The Paradox of Liberation

The constant race within us to find peace. The ideas of a sane mind, a day full of joy and ease, some sort of miracle that occurs outside of us that can change our lives for the better. This is the natural construct of the unconscious. The idea of a better future pushes us forward, that tomorrow will bring the solace that today does not. We do have great moments of happiness. If you look at those moments, they happen of themselves, you don’t think your way into them, you just get lost in the moment.

However, life does also come with a wealth of challenges. Not all roads are easy. We find the test of life can be a real struggle at times, coping with loss of a loved one, dealing with an argument with a co-worker and grimly sometimes living in the binds of a terrible trauma we cannot escape. The situations are created outside of our perceived self, so we naturally look for the answers outside of ourselves. Yet paradoxically, every feeling, thought and movement happens inside of us.

When unaware, we want something outside of us to create our healing. A magical cure to the ailments of mental health. A replacement to spring forward when we go through a breakup, the co-worker to come apologise to us because we were right. All of this, because it means we do not have to change anything about ourselves. A new cure to save our chronic disease, a tax break to save my financial worries. We want superheroes to come down and rescue us with their extraordinary abilities.

The superhero is a metaphor, of a power deep inside of us. That ordinary people can become extraordinary members of society. We praise their qualities and love the composure, courage and values they bring to our lives. Yet many who love these exact heroes belittle the world around them, not understanding their very essence can share the same qualities. Villains are also metaphors, troubled minds that are seen to cause chaos, a true reflection of their inner state. Both of these characters in story are able to change the lives of many around them. There in lies the question, if their inner worlds create their external realities, then is it not possible that by looking at the world within, you can change the world around you?

Our minds make us believe that our littering of small garbage, or talking bad about friends behind their backs has nothing to do with large scale issues. We do not want to break the paradigm we live in, yet somehow it is this very paradigm that brings about the trap. The cage of the mind, the righteous attitude that many carry falsely. People want peace and unity, yet feel genuine fear when doing something as simple as waving hello to their neighbours.

The first step to understand the inner power that each of us holds is to realise that the external environment is created internally. Our brain is the core centre of everything we have absorbed externally and created a life out of internally. The way we were raised, education systems, relationships & skills are all stored within our minds. We want a better source of income, but is it not our internal knowledge that creates our external opportunity? Generally, people that give value to the world, receive it back. So if our inner knowledge creates our external opportunity. Is it possible that other qualities within us create the world around us?

The reflection of our inner states, the turmoil within, the despair and desperation , the holding of joy, values, integrity, honour. These inner states are very much represented in our external worlds, many understand this, but many more do not, they see themselves as separate from their environments. In visible reality, we may seem this way, however in the sub-reality beyond the senses, the connection become much clearer. A lack of fundamental understanding of how the sub-conscious and unconscious minds work also play a role here.

We look for relief from our pains and suffering, however, it is not in the burying of those pains and casting them aside that we find our peace. Rather its going into them, deeply and witnessing them. Going into them creates curiosity & fear. Man’s search for meaning, a depth of why these pains exist. Pain exists as a teacher, to show you that within your actions, lies a potential problem that needs to change. Its either something you are doing or something you are not doing. Its a teacher, to give you motivation. Pain is not suffering. Suffering is the inability to understand pain and utilise it for change or more. Most people distract themselves through external activities because sitting with the self starts to unravel who you really are.

Self-reflection is a great tool, it requires alot of skill. One of self discovery, where critical thinking and pure independence are required. Skills we were never taught growing up. Our education systems are terrible when it comes to teaching humans how to process emotions. We cling onto the known, the ideas we carry, willing to stay in ignorance to heal our wounds, more like bury them and wish them away. Supression is how we were told to deal with emotions, which is the absolute worst thing you can do. As we fail to realise, it is the world within that creates the world around us.

Quantum Physics suggests and has proven that everything is energy. Albert Einsteins greatest discovery of E=MC squared proved that matter is a construct of energy. This was the breakthrough that surpassed Newtonian Physics which believed matter and energy were separate. Newton believed energy was velocity and force, created through the motion of matter. However Einstein proved this theory to be incorrect.

If we are all energy, then the fundamental understanding of the atom for example can create a great understanding of the world we live in. It may sound paradoxical, however this is the paradox of liberation. Maybe the answer to your depression lies in a physics book, not in complaining to your best friend every day. Maybe being silent for a few hours and sitting with yourself is a better cure to the ailment of anger or anxiety, than venting it out. I am trying to make a point rather than solve your inner problems, to open your perceptions to the fact that knowledge is a precursor to understanding, and often at times we are looking for the needle in the haystack ourselves or using an old fashion method we were always told to believe, not knowing a huge magnet may be 10 metres away with an ON switch that will pull the needle out for us, had we understood how magnets work.

As we start to unravel ourselves, we pray for peace, we meditate, we act kind. We are often met with what seems to be even worse pain, even more questions, a greater feeling of dread. In these moments, we want to crawl back into our ignorance, back into our shells, wishing the question was never asked. Cursing ourselves as the victims of a reality around us that treats us unfairly. This is the paradox, it is the realisation that all that was under you causing you pain, is now becoming conscious to you, that maybe the problems of the external world, were infact the same issues you helped create.

When you make a conscious effort to change this, to become better, you are sending out a signal in the web of consciousness which creates a ripple effect to the world around you. This is the law of correspondence. As above so below. What’s within, is without. Human beings are all connected. When you make a genuine effort to heal, come to terms with your own bad habits, you not only greet your neighbour with a smile, but the energy of your whole being is felt by those around you which creates a compounding ripple effect.

In liberation and freedom, we are met with challenges, this is the realisation that we are somewhat programs of an external reality, blindy controlled. In our modern times, man revels at its creation of technological growth, yet more people are understanding that spiritual growth is just as important. It’s a balancing act. People lie to you, yes! But, you lie to yourself as well. The nature of what you hate in the world is a part of YOU. You may think you don’t have an effect. But choosing to not speak ill of your co-workers can go a long way in changing the world.

The construct of consciousness is a wide topic, one I cannot possibly cover in its entirely in one article. The self is YEARS in the making, the human condition, several thousands more, so to break that self down is a tough task. To rebuilt a better one is even tougher. Life is a head-game, with many tests that will surely create tough times.

Emotions are feelings, feelings are generated in the body. Thoughts are generated in the brain. Rather than stopping the thought, forget the thought, feel the feeling. Only the feeling, do not link your thought to the feeling. The brain creates the story, so the feeling can arise, to be felt, in its entirety, so it can lose its power and release. Is it possible that you just have a conditioning to anger at 3pm, and its not really the traffic which is the easiest place to take it out? When we identify with thoughts and feelings, we become them. This is why the line “How are you feeling today” creates so much confusion. The feeling is simply a record of the past. Let it come through, maybe you are holding guilt, shame or anger. Feel them all, but don’t associate with them and certainly do not worry about the thoughts (story) that your ego tries to trap you in. I will endevour to write more on this topic in a later article.

Look within for answers, don’t be scared of what you find. The paradox of Liberation is a tough one to understand. The more you try and find peace, the more you come into contact with the issues that need cleaning, what looks like pain on one level, is very much the teacher on another. A stark reminder of what is unfolding around us in the world of today. To let it go, we must feel it fully, not suppress it. The paradox of liberation, once grasped – can create great relief and shift you from becoming a victim of life, to the creator of reality. Have patience in this endeavour, you will need it.