I think the point to highlighting lines in a book is lost when there are more lines underlined than not…
It’s just occurred to me that the philosophy in this book is very similar to ‘The Untethered Soul’ by Michael A Singer and so many other books I am reading. Maybe that’s why I love it so much. But it’s easier in this book, maybe not as complex or in depth, but more accessible and easier to read. Letting go, being in the now, having no expectations.
And the main point for me is this: if we can heal our wounds, the places where it hurts when people touch those buttons, and become comfortable with who we are, then it doesn’t really matter what other people are doing. We are totally fine with ourselves. Their issues or wounds don’t hurt us.
It’s so beautiful, so clever and everything I am trying to focus on in life right now. That we are perfect just as we are. Being younger, prettier, better dressed, having a bigger house doesn’t make us better human beings. A new TV doesn’t provide lasting fulfilment. We are enough. We are exactly who and what we are meant to be. We can choose to change. But everything we think was taught to us and can be re-learnt in a way to make us feel better about ourselves.
The concept is really that EVERYTHING is an illusion, it’s our perception or our beliefs. Reminds me a little of quantum physics – nothing really exists. We learnt the stuff in our heads from people that didn’t know any better. It’s now our responsibility to question what we think, why we think it, and change it, if we choose, to make ourselves feel / live better.
What if you left the house every day excited about what might happen, who you might meet and what you might achieve? Instead of feeling too fat, that it’s too hard, no one cares or you aren’t where you are meant to be life. Why do you think those things? What are they based on? Who set the rules for everyone to live by? What if they are the illusion and you are exactly who you are meant to be?
The book is as much about self love as it is about our relationships. There is a beautiful prayer for self love at the back of the book. It spoke to me so loudly that I have recorded me reading it for you here. It goes for 5 minutes.
From the author:
“You know, everything that exists is perfect. You are perfect just the way you are. That is the truth…. It is only knowledge that makes us believe we are not perfect. Wherever knowledge comes from, it is only real from one point of perception. Once you shift the perception, it is no longer real. We are never going to find ourselves with our knowledge. In the end that is what we are looking for: to find ourselves, to be ourselves, to live our own life – the life we were programmed to live. It is not knowledge that will lead us to ourselves; it is wisdom. Wisdom has nothing to do with knowledge; it has to do with freedom. When you are wise, you are free to use your own mind and run your own life.
“When you become wise, you don’t have to use all those images you created; you don’t have to pretend to be something else. You accept yourself the way you are, and the complete acceptance of yourself becomes the complete acceptance of everyone else. You no longer try to change other people or impose your point of view. You respect other people’s beliefs. You accept your body and your own humanity with all the instincts of your body.
“When you become wise, you respect your body, you respect your mind, you respect your soul. When you become wise, your life is controlled by your heart, not your head. You no longer sabotage yourself, your own happiness, or your own love. You no longer carry all that guilt and blame; you no longer have all those judgements against yourself, and you no longer judge anyone else.“
As a final reminder from me, you matter, you are worthy and you are enough. Be kind to yourself.
Wxx
