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“He dares to be a fool,

and that is the first step in the direction of wisdom.”

–James Gibbons Huneker, music writer and critic, 1857-1921

This life is but a projection of our consciousness as if by mirrors and a reflection of light and sounds.  The Fool is trapped in his own mirror and the journey is not what we thought it should be.  As the Fool progresses on his journey to self realization he is sooner or later to ask himself the question, Why?

This section of the journey is only too common as it is visible in world economies, war, abuse of power and even in the very visible lives of our royalty and movie stars.  This phenomenon explains why journalists focus on the bad news or the fallen lives of former heroes, pop stars and even Presidents of companies and countries.

The Fool becomes obsessed with that question why.  The search for an answer is not out of idle curiosity, but out of the deep need to find out why people and systems suffer and die.  This next stage is extremely important to go through completely to get to the truth or the Fool will end up in another replay of a similar drama, but likely worse.  The only cure is to look inward to understand the feelings and motivations that led to the situation in the first place.  What is the lesson that was there to be absorbed? In this phase the only thing that will satisfy is a period of solitude and reflection away from the relenting and frantic activity that society presents to us on a daily basis.  This is when the Fool can change from a human doing to a human being, if given the chance.  Sometimes, the Fool can seek a teacher for guidance or direction if he is stuck.  But it is inevitably his unique problem to solve and issue to resolve and he or she must become a Hermit for a time.

After a period of soul searching, the Fool figures it out.   A smart Fool can see how he has set up his own drama in all of its intricate design with patterns and cycles designed purely to bring out the lesson required from our most mysterious universe.  The experience seems perfect to awaken the necessary process of change to improve the perception of the Fool.  The perspective of the Fool has widened, the understanding deepened with the result of the sequence of events being a turning point of change.  After this period of assimilation, the Fool redirects his energy in a new way having a renewed sense of purpose and a broader and wiser plan.  The wheel of fate has turned to bring movement and action again.

Learning about cause and effect usually brings us Fools to these turning points in life.  When we take responsibility for our past actions and decisions, we can ensure a more steady course in the future.  If we correct our mistaken beliefs or understand what a more fitting lifestyle might be for us we may be able to take a course correction, large or small and move forward toward growth and insight.  That means taking responsibility for the decisions that got you into this boat.  Or, we can slip into the same old thinking and take the familiar and easy road to repeat the unconscious choices that got us there in the first place.  That familiar route is what closes personal growth and keeps us stuck in the same rut.  Moving onto a new path takes courage.

With no other choice but to continue searching, the Fool has learned that life is not so simple.  Humbled, he moves forward.  Feeling defeated, he relinquishes control of the circumstances and just follows where life takes him.  Amazingly, even though the Fool feels extremely vulnerable having given up control of life, things seem to continually move along and he feels good, free of the burden of driving his chariot.   Peace comes to the Fool.  Free at last.

Knowing that secret, that life is bigger than anyone dreamed before, the Fool begins to pare down and eliminate the bad habits and attitudes that caused him to swing back and forth on a seesaw of moods.  The more mature and stable Fool emerges from this transition to a new and higher state of being.

Balance is what the Fool requires after realizing that giving up all of life’s pleasures is not necessary either.  Tempering the extremes, balance and harmony ensues and with this equilibrium is a new appreciation of moderation in all things.  Finally, the Fool experiences true maturity and centers himself into a healthy set of attitudes bringing with it the well being that life should have.

But the road does not end here…..life is full of surprises.  The world has many messages.  The Fool’s journey continues.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 26th, 2009 at 4:48 pm and is filed under Consciousness, Mastery. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.