GIANT ONE: MISDIRECTION
life is not a destination, this is true - it's the movement of the journey. but it is clear there is a geography to life. there are destinations, many, and they are important to recognize.
earth's landscapes are comprised of varying environmental and elemental forces that directly affect the conditions of the lifeforms found in them. some of these conditions are encouraging to growth, allowing life to thrive. some are hostile, leaving thin opportunity to carve out the barest presence of life. even on this sparkling ocean planet, there are places of desolation. so it is in the landscapes of our lives.
it is the remarkable gift of the human being to choose to leave or change his life circumstance, allowing for the potential to discover one more to his advantage. few of us would ever purposefully choose to live in places of desolation, and yet, if we are not rich and overflowing with life, does that not suggest we are separated somehow from the elements that allow us to flourish?
time and again, people are seen to make choices that, not only aren't to their advantage, are actually destructive to themselves and those around them. repeatedly, people pour their energies into hollow pursuits and frenetic obsessions that erode their peace.
as children, we find joy easily and everywhere, it seems to travel with us. but as we age, we often begin to bind our joy to grasping dependancies, entrust our self-worth to the whim of elements beyond our control - find ourselves caught in endless desperate searches for a mirage-like wholeness that only fades to dust as we reach for it.
what spurs this heart-breaking transition? why would we use our own power against ourselves? surely such sorrowful choices are born from Misdirection. to treat such a malady, its source must be identified.
though life seems to be an external experience, it is just as much an internal one. failing to recognize this creates an imbalance that powerfully distorts our view of reality, allowing errors of calculation that give rise to tragedy.
when our vision is consumed solely with the physical external, we are missing half of the picture. if we seek to move away from the wastelands we have wandered through, toward the promise of oasis, we need to put our hand to the wheel of decision. and the wheel has always, only and ever been in us.
as newborn babies, our entire perception of reality is an internal one. as we age, we discover there exists a world outside of us. we become so fascinated with this world that the resources we once dedicated solely to the world within begin to be shifted outward. for many, this shift continues to increase throughout childhood, into adolescence and adulthood.
it is through our senses that we perceive the world we base our decisions on - what we call our 'reality'. in an incredible way, our perception of the world is built piece by piece from the raw material drawn in from our senses.
what we devote our attention to grows stronger, more real - what we withdraw our attention from fades. as we move our senses away from the inner world, we grow out of touch with it. it becomes mysterious to us, intangible to the point that some even question its existence.
the world we knew so well as young children - the world we thrived in - abundant with growth, joy and creative power, becomes mythical.
this fracturing severs two elements that were designed to operate in harmony. of vital concern is the fact that our greatest gift and power - that of free will - is the prerogative of the inner person. as we move away from the inner world, we move away from the ability to steer our own course, abandoning our commission as captain of the journey that is our life. no longer directed, the ship is given to the wind, the waves and eventually, the ocean depths.
so then, it is seen that Misdirection begins and grows from a chosen delinquency, though as Jesus once so fittingly said, they know not what they do.
the inner and outer person are each vital aspects of our human existence. they can be compared to the artist and his tools. if the artist has the most beautiful vision, but nothing to express with, where is the art? if the artist has the most exquisite tools, but nothing to express, where is the art? in either case, it is lost.
this is especially true of life, the oldest of all artforms. both the inner and outer life must be given their due.
which of us, seeing we have been badly cut and are bleeding profusely will ignore it? don't we clean and dress it immediately, and if it is bad enough, seek medical attention with urgency?
which of us, having eaten little to nothing for too long will shrug off the hunger pang our stomach sends us? don't we work diligently and creatively if need be to assuage our physical desire?
are your inward wounds and needs tended to with this same dedication? the most common response to inner signals is to ignore them. particularly persistent ones we often attempt to smother through various temporal distractions, burying deep wounds beneath blankets of facade. it is clear how such methods would affect your physical state - be assured they work no better on the inner person.
dear friends,,, take care for your inward needs! on the treacherous coasts of Misdirection lie the wreckages of countless lonely ships that once housed hearts beautiful beyond description!
if you would be free of the thief-giant Misdirection, begin to allocate resources to the exploration of your inner world, regularly exercise the atrophied inner senses until they are returned to vitality.
remember that such a redirection will require a shift away from patterns you are familiar with. this is rarely a comfortable process - it will require a heated desire to persevere. when selecting from among your patterns, what to keep and what to discard, hinge your choice upon the degree to which each has proved quickening to your personal growth.
fill the moments of your life with experiences and people who move you. the term inspire comes from the latin root inspīrāre, which means to breathe in. is it possible that inspiration is for the spiritual body, what oxygen is for the physical body? i know it to be true.
breath by breath, as balance is restored, you are reunited with whole self. the conductor touches the energy source and the extraordinary mechanism of human being is powered. all magnificent human works and achievements have been formed and expressed from this place.
your birthright reclaimed, your commission resumed, you are able to explore the waters in search of lush, fertile destinations. finding them, sinking roots deep into the rich soils of life, you will flourish, bearing the fruit that will become your legacy.
(to be continued,,,)
may the deep goodness within you wake as if it had never been asleep,
jesh *
