Imagine you have a pair of special glasses. Not the kind that help you see better, but the kind that help you see differently. These glasses don't change what's out there, they change what's in here – inside your mind.
Now, you might think you know what "real" is. You see your school, your house, your friends. But what if all that's just one way of looking at things? Like a video game! You're playing, and you think the screen is everything, but there's a whole world of code and programmers behind it that will never, or, rarely if ever, witnessed by any player.
That's kind of what Tom Campbell talks about when he discusses the relatively mystical term of, consciousness. He says, we're all playing a game of consciousness. "Consciousness" is like the stuff that makes you aware, like you're awake and thinking. It's like the player behind the video game character. And we have "choice" – that's like the controller!So consciousness could be expressed as, “An awareness with choice.”
The Flow of Something Bigger
Tony Schwartz talks about something called "flow." Have you ever been so focused on something you love doing that time just flew by? Maybe you were drawing, or playing an instrument, or building something amazing. That's flow! It's like you're connected to something bigger than just you.
It's like when you're swimming in the ocean. You can fight the waves, and get tired, or you can relax and let the waves carry you. That's surrendering. It means letting go of trying to control everything, and trusting that something bigger is looking out for you (like landing on a fantasy island from the current alone.)l
The Great Perspective Shift
Now, put on those upside-down glasses. Suddenly, you realize you're not just a student, or a leader, or a player in a game. You're a part of something amazing, something huge! You're connected to everyone and everything.
Imagine you're a tiny drop of water in a vast ocean. That ocean is like God, or whatever you want to call that bigger power—have a bigger power than yourself, please? But understand it as yourself. You're a part of it, and it's a part of you. You're never really alone.
And guess what? That ocean is full of forgiveness. If you make a mistake, or feel lost, you can always surrender, let go, and trust that you're being carried by a worthy and perfectly timed current.
Greatness Inside You
You are capable of so much more than you think, or perhaps are even being told. You have the power to create, to learn, to love, to make a difference. It's like you have a superpower inside you, waiting to be discovered.
Think about your favorite hero in a book or movie. They didn't start out perfect. They had to learn, and grow, and make mistakes. But they never gave up.
You don't need a cape or magic powers to be great. You just need to remember who you truly are: a part of something amazing, with the power of choice, and the ability to connect to something bigger.
God is Within You
Some people call that something bigger "God." And God isn't some old person sitting on a cloud. God is like the ocean – everywhere, all the time, and always with you.
Now I’m not here to preach much on God, but God, in this case, could be perceived as: the feeling of love when you hug your family. God is the spark of creativity when you draw a picture. God is the voice inside you that tells you to be kind.
So, take off those upside-down glasses. Look around. You're not just seeing the world, you're in the world. You're a part of it, and it's a part of you.
Remember, you are loved, you are capable, and you are never alone. You have the power to make a difference, and to discover the greatness inside you. All you have to do is choose to see it. Pretty cool, right? Were you aware of the “guns” you’ve been holding this whole time?
-Cheers