As
I view adults around me, I see two roads being traveled. One involves pursuit
of the true self, while the other involves avoidance of true self through addictive
behaviors, relationships and substances. Nearly everyone seems to have both, in
varying proportion.
It is indeed terrifying to face the splendor of what we can become, for it involves letting go much of what we thought of as our security. What distinguishes us humans from other creatures is that we have the ability to tell the difference between these two roads and can, in fact, choosewhich one to go down.
To further illustrate the concept of these two roads, I recall the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice:
When Orpheus plays his lyre, nature listens. Eurydice, while gathering flowers by the river her wedding to Orpheus, is bit on the foot by a snake. She quickly dies. That night, Orpheus -- playing his lyre, pouring all his grief into the music -- enters the cave to the underworld in hope of finding his bride. Charming the ferryman and 3-headed guard dog, he reaches Hades the cold-hearted King of the Underworld -- who is uncharacteristically affected. Hades pronounces to Orpheus, "Go back to the light of day. Go quickly while my monsters are stilled by your song. Climb up the steep road to daylight, and never once turn back. The spirit of Eurydice shall follow. But if you look around at her, she will return to me."And so Orpheus begins the return journey, but fails to hear any sign of her spirit following him upwards. Wondering if he has been tricked and doubting that he could succeed in returning down a second time, with the mouth of the cave in sight, he turns to look behind. For a brief moment he can make out her form and he attempts to embrace it. She says only "goodbye" and vanishes. Other versions of the story have her nagging him as they walk, saying he must not love her if he won't turn and look.
Ego Self - Personality - Victim | Higher Self |
PROVIDES FOUNDATION, THE BODY | CONNECTED TO THE DIVINE and our spirit purpose |
KNOWS
HOW TO DO THINGS, NOT WHY
| KNOWS
WHY
|
ACTS
OUT OF ANIMAL INSTINCT
| ACTS
OUT OF WISDOM
|
HOARDS
| KNOWS
TO LET GO
|
CLINGS
TO THE FAMILY, CLAN, TRIBE
| HAS
"CUT THE CORD"
|
SEEKS
MATERIAL SOLUTIONS TO SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS
| KNOWS
THE THINGS WE TRULY DESIRE
|
HAS
NO IDEA WHAT LOVE IS
| CAPABLE
OF GENUINE LOVE
|
CONSTANT
NEED TO BE DOING SOMETHING
| RECEPTIVE,
REFLECTIVE
|
IMPATIENT
| PATIENT
|
DOES
NOT CHOOSE FREELY
| CHOOSES
FREELY IN EVERY MOMENT
|
See
related article within this site: Sermon
given 5/97
music@jeffrysteele.com
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free to write with questions,
comments or just to say hello).