This beautiful picture taken in Colorado gives the illusion of a whispy moon in the sky. Coincidentally, I am reading Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. The book is a follow-up to Bach’s best-seller, Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Both books are told through fictional characters but focus on the real-world theory that we are living in the Grand Illusion or the Maya. Temple Purohit describes it as “our current state of existence, how much alienated we are from our true nature and how deeply entangled we become with the objects of our desires, weaving in the process a web of deceptions around ourselves that keep us conveniently concealed from the truth of who we are or what we should have been. It is a state in which each individual soul considers itself to be someone else, separate and distinct from the rest of creation and God Himself.” And according to The American Institute of Vedic Studies, there are two levels of Maya. “The first is the Maya of the world of nature, which holds a wealth of beauty and grace behind the appearances of the various landscapes that we take for granted – the magic of the mountains, rivers, ocean, sky, and stars. Nature is a Maya of beauty and wonder, intimating a yet deeper cosmic reality. This Maya of nature can help us develop spiritually once we learn to decode its symbols and subtle processes and learn how to meditate deeply upon it. The second and more difficult level of Maya is the Maya of the human world which contains various hidden influences, control mechanisms, and power games behind the social, economic, political, intellectual, religious, and spiritual influences that make up our social order.”
I CAN WALK THROUGH WALLS?
In Richard Bach’s books, he takes it a step further. He alludes to the concept (that some scientists believe could be true) that we are living in a simulation. And although it seems that everything we touch and see is hard matter, it’s not. That through our minds, and our beliefs, we could transport ourselves to another place and time or walk through walls. Huh????? As a student of the Science of Mind philosophy, I believe that my thoughts do create my reality. And I truly do believe that if my belief in this power, which some call the Law of Attraction, was strong enough, I could literally do anything. So, why is my belief not strong enough? Like many, I did not grow up knowing or understanding this concept. Religion told me more about what was wrong with me as a sinner than what is right with me. (By the way, did you know that “sin” merely translates to “missed the mark”. In other words, “made a mistake”. And don’t we all make mistakes? Isn’t that how we learn?) I have decades of living in this world thinking that I had to control everything to make things happen instead of allowing my beliefs to draw my desires to me. I was more controlled by my fears than my desires. So, as I slowly unwind those old, false beliefs, I step greater and greater into my power. I draw more and more sweetness into my life. Every year since I started studying this philosophy in 2008, my life has gotten better and more enjoyable. I accept life as it comes more easily. I am more accepting of myself and those in my life. I have more to give – emotionally, energetically, financially, and physically.
WHERE AM I LETTING ILLUSIONS GET IN THE WAY OF THE LIFE THAT I DESIRE?
So, as I contemplate all of this, a question appears in my mind. Where am I letting illusions get in the way of the life that I desire? Lately, the quiet whisper of the illusion of the possibility of failure, for one. What if my business endeavors aren’t successful in the traditional sense of profit and loss? What if my students don’t have a dynamic, enjoyable learning experience in my classes? Mark Twain said, “I’ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.” Meaning, that most of the time, our fears do not come to fruition. So, with that awareness, I move into my day with greater confidence and joy. I realize that even if I don’t meet all of my goals, I am learning, growing, and expanding. Everything that has happened in my life has brought me to this place right here, right now and it is perfect. So I ask you, what illusions do you choose to release today? What can you create in your life when you look beyond the Maya?
