Realising Infinite Possibilities
/If I take a position, if I create a belief or if I think a thought to be real, I have trapped myself and I am no longer free. By taking a position or forming an opinion, I then must defend that position, as humans being as they are, do not like the discomfort that comes with having to admit you were wrong. We are conditioned to celebrate our successes, not our failures, and, as such, to avoid failure, we will, most times, double down on our position, even when we know it to be wrong in the hope that it may be proven right. The stock market illustrates this beautifully in the action of novice investors who, upon finding themselves in a losing position, will sometimes double down or take further losses on the hope that the market will rebound and they will recoup their losses, instead of just cutting a losing position. The desire to be right is so strong that many a time we will take loss after loss rather than admit we were wrong.
This behaviour is seen in all facets of life and the spiritual community isn’t exempt. Let us take the example of awakenings. I have, over the years, had many stories of awakening narrated to me. What is common in so many of them is the desire to have an awakening that is almost identical to the awakening that happened previously. Anything that occurs which isn’t like that will be immediately dismissed and not accepted causing the seeker to continue seeking. This is an example of taking a position which excludes all other positions. We are then limited and unable to open to the infinite possibilities that occur in every moment, simply because we have taken a position. We are now honour bound to defend that position and add more evidence to the position to justify our taking a particular stance. All compounding into a narrowing of thought which now cannot accept another point of view. With the passing of time, this narrowness of thought becomes even more constricting and, unless we are met with an overwhelming shock to our way of thinking, or if we can incrementally and progressively change our thinking, we will find ourselves unable to fully experience our true nature…
What then to do? If we can become aware of the problem, then that can start us on the process of accepting and being open to whatever the moment brings. In turn, this can lead to a dropping away of the stories that have been held in place. Namely that a certain position can only be that way. As we move towards openness, there is more trusting and a greater acceptance of what may occur. We are then not limited but open to any possibility occurring in the moment. This can bring up excitement, curiosity, and a natural enquiry. A wanting to know what can happen but also a resting in not needing to know the answer. A complete trusting. In this trusting, we are turned inwards and an exploration naturally occurs effortlessly and without intent or purpose. We are absolutely free in this space. Ideas, concepts and even the idea of the other cease to make sense. There is only this moment. Singular, whole and complete. A place of infinite possibilities.
A place where you are emphatically you.