Everything is in a constant state of change; time, our bodies, and the natural world. Do we have any power over that? Can we change its momentum and progress? To the casual observer, it seems fixed and part of the laws of the universe. Yet there are areas that we can influence, even though we have come to believe that we are who we are, and things are what they are.
Spirituality teaches us that one of the areas over which we have great influence, is the self. There are many areas in this that we can alter or change, and the influence of that alteration can make a huge impact on the lives we lead. One aspect of the self is authenticity. Most people dislike falsehood and deception and anything that is not real. However, most of us have learnt to behave in certain ways to be accepted, liked, loved, or to get on in life.
However, what the world really wants from us is to be ourselves. Not an artificial self but our real self. We love to meet real people; those who open themselves up and share the authenticity they have within. They face things in an open and real way, and are refreshing to meet. The world wants to know what is in our hearts, not to have to deal with a false persona. Yet, we create an illusion and spend a lot of time trying to maintain that sleight of hand. In so doing, we also trap others, who follow our example. We all end up in a cul-de-sac of confusion. We have lost the naturalness that would help us resolve situations in a simple and beautiful way, and we become lost.
To let go of our false personas, we need power. We may know that we are being false, but we do not have the power to drop the façade. It is with meditation that we acquire the power to let go of these false personalities. Meditation gives us power and access to our inner strength. Then we can begin to express our true feelings and thoughts. However, this needs courage. When we face these artifices, there are often repercussions. People are used to us the way we are and may alienate us. In the end, though, we will have self-respect and others will begin to respect us too. Happiness, and well-being will flood back into our lives. Affirmations combined with meditation are a simple and powerful way to begin. A simple affirmation like ‘I am a unique spiritual being’ moves us into a place of truth and spiritual power. Affirmations are a way of talking to our subconscious self and reminding the self of the great inner power we all have.
Another method to influence the self is the act of forgiveness. When we find that we are harbouring heavy, negative feelings and an attitude of hopelessness, feeling that life is going nowhere, our relationships are poor, that our health is not at the optimum level, then the reason is that we are carrying stuff that we should have let go of, long ago. Many of us are trapped in the prison of the past, holding on to resentments, anger, fears, all of which are disabling us in the present and stopping us from moving forward. We hold on to a belief that we were treated badly, abandoned, or betrayed, let down, cheated. We have a deep sense of disappointment and walk around with a seething anger threatening to bubble over at any moment. Or we become timid and afraid of ever trying anything again, remaining locked in a prison of our own making. What is the way out of this incarceration? It is the power of silence.
We are all part of God’s family and in meditation and silence we can make the connection with God. In this we can understand, forgive and let go. It is only with the power of God that we can effect real change, and as we change so does our world.
Jim Ryan has a background in education. He is an author and a Brahma Kumaris Rajyoga teacher, based at the Global Retreat Centre, Oxford, UK.