For generations, centuries and millennia, we the people of this world have shared our stories of the world – that world “out there” – the external one that appears to be other than the self. We see this as our experiences and our relationships and we all agree that this world is “out there.”
We have constructed great entertaining adventures to describe this world and prejudices to differentiate ourselves from it – all revolving around the assumption that there is a self, and then there is a world out there that is other than the self. For this particular inspirational lesson, let us refer to that external world as the “grand-other,” that which appears to be greater than the self.
What if you were to discover that the “grand-other” is not actually out there – it is not actually that other than you and we have simply lost the capacity to see our oneness, our unity – the absolute connection.
What if we were to discover that a greater part of life’s purpose, the most important part of our conscious growth pattern, was to break this illusion? To see this inability to see the total connection of things? What if we were to do something to create a routine – one that engaged in a sort of detective search for the answer? The “PIN” number one might say. What if we explored the universe for this code that accesses the ability to disassemble the perception of the “grand-other” as being other than the self?
Would this be empowering? If you corrected this collective mental concept and regained your ability to see beyond this illusion, would this solve many challenges and answer many questions?
A truly conscious person does this instead of attempting to change the “grand other.” A truly conscious person understands the illusion – every one and every thing is a refraction, a reflection, a magnification of a facet of the self. A truly conscious person doesn’t have the prejudice of seeing the other as other.
The Buddha said it best: “When you see worthiness, praise it. When you see unworthiness, look for the common thread connecting to you.” The truly conscious person accepts the wholeness of all matter and applies this perception without preference to life and all its events, seeing the grand other as a lesson full of messages.
Family, loved ones and close associates, in addition to the greatest love, will present us with the parts of ourselves that we have stumbled over, ignored and avoided for lifetimes. This is a great part of family’s responsibility and can make them, at times, the most irritating of all associations, the most challenging of all relationships, but also the most important ones to learn from.
It is as if everyone in your “grand other” is a blank screen. We are projecting onto them, then receiving images back. Some events, instead of being a blank screen are like a black hole – no matter how much light you shine, it’s absorbed and disappears. These are the most challenging of our relations, the hardest lessons to learn.
Create a meditative and contemplative routine on a daily, weekly, monthly basis – one that establishes consistently, emotionally and psychologically, a view of the “grand other” as being you, a facet of you.
This is the true relationship, a human being – being humane. @gurusinghdaily (Click to Tweet!)
It honors your highest self.
Guru Singh is a world-renowned yoga instructor, author, musician, and family man. Guru Singh works with the Dalai Lama, teaches with Tony Robbins, and has recorded an album with Grammy® Award-winning artist Seal. He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Check out Guru Singh’s most recent book: Buried Treasures: The Journey From Where You Are to Who You Are.
Image courtesy of Steve Wall.
