Recapture Your Self

Infants act out of purity and focus. It is not the same focus that we develop as we mature and systematically put together the formula for refinement. Rather, the infant’s focus is in the moment and overwhelmingly necessitated by that reality. We must destroy our poorly developed sense of priority, and like the youngest among us, react to the demands of our instinct.

Recapturing your self is, in a way, an oxymoron because to do so we must release ourselves from the burden of our own conditioning. We have been taught how to speak, how to act, and how to present rather than how to truly express our feelings. Of course, we cannot cry out when we are hungry or run freely through the streets with no concerns. We must speak with defined passion and move freely without fear. Our restrictions have been laboriously learned and awkwardly applied, manifesting far less than a whole person. Bring your self back to the very beginning when limitation was not life threatening.

To live fully, is to live without disease. A fully engaged life is like a wide and deep river that rapidly moves forward and carries with it an abundance of life and vitality. This river never waivers, although it changes shape, route and dimension. Its purpose is clear, and most importantly, it is part of a greater system that is interconnected. When you truly equate yourself with this river and live as harmoniously, you will flourish in your future and find favor at every turn.

Take a stand and gather together the important things that engage you and bring you motivation. You are now in control of the potential to fulfill your greatest dreams and dismiss your dogmatic demons. Self is the only element with the authenticity to create success and wellbeing. All else is feeble in comparison. Self can answer every question with authority and never lose focus. It is essential for you to develop a renewed relationship with who you are and to take that “you” as far as you possibly can. One should never rely on the past to produce the present, yet it is the wise past that reveals those events that we wish to leave behind and those successes we wish to enhance. Your strength does not come from what happened, it comes from who you presently are. Recapture your self and learn to wholeheartedly love, respect, and honor that boundless, fearless creature — you.

A series of interviews was conducted with people at the top of their field. Although there was a lot of discussion and haphazard questioning, the purpose of these talks was to find out how these gifted individuals achieved their outstanding status. One after another they repeated a similar story. Someone somehow touched them in their life and gave them confidence, support and encouragement. Most often it was a parent, family member, teacher or friend. Although in different words, each described the same pattern. No matter the challenges in their field, the supporters always shed positive light on their pursuit. Each described that their coach used cutting critiques that at times did not seem favorable, yet were always prefaced with the words “I know you will do better the next time.” If we are masterful in our own lives, we can be our best support, rewarding ourselves with consistent success.

Recapturing our self is a noble and important cause that will broaden our capacity to live in the fullest, most rewarding manner. This opportunity brings us the insightfulness required to denounce our own doubts. Not long ago, we worked with a young woman who had lost her child in an accident. That unfortunate incident, coupled with her diagnosis of cancer and her husband leaving, contributed to a powerful threesome that gathered negative forces creating a gigantic mountain of hardship. When she told her story she gained unanimous support for her state of depression. We may have been the first to tell her that all of this was a revelation and that she needed to interpret it properly. Thinking that we were making light of her disastrous circumstance, she rejected our suggestions. She only wanted more sympathy and had already determined she was going to die. After speaking with her several times, she came and asked why we were so mean. We responded by saying, “You are the mean one in this scenario; mean to youself, mean to your remaining children, mean to your friends.” “How dare you!,” she responded. “Do you have no heart?” We questioned her by asking if she still had a heart. This further angered her. In a way, all she wanted us to do was tell her it was okay to roll over and die. After this uncomfortable encounter, she returned in a week and said, “You know? Maybe I can heal myself.” When asking what had made the change for her she stated, “I realized that I once again wanted to be the little girl with a dream rather than the broken woman with no future.”

We are always a child with a great dream and we never face irreversible doom. Benini in the movie “Life is Beautiful” represented this well. Although his circumstances were horrifying, he never allowed the so-called reality to penetrate his fearless happiness. His self perpetuating positivity was contagious and raised the spirits of all the lives he touched. He went to his death courageously smiling and laughing. Will we know ourselves well enough to live an unwavering life, with our first objective to be self acceptance? There is no doubt that within us we have the strength to do so. It is for us to rekindle the magnificent energy that the infant has and live a life as wisely and innocently as possible.

Vol 28 Issue 1 Page 10