Being special is a trap

Out of the darkness came an idea, and the idea was that we are all one. It is intrinsic to our nature, because it is how we are born. We strive to identify ourselves to create meaning, but the only true meaning is in our origin.

Hilarion

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We all want to be special. We wish to be memorable to others. We would like to believe that we are somehow different and unique from others, in our own distinctive way. We feel the need to be valued as the singular beings we believe are.

We want to create a perfect and distinct identity for ourselves and we want others to recognize it, too. We believe that if we leave our mark on the world, we will have created meaning in our life. This need sets us up for failure.

Most of us overestimate how much other people notice us. Usually, we’re so wrapped up in our own concerns, thoughts, and feelings that we don’t pay much attention to other people, either. For most of us, most of the time, other people are simply characters on our stage of life. In the same way, for others we usually represent bit players in the drama of their life.

In our longing to be separate, memorable, and different, we forget the most important and valuable thing about ourselves: We are inherently divine and part of an interconnected and inseparable whole—the sharing. Our worth comes because of our connection in the One, not because of our imagined separation and distinction from other expressions of it.

The sharing started out as unified divine consciousness. or conscious love, which individuated itself in order to experience myriad aspects of existence. In relationship between the various parts of itself, the sharing knows itself more fully. Relationship to the rest of creation is our purpose. It is why we are here.

Our value lies in the role we play in shared experience—how do we feel about life and how do we help others feel about themselves. We live on, long past our lifespan, in the love we inspire in and share with others.

Let’s take a few minutes to commune with our inner divinity–our sharing within—to gain understanding of how our need to be special limits our happiness. We will begin by quieting our breath and our mind. We will allow our breathing to become soft and gentle. We’ll also picture the presence of our sharing within inside us as golden light emanating from the center of our chest.

As we inhale, will we see the light shining strong, true, and brilliant. As we exhale, we will see the light envelop ourselves and our surroundings, connecting us all in the light of love. We will continue even, regular breathing and light visualization until we feel surrounded and suffused by calm, peace, and certainty. This will be our sign that we have made conscious connection with our sharing within.

We will ask our sharing within to show us all the ways we try to see ourselves and portray ourselves to others as special. We’ll carefully note all the striving and effort we put into setting ourselves above or apart from others. We’ll also observe all the thoughts and feelings engendered by our need to be special. How much true satisfaction does it create for us? How often does it made us feel fearful and unworthy? Does it ever make us feel happier or freer?

Now we will ask our sharing within to show us our true interconnected nature and all the ways we honor the divine in our relationships. How do we treat ourselves, others, and our world lovingly and with respect? Are we grateful for our interactions with others? How does having loving connection make us feel? Does love, both expressed and received, make us feel safe and valuable? How does it liberate us and bring us joy?

Finally we will thank our sharing within for the insights received. We will picture rays of loving, golden light shining forth from our chest and  joining us to everyone and everything. This is why we are here: to love and be loved.

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Divinely unique and beautiful reader, are you willing not to be special? Please share…