Are you a Rock or a Flower?

In the world of manipulation and hypocrisy, the idea that "might is right" continues to convince people to do all kinds of remarkably insane things; things that range from the inconsiderate to the violent to the atrocious, and all things in between. In this kind of world, the gross reigns supreme.

However, in the spiritual world -- the world of creation, compassion, sharing, love, joy and peace -- things are turned 180 degrees the other way: the subtle is much more powerful than the gross. And that is why silence and spaciousness are the supreme manifestations of the spiritual world in this physical human dimension -- the "world of phenomena." Silence and stillness are the utter peaks of subtlety; they are so porous, so inviting, so welcoming, that they are in essence not even there. They are simply the space within which other things can happen.

If you are walking the real self-help path -- not the one that tries to make you richer or more powerful, but the one that tries to inspire your level of consciousness -- then you will eventually come to terms with the fact that life doesn't actually get "easier" -- because the more you travel, the more subtle things become, and as such, the more vulnerable you become.

Many people find this paradox to be curious and best and disconcerting at worst: that the more "they become their true selves," the more challenging life seems to become. This is because they expect it to become the other way around, and yes, that would be "logical." But the world is hardly a logical place. Yes, it has laws -- but those laws answer to a much, much higher authority than mere human-centric logic.

Travel the self-help path with your eyes and your heart open. There are times it will sting and hurt in ways that it simply won't hurt those who aren't on the path with you. After all, the rock feels no pain -- but the rock is impenetrable; it is static, immobile; dead. The flower, on the other hand, releases its fragrance to the wind; and the same wind can come by and force it to lean over on its stem, or perhaps, break off entirely.

Are you going to be a rock or a flower? You must choose, and accept the reality that comes with that choice.