Who's pulling your strings?
As uncomfortable as this may be, let's consider a puppet metaphor for human existence.
We take our sensory input, our perceptual filtering, our learning, and our thought processes as evidence of our existence. But what if all those things were being caused by something else? Something outside of our awareness? What if your thoughts, actions, perceptions, life experiences, abilities, relationships, decisions, and circumstances were all being controlled by something other than yourself? Most of us would find this proposal very disturbing. It seems to call into question our autonomy and our very concept of self.
As difficult as this may be to think about and conceptualize, this is a very useful metaphor in the study of non-dualism. Earth life is not Reality; it is much more like a play, a show, a demonstration. The events and circumstances are all contrived. The selves that we defend so strongly are merely characters with which we have identified. And the thoughts, words, and actions of these selves? All part of a 'script' that reflects the intention of the 'writer.'
And just who is this puppeteer, the one pulling our strings, making all this seem so real? This is you. The REAL you. The mind, that exists outside time and space. The mind that was created to be eternal, but wants to pretend that temporality can exist. The mind that was created perfect, but wants to pretend that sin can exist. The mind that was created to be one, but wants to believe in separation.
Have you listened to little kids who play with dolls, Barbies, GI Joes, or video game characters? They get so wrapped up in the game that they temporarily lose their identities and begin talking about and thinking about the doll as if it were their self. "I can't get over that wall!" "I'm fighting a battle." "I'm getting ready for a date." "I'm a famous fashion model." "I'm under attack!" "You killed me!" We can gain a lot of insight by paying attention to games that children invent.
Because children are not inventing those games. They are reflecting the same cosmic game that we're ALL playing. Their make-believe and alter-egoes remind us that we are also pretending to be something that we are not.
And just as the children eventually tire of the game, leave their playthings, and return to reality, so will we. The only question is "when?"
We take our sensory input, our perceptual filtering, our learning, and our thought processes as evidence of our existence. But what if all those things were being caused by something else? Something outside of our awareness? What if your thoughts, actions, perceptions, life experiences, abilities, relationships, decisions, and circumstances were all being controlled by something other than yourself? Most of us would find this proposal very disturbing. It seems to call into question our autonomy and our very concept of self.
As difficult as this may be to think about and conceptualize, this is a very useful metaphor in the study of non-dualism. Earth life is not Reality; it is much more like a play, a show, a demonstration. The events and circumstances are all contrived. The selves that we defend so strongly are merely characters with which we have identified. And the thoughts, words, and actions of these selves? All part of a 'script' that reflects the intention of the 'writer.'
And just who is this puppeteer, the one pulling our strings, making all this seem so real? This is you. The REAL you. The mind, that exists outside time and space. The mind that was created to be eternal, but wants to pretend that temporality can exist. The mind that was created perfect, but wants to pretend that sin can exist. The mind that was created to be one, but wants to believe in separation.
Have you listened to little kids who play with dolls, Barbies, GI Joes, or video game characters? They get so wrapped up in the game that they temporarily lose their identities and begin talking about and thinking about the doll as if it were their self. "I can't get over that wall!" "I'm fighting a battle." "I'm getting ready for a date." "I'm a famous fashion model." "I'm under attack!" "You killed me!" We can gain a lot of insight by paying attention to games that children invent.
Because children are not inventing those games. They are reflecting the same cosmic game that we're ALL playing. Their make-believe and alter-egoes remind us that we are also pretending to be something that we are not.
And just as the children eventually tire of the game, leave their playthings, and return to reality, so will we. The only question is "when?"
posted by AWB @ 2/27/2011 06:05:00 AM
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