a thought arises in the mind a reaction naturally occurs and the sifting and sorting of comparing begins like computational procedure. While sorting and comparing there is labeling. That is really all that is happening. Our minds evolved to do this to make sense of our perceptions for our survival. But this is not very helpful when it comes to navigating our personal journey. It can get very confusing. l I wrote this essay that explains some of the science behind this process, Free Your Mind an Escape the Matrix. Once the comparing process starts the thoughts that come up trigger feelings and soon we find ourselves swimming in sea of thoughts and feelings and we believe the process to be who we are. Simply put, it is not who we are but we identify with it. So, that’s what’s happening. But who we really are is beneath all that noise, the ground of our being, silently observing it all.
If You See Buddha in the Road Kill Him!
Legend has it that before he died, Siddhartha Gautama said these wise words to his followers:
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – Gautama Buddha
He was saying how important it was that they practice observing their own minds, and that they place their faith in themselves and each other. We should not use our natural tendency to compare ourselves to others as a measuring apparatus to define our journey but we may help each other along our paths using certain principles and understanding the mind.
How Comparing Makes No Sense
If you are trying to make a decision about a direction to take in life and you find yourself comparing yourself to someone else how can that help you at all? It can’t. They started out in life in a certain place and have taken many millions of different of steps than you have giving them their own unique and precious experience. So have you. They are them and you are you. This may seem like I am being overly elementary or breaking it down to a ridiculous level but it is helpful for the mind. The mind is taking is many small measures in comparing that anything we can do to get it’s attention to stop the process is good.
Photo by Paul Gilmore - Pastourmatzis on Unsplash
We Are the Lights of Our Own Paths
At each step in our journey whatever comes up is unique and precious to us. Be it an idea, an inspiration, a trauma that needs to be healed it is ours and ours alone. That’s why it is never helpful to compare ourselves to each other or tell each other what to do. We can help each other shine our unique lights.
Simply put by Oscar Wilde:
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
What do you think?
**@soulsistashakti is a musical artist and writer based in NYC. You can check out my music on my FB artist page at https://www.facebook.com/soulsistashakti
1st Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash
UPVOTED.
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Thanks.
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