“Magic Mirror would you tell me please . . . do I see myself in anyone I meet.”
This month’s TWS Newsletter introduced the melodic notion that there’s no tangible division between the upper and lower, or inner and outer worlds. Sir Isaac Newton confirmed the notion through his painstaking translation of the “Emerald Tablet” and its Hermetic doctrines, which point to us being interconnected beings who are all part of a shared universal presence.
While it’s a huge assertion that at first glance seems to have little practical value . . . I find it to be extremely relevant to my daily life and to the choices I make. The very moment I surrender “my” reality and remind myself about “our” reality, my stress level drops and I enter into a state of harmony and peace that only manifests when I’m actively recognizing the presence of a shared reality.
Let me bring it down to something tangible . . . last week someone cut in front of me in line while I was waiting to order a cappuccino. My first reaction was to tap the guy on the shoulder and point out how rude he was being . . . but the moment I looked into The Mirror of Life I recognized aspects of myself in his behavior, times in my life when it was all about me, which rendered me oblivious to the needs of others.
So what did I do with this reflective epiphany? I didn’t need to do anything with it because the moment I recognized aspects of myself in his behavior, I shifted to a place of Choice rather than Reaction. Here’s a handy phrase you might want to keep in mind . . . “From Choice ALL actions work, from Reaction, NO actions work.” Why? Because only those actions arising from our Higher Self have the power to make a positive difference in our lives.
But does this mean we should just stand by and let people disregard our needs or abuse us? Absolutely not! It’s our responsibility as wise Travelers Within to let people know when they’re acting thoughtlessly . . . but not from a place of judging them harshly. Why? Because by reacting to them we allow their unconsciousness to lead us to a lower place, rather than higher place within us. I also want to emphasize that by engaging in this nonjudgmental approach it doesn’t mean we should abandon maintaining a healthy ego, but rather to exercise the Power of Choice by choosing to honor both our interconnectedness and individuality.
So for instance in my example, this time I let the guy cut in ahead of me . . . but perhaps the next time something like this happens I’ll address the unconsciousness more directly. But in all cases it’s about being aware that in every moment we have the Choice to either be led or to lead. The Mirror of Life reflects for us that we possess the power to choose rather than react. What we do with its reflection, however, is up to us. I choose to lead . . . and if I’m going to be led, it’s going to be by Spirit and the Higher Self dwelling within me. How about you? What will you choose when faced with similar reflections in your daily life?
Each afternoon I take both my dogs to the dog park for a romp. Generally, most of the dog owners are attentive and responsible. However, on Saturday a lady came with her dog; unleashed it; found a comfortable place to sit in the shade under a tree; and then buried herself in her iPhone. Shortly thereafter, her dog did a big poop unnoticed by her. A big breach in dog park etiquette. I went to the spot and picked up the poop in a poop bag. Then I walked over to where she was sitting. I asked her if that big grey and white dog was hers. She said, “Why, yes, it is.” I asked her what breed it was and she told me. I then asked her how old the dog was and what’s his name. She said, “He’s 4 years old and his name’s Larry.” So, at this point we were having a lovely chat. I then said, “We’ll Larry’s a beautiful dog and here’s his poop handing her the bag. She then looked a bit irritated but apologized and said she would be more careful in the future. I wished her well and went on my way. I saw her and Larry again yesterday from way across the dog park. She saw me and saw me see her. This time no iPhone. It felt like a successful non-aggressive contribution to the collective consciousness of the dog park. No anger. No blaming. And no righteous indignance.
Masterfully orchestrated Rick! Have you ever considered becoming a higher consciousness canine, (and human) trainer? LOL I love you brother! You are THE best. ~ VJ
I think I’ll leave the human training you you, Brother!!!