Freedom comes only when one finally frees oneself from that which lies within, from that which imprisons one long after the prison bars are gone, long after the time of actual imprisonment is over. To imprison oneself is as defeating as being held in check by another. Freedom is a sense of being, a sense of knowing that you are worthy, acceptable, and that your life’s experiences made you strong, understanding, and desirous of more than the mundanities of life.
But such things of freedom and worth can only be delivered by the truths of the inner self being exposed to the truths of the outer self. Jailer and jailed are one and the same. Until they free each other, freedom will remain on the outskirts of life, a distant dream. Dream bigger. Dream beyond the place of stagnation, sadness, and fear. You hold the key. Use it.
Who do you generally blame? Do you tend to blame yourself when it is not your fault? Or do you choose to blame another when really you are to blame? Who you choose to blame on any given day is an indication of what is going on inside you. Rather than look for who to blame, rather than become defeated by yet another day of self-blame, turn away from blame completely and ask the self another question: How can I stop blaming and heal instead? Find the answer where all answers lie: Within!
No one can control the weather… so why worry! – Photo by Jan Ketchel
Master out-of-body explorer Robert Monroe discovered, in his inter-dimensional travels, that when we sleep we attend school.
The energy body of human beings leaves its physical body partner every night and goes to classes where it is taught, by those more advanced, on how to wake up to its greater wholeness and advance to fulfillment during its life on earth.
Most of us transition back into our physical body and, as we awaken, quickly forget where we’ve been and what we’ve been taught. Often the lessons take the form of vaguely recalled dreams.
We may reencounter our nightly lessons later on as we move through our day, as they come in deja vu experiences or simply “knowings” that inform our perspective, decisions and actions.
Robert Monroe shared a valuable lesson from one of his nightly classes that he recapitulates in his book, Far Journeys:
“The major underlying cause of human worry relates to the Law of Change. All human conflict relates to this law. Some worry that change will take place, others that is will not. Wars are fought to resist change or to accelerate it.”
“At the individual level,” he goes on, “this translates into various forms of indecision. Fear enters into the pattern, fear of the consequences of any decision or action. The pressure builds up, intensifies as the decision is put off, delayed. The result accumulates toxins in all parts of the human system until there is failure or severe reduction in operating efficiency. Indecision is the Killer.” *
Monroe’s suggests an antidote to indecision by making three lists. On list A, we write all the things we are worried about but can do absolutely nothing about, for example, worrying about what the weather will be like tomorrow. Our task then is to destroy this list. Why spend energy on worrying about things we cannot control?
On list B, we are instructed to list all the items we are worried about that we can do something about today. We are then asked to immediately take some action, however small, on items on this list. These actions will release the flow of damned energy within us.
On list C, we are to write all the hopes, needs, and desires, however large or small, that have yet to be fulfilled. Then we are asked to take one item from this list and perform at least one action today, however small, that advances us toward the fulfillment of this hope, need, or desire.
An alternative, and perhaps more user-friendly approach to the list method is to simply notice when we find ourselves in a state of worry or emptiness and identify what the core issue is and what list it belongs on. If we can’t do anything about it, we throw it away by taking our attention off it, i.e., by focusing on breathing. If we can do something about it, we define and take action, however small, that advances it in its accomplishment.
A few decisions and we could be soaring along on our own revitalized energy… – Photo by Jan Ketchel
If we follow either of these programs we will indeed reclaim and revitalize energy that has festered in a toxic pool of indecision and inaction. Furthermore, we will emotionally find ourselves on a path of serenity, as our definitive actions will move us closer to unburdening ourselves of worry and advance us more swiftly toward fulfillment.
Whether we remember our nightly lessons or not, we can advance ourselves every day by simply making our lists and taking action. It’s a sure way of releasing toxic energy and taking control of the life we are in, while simultaneously setting us on the path to creating a new, more fulfilling life.
You always have a choice. When you withdraw and isolate yourself from others and from the world, for whatever reason, you give to yourself and you take from yourself as well. Withdrawal is often an opportunity to turn inward and shift, to change a behavior by withdrawing from that which is associated with that behavior. But withdrawal can also be an act of denial, a refusal to change, to push the self out into the world and confront the fears that cause you to withdraw.
There are always two sides to every choice. You must decide the real reason you seek withdrawal, face the truth, and then deal with it head on and decide if it is truly right to withdraw inwardly now or is it better to expand outwardly. Only one answer will be appropriate. One answer will bring you the opportunity to change, the other will bring you only stagnation. The choice is yours.
Belief systems, fixed ideas, and troublesome thoughts can get in the way of life’s flow, taking energy, leaving you feeling defeated and depleted. Clear your mind. Breathe into your head and release all that mumbles, tumbles and torments, all that numbs and dumbs. Try a brain free, mind-chatter free day. Just breathe and release, breathe and release every time you notice you have jammed up again. Let the energy flow freely and then see how you feel!
