A meditation on the concept of HOPE
Try to read this with an open mind.
This idea may be contrary to other ideas you hold inside, and as we usually do when an idea does not fit well at first, we may develop resistance to it, not because it does not make sense, but because we tend to filter out what does not fit well in the basket of ideas that we already carry inside us.
We do this by losing focus, or by glancing at the written words, but not really contemplating their implication.
But if we truly care to progress on the path of SELF exploration, we must keep an inquiring open mind, and examine NEW ideas.
OK…. So….Here it is:
Hope is a state of uneasiness.
When a person perceives his or her situation as being incomplete, they develop hope.
That means that hope imply that you are NOT currently in a perfect state.
It means that you believe that your situation IS hopeless right NOW, but that by being hopeful, you are hoping to make a positive shift.
All people are searching for a state of inwards security, for inner balance and for peace.
But as long as we perceive the outer world as dangerous and insecure, we will never truly find a sense of inwards security.
To remedy this gap, we as humans, invented the concept of hope.
We still hold danger as real and existing in the outer world, but now we have hope that somehow we shall escape from the horrors that we believe lurk outside us.
Accidents, terminal illness, injury, danger, robbery, loss, financial collapse, conflict – are all things we perceive to be random and arbitrary, that can befall any of us at any moment…. Yet we are HOPEFUL, that they will not…
For others, hope is a state of living that imply that things are not good right NOW, but they will get better at some point in the future.
This means that living in hope, imply living in the FUTURE, and not in the NOW.
Those who live in the future, do not live at all.
The future is only imagined…. We ONLY have the NOW.
Therefore, living with hope, which usually is seen as being a positive attitude, a virtue in our society, actually reenforces a belief in lack in us.
It imply that we are not complete nor able to shift and change what is causing our misfortune, and that we live in a state of lack, right NOW.
But we are rarely powerless, and ALL of our life’s misfortunes and dramas are SELF GENERATED.
Because they are self generated, it is FULLY within our powers to change them.
If we cannot change the outer circumstances, we can change our perception of things to find contentment… We are never powerless.
When we are not certain about the future, we develop an attitude of hope, to combat the uneasiness that the feelings of uncertainty, brings in us.
We love to control our affairs and feel helpless when we cannot.
This may lead to developing a controlling personality, that aims to manipulate people and situations, so we can be in control.
A controlling personality will react in anger, when situations or people do not yield to their will.
The aim of this reflection about hope, is to get to a state of being that is free of hopelessness and hope.
A free state that is neutral and free of ideas and desires.
To be free of both hope and hopelessness, by recognizing what they are, means that you are free to BE.
You ARE FREE to live in the present moment with a sense of well being and contentment.
Your own thoughts and ideas are those which constantly create all your conflicts and all your sense of unhappiness.
Your own thoughts and ideas, are a collection of conclusions and beliefs that you have developed based on a bundle of memories and PAST experiences.
You have complete power to shift and change, by letting go of your self created ideas and self image.
You put your faith and you value external things.
You believe they will bring you happiness and greater energy, and so you feel discontent until you’ll get them.
If only you will have more money…. Be married to a loving partner…. Be skinny… Live in a better city….. Have a better job….
These are all external conditions you believe will bring MORE inner contentment.
But contentment is a state that you either have or not….
More of it is not going to effect anything.
Release yourself from this self generated mechanism that will always keep you unhappy.
More external things or different circumstances will not add anything to your life, and you will waste your days in trying to pursue them aimlessly.
You have all you need for a greater life INSIDE of you!
You journey into greater understanding is a journey INWARDS….. By unraveling all the concepts that have been dished out to you automatically from the world and by other people.
You are an explorer… sailing on the ship of LIFE… sailing into oceans deeper, more vast and more majestic than you’ll ever know…. Your journey is certain and you WILL reach the shores of BLISS…..
I have been thinking about this post Tali and about hope. For me hope seems like an empty hollow word i can almost feel the wind rattling round in it. Instead i exchange this word for dreams and i have to admit some of those dreams do have a pinch of hope in them.
I have a vision board – what is on this board are my dreams. It represents most areas of my life – i dont dwell over it but it is there. I have done it to get these things out of my mind, to clear my head, but also at a glance to remind me of the dreams i have and want to pursue.
As i get older I am starting to find more clarity with my thoughts and who i am and what i want to do. I find i am not ‘settling’ or being fobbed off anymore – i want answers they help give me clarity and direction. I think i am becoming a little more impatient and a lot more direct.
I need to discipline myself in to a stop and do meditation. For years i have searched for the right guided meditation and always been sisappointed when all this time i have had that guided meditation within me.
I am also finding that becoming one with one can be a very lonely journey – i am finding that i am wanting to spend less time round people, yet i crave to have the friendship of a couple of galpals. I have never been a team player i have always prefered my own company.
But anyway Tali, i still do think i need dreams to keep me going and maybe a dash of hope thrown in.
In friendship
Pamxx