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Universe Within by Gwen Randall-Young
Do not go where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path and leave
a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Whenever I reflect upon the vastness of our universe, and all that lies beyond
it, I am in awe of the unfathomable. It excites me to learn even a little about
what we ultimately cannot know. I have an image of a child’s telescope,
where, looking through one end, everything is small and far away; through the
other end, large and close. I feel like that telescope. At one end is my being,
my perception, my world, and at the other end, the infinite.
Compared to the infinite, it seems I am nothing! Compared to the infinite, our
universe might be like an almost invisible speck. How is it that the elements
have combined to produce human life, capable of perceiving at least part of the
cosmic ocean out of which it emerged? How is it that none of us has ever been,
or will ever be duplicated?
Surely the essence of the entire cosmic miracle is creativity. Why then, is there
such a strong pull to conform? Why are we often afraid to try new things? And
why are those who are wildly creative often considered eccentric? It seems to
me the fact we each have a different face is our first clue that we were never
intended to be alike. What is life, if not an opportunity to express our unique
selves?
If the process of creation that manifested stars and galaxies has also manifested
you and me, are we not as miraculous as nebulae? Perhaps more so, because we are
conscious. We have the ability to co-create our experience on Earth. We can give
some direction to our unfolding. We are not limited to the end result of a chemical
reaction, or the sum total of our biological urges. Life is a canvas, and our
consciousness is a brush; we can paint whatever images we choose. Sadly, sometimes
it feels as though we live paint-by-number lives.
The popular media tells us what to think, what to wear, what to buy our children,
and where to vacation. It provides a steady stream of passive "entertainment."
Our lives end up over-scheduled and over-stressed. Rarely do we create enough
solitude to get to know our own minds. When we follow the common path, we do not
give ourselves the opportunity to explore the depths of our own inherent creativity.
Being creative is not the exclusive territory of inventors and artists.
In daily life, it can be about taking off the blinders of habit and routine, and
doing things differently. It can be about taking risks. It is also about having
the courage to express a different point of view, rather than censoring oneself
for fear of feeling silly or being judged. Mostly it is about trusting oneself,
and not needing the approval or acceptance of others, especially if that means
denying important parts of our true self. We are each rare specimens, absolutely
one-of-a-kind. That is something to be celebrated and enhanced. Should we not
be looking within to see what we can offer that is different and uniquely ours?
Would it not make sense to accentuate our differences, rather than filing away
our edges so we conform, and look like all the others? What if schools valued
creative answers as much as correct ones? And what if children were routinely
asked to share their thoughts, which were then validated as part of an important
process?
What happens to natural creativity when children all play with the same toys,
watch the same television programs and play the same video games? Will human consciousness
not become stagnant? We must pull off the hypnotic highway of mass culture, conformity
and "group think." Let us each forge some unique pathways, for that
is the only way to truly honor the gift of human consciousness, and our miraculous
ability to think our own thoughts.
Gwen Randall-Young is a psychotherapist and author of numerous books including
Dancing Soul: The Voice of Spirit Evolving. gwendall@shaw.ca
www.gwen.ca
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