You probably go about your daily life, thinking that in every moment you choose one out of myriads – perhaps infinite – potential courses of action (or inaction).
Others (your family, your teachers, your spiritual/religious guides or whichever “authority”) have probably taught you, ever since you became aware of yourself, to believe that your free will determines whether and how you will choose to act in the face of whatever your way comes (or doesn’t).
Here, I cannot help but spell out the first out of a series of unorthodox questions that will follow:
Is This So Called “Free Will” Truly Yours?
According to the conventional viewpoint, especially in the Western World, one must take a decision or choose a course of action only after carefully assessing and analyzing all relevant parameters and alternatives available to one.
But, please, take yourself as an example and honestly answer the following question:
In the last 24 hours how many of the choices you made represented the outcome of such an analysis?
I bet not that many. If you are sincere with yourself, you must admit that most of your choices were, in fact, spontaneous, impulsive, on the spot.
And I would take it one step further and claim that it is even questionable if there was even a single choice you made during this time that was purely an outcome of logical, “square” analysis.
I am saying this because, come to think of it, the available data in any decision process are practically infinite.
This Means That ANY Choice You Make Is Impulsive
Spontaneity and impulse run your life. It’s not hard to see this, if you look at your life in a detached and objective fashion.
And, by definition, spontaneity cannot be subject to any willful action on your side, right?
But, then, what “free will” are we talking about here?
At best, what you have is an illusion of free will and choice. Nothing more than that.
And don’t get me started about the notion of being “in control of things”! You already know very well – and probably don’t need much convincing about it – that the overwhelming majority of what happens to you every day is hopelessly beyond your sphere of influence.
So, combine this fact with the illusory character of free will and you touch upon the second unorthodox question of this post:
Is There Any Choice You Truly Have In Your Life?
If you have closely followed me so far, and you find that what I say makes sense, there is a good chance you shall now proclaim:
“You know what, I doubt if I have any choice at all in my life”...!
And, you know, what? You will be right to say so!
Almost right, however. Not entirely.
This is because there is a choice you do have.
You’ve always had it and you always will have it.
To understand what this choice is, however, you must first consider what the answer to the third and final question of this post is. A question that is extremely simple, yet it is also THE most unorthodox, especially in this context.
Ready for it?
Here it comes…
Who Are You?
If you think you are an entity that solely corresponds to a random sequence of words or sounds, also known as your name…
Or if you think you are the body someone has mysteriously fastened upon you…
Or, then again, if you identify with the bundle of thoughts that you likely refer to as your mind…
Then, allow me to say that you limit yourself (willfully so, I’m afraid) within an, unnecessary, existential straitjacket.
And if you constrain yourself in this way, it also follows that you leave yourself with nothing but a mere illusion of choice, control, “free will” (call it as you like).
But if you seek to relentlessly pursue the answer to this question of questions…
I mean, to really go after it, as if it were the most important thing in this or any other life…
(Spoiler alert: it is)!
Then, you are bound to discover that there is in fact one, and only one, choice that you, the True You, really has:
Relax, Accept Your True Nature, And Surrender To It
Or
Resist, Reject It, And Suffer
So, what shall it be, Sister And Brother In Arms?
What shall it be, My Friend?
You, who truly is a Unique Expression Of All That Is?
Choose wisely and only then answer.
You have to. It’s your only choice.
But don’t do so only mentally.
Rather, do it with your whole Being!
Until next time,
Remain alert and safe.