I think one of the toughest tasks in life is to unlearn. We are always pressured to work and learn new things in life. We are called lazy if we aren’t doing something, if not more than one thing at a time, all the time. There is social stigma if we try to be still. Yet, there is a beauty and value to being still. Same goes for learning. There is a societal pressure to grow, delve into self-help, to fix things and learn more. It is constantly being put upon us. There is a pressure to learn specific things a certain way and we are told this may be the only way. You may be punished if you do not learn them or learn the “right” way. At times, we may see some people that are still living in a decade or two ago and that is not the unlearning I am speaking of. That is more of a lack of learning. The unlearning that I am talking about is recognizing that the social and cultural conditioning we are taught from a child may be inappropriate for us. If necessary, those ideas that do not fit us must be evaluated and forgotten if those impending ideas and norms are no longer good for us. We must ask … Are they useful to us? Does this make sense to me? Is what I was told as a child true? Often, people do not question and just continue with the dogma they have grown up with while continuing cycles of repetitive oppression on themselves, their children and eventually their children’s children. They may live in sadness and frustration without even recognizing it.
If we actually pause and question things that may rub us the wrong way, we may come to a different conclusion than what we were told. I think everyone has had things they were told that did not sit well. The church is an easy example because of its moral pressure to live life this one way. Our parents are an authority system that have molded us to do things a certain way. The government will put you in jail if you choose to do something or not do something, but as easy as changing a law, we can then do the opposite. An example is smoking weed. I used to be the poster boy for legalizing marijuana. NORML and other organizations would rail against the system for change and then one day it is legalized and now the people that gave me shit about breaking the law and the damage marijuana does are telling me about how they eat gummies all the time and its so wonderful. This writing isn’t about marijuana, but that is just one example of how a dogma and social pressure shapes people.
It takes guts to lose your religion. Suddenly, the rug is pulled out from under you and your foundation becomes unstable. You have difficulty standing and it is scary. People are lazy and mostly fearful to question what they know especially religious or governmental principles. I was a rebel from an early age and my punk rock roots said … Question Authority. I understand that 80% of people are sheep and that is totally okay. I am not being derogatory with that name. We need sheep and only a few are shepherds. I do think it is necessary however to call into question anything that doesn’t quite sit right. Even sheep should do this. We all have had moments where we think … This doesn’t make sense. The funny thing is that it probably doesn’t! I speak a lot about how we must find our own Path. If someone said to me … What formed your spiritual view? I would say … Everything. I take from everything and what I like I apply, I apply and what I do not, I do not. To do this you must give a lot of leeway to allowing everyone to do the same. This is the idea I am proposing. We all must choose what is best for us. Anyone can choose any ice cream flavor that appeals to their taste buds because all of our taste buds are different. We have to allow everyone to be in their choice. We must be understanding of what formed people from their life experience and even their past life experience to be understanding of someone’s different choices. Their personalities and their skills and abilities have to be honored. Respect and understanding are of the upmost importance for yourself and others.
The unlearning of dogma is more difficult than learning something new. We can be in a new experience and have to learn something new or have a desire and curiosity for something delicious we crave to know more about. However, to question what is governed as truth by an authority system will cause uneasiness, judgment, possibly ridicule and basically fear of all sorts. We have to decide if an idea is wrong for us, reject it personally, replace it with something that fits us better and apply it in our daily lives. Study and new learning must take the rejected idea’s place or you will feel lost. You will gain personal freedom if you can do this.
Frequently, time and change also causes a need to reject outdated moral systems beyond our uniqueness. We all change and so does the world around us. Change is the only thing that is constant. A culture may have needed a patriarchal form for understanding God, but I don’t think that God the Father is appropriate for everyone. I suggest that we are in a new era and it is the pursuit of one’s True Path. It is the Era of Individuality. One’s True Path is specific to the unique person. Rejecting the old and adopting a new idea like this challenges us to step away from societal and religious rules that do not fit or make sense. They can be constraints to your personal growth if you follow without your heart investment. We must find a Path that is unique to each of us so we may be passionate, invested and enthusiastic toward our lives and our future.
We must embrace our individual will, self-determination and freedom. Dogmas and orthodoxy are restrictive to personal development. Spiritual enlightenment is restrained when you find some idea that does not make sense to you, yet you feel compelled to follow based on societal pressures. You must be skeptical, yet open just like Don Miguel Ruiz’s “The Fifth Agreement” says. Basically, have the guts to question everything. Individuals should be free to follow their true will and beliefs to carve out their True Path rather than adhering to the prescribed rules or dogmas of society, religion, or tradition. Personal will and thought must question and possibly abandon external doctrines in favor of discovering and following your own Truth. With this route comes a need to stand tall and resistant to the scrutiny of those around you. This could include those most meaningful to you. Each person has their own unique will and the discovery of and living out your Truth is a central goal of life … possibly our biggest life purpose. By following one’s True Path, your journey continues the cycle of unlearning and rejection of the societal and religious constraints placed on them. This process of unlearning allows you to realize your true potential. You will gain confidence and strength as you practice your Path. Your individual sovereignty and self-determination is your right as a human and creates further investment in your Path that you alone choose. With this investment comes the opportunity to live your Truth. This is a form of purity and righteousness when you stick to your own moral code. We can stand strong in our Truth and be unfazed by external attacks and pressure and our Creator has our back. If we live our own Path, then we will not bump into another and theoretically, we will live in harmony with each other because we are all on a unique Path. I always thought of a freeway system with bumper to bumper traffic when we are all to live the same way. If we all jump through the same hoops and are to do it the way we are told without deviation, then for sure we will have to queue up and wait in line at times . We all know the attitude and moods of those in traffic. Not very pleasant.
We are as unique as our fingerprints. We therefore must have a Path that fits the unique individual. If we were all the same, then we would have a checklist to satisfy. We are too unique with details that will never allow for a checklist to be comprehensive. But, if we have our own ideas and values, then we will forever adjust our own Path to fit us with continued introspection working within our ever-changing nature. We can listen to ourselves as we change and adapt our code to our growth. Those rules we have been forced to adopt that are contrary to our own thought system are just a means of control by an authority via conformity which stifles human freedom and liberty. Rebel! I love how our country’s code says liberty for all, however this is far from true often. Any form of limitation, whether self-imposed or imposed by others, is contrary to the spirit of Truth, Freedom and Love. By transcending our imposed constraints, we reject fear and stand in Love and in our Truth. We build our strength and confidence by questioning tradition and embracing our Path. It is a radical reform of individualism with respect to ourselves and other’s choices for themselves. All people must be free to discover and follow their own Path and heart’s desire that is unburdened with outside pressures to conform to illogical systems of belief. However, above all, this freedom comes with the responsibility to act in alignment with one’s deepest purpose of Love and Joy rather than mere selfish desire. Love is the ultimate intention in all Paths. Love of yourself and Love for others essentially is an alignment and Union with our Creator. This is the goal of all True Paths.
To bushwhack your own Path, you must question all of the things and parts and philosophies of your life. We must have Love as our focus which is the reason we are questioning everything. We do not do things for ourselves that will harm another. We will harm ourselves when we harm others. We Know our Creator is Only Love. Everything else is an illusion or lie. Distinguish for yourself what are lies in your life. Face what you fear with the strength and backing of our Creator. Our God gave us an incredible brain and the gift of free will and choice. What a gift! Are we to squander it by not using it? No one would want one way to do things and no choices or to be told you are to do something without choice. Why would a dogma of government or religion do this? Control and power are reasons. We have unlimited options to choose. Not just one TV channel to watch or only one ice cream flavor to have. Does your dogma sound like a dictatorship or communist regime? Don’t live in fear, but live in Love … live in Truth. Know that Love overcomes and extinguishes all fear. Love and Truth are the basis of your Path and by being on your Path and allowing others to choose theirs, then you are living in your Truth and living True Love.
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