02/27/2011
Let go of worrying and blame.
One popular New Age premise tells you that “you create your own reality.” Sadly, this is often misunderstood to mean that when you are sick, you have somehow done this to yourself. Of course there are instances in which you bear more responsibility for your illness. Perhaps you made poor lifestyle choices in the past, such as smoking or excessive drinking or drug use. But setting aside these obvious examples, most of the time you really cannot know why you have become ill. Therefore, it is important not to add insult to injury by making yourself feel guilty.
The real truth of this premise is that you do create your own reality, but only right now, in this present moment. You do this through the stories that you are telling yourself and identifying with. You do not create the scenery you see, only your reaction to it. You do not create the weather, but calling a day “miserable” makes you unhappy.
Understanding that you are responsible for your own psychological and emotional reality in the present moment has everything to do with awakening to the nature of your own mind and nothing to do with creating guilt.
If you tell yourself “I (somehow) have created my disease,” the immediate consequence of this belief is a feeling of shame and guilt, not increased well-being. Even if you had previously made unhealthy choices, blaming yourself for past actions does not improve your present state. The key then to maximizing your potential for healing is choosing to be fully present. In other words, let go of worrying about what caused your illness and instead enter completely into whatever your actual experience is, moment by moment.
No comments:
Post a Comment