I’m not sure who said something to this effect: “the curse for creating illusion is living with more illusions”. We all create our own illusions, choose beliefs which reflect who we want to see in ourselves and other people, and we all live in a hall of mirrors we have chosen to protect ourselves, our identity, our ego, and our reality. None of us are immune to illusions.

Some of us are truth seekers, so we strive to see beyond that hall of mirrors. We can question our own beliefs and our own selves so that we can learn, move beyond, become more. And others hang onto their illusions for dear life because it is safe in there. When a new truth or reality threatens their world view, they choose to hang on to their beliefs, and the only way they can do that is to stay within that hall of mirrors, They adjust their beliefs only so much as to maintain their existing reality, to maintain their identity, to maintain the old, unchanging, unevolved self.

But, when we do that, our world becomes smaller and smaller. Our reality becomes so fragile, that we constantly must work to seal the cracks in our old mirror. We only adjust our beliefs so much as to create a new seal for a mirror that is almost shattered. When that old mirror catches a reflection of a new world or a brighter light, they quickly throw a blanket over it to make sure that mirror still reflects their old world view.

This is not a critique of any people in particular; we all do this in certain areas of our life. We want to believe certain things that have always made us feel good, and we all hang onto outdated beliefs. The world is constantly changing. Change is the only permanence in the world. How would it benefit us to still believe that the earth is flat, that evil spirits are responsible for disease, that powerful or independent thinking women are witches, and that flight is only possible through magic? You chuckle, but we all believe in something that no longer serves us.

The world has never evolved for the worse. Change is always uncomfortable and painful, so people blame it for their inability to adapt. It is tempting to stay attached to old people, things, and beliefs, because any new belief or reality that comes in feels like a slap in the face. We all earn whatever happens to us when we refuse to grow. Every time that I have clung onto false beliefs, I crashed and burned of my own doing. Nobody did it to me. Of course, I blamed whoever was in my situation at the time, but I always did it to myself because my belief system refused to budge.

I earned every painful lesson, but I also grew from it. In isolation, I have been pondering: What people, beliefs or things have I been hanging onto? How have I kept myself stuck in the past? How am I refusing to grow and move on? What distractions have kept me off my path? In what ways am I holding myself back?

Isolation has been good for me, as I am sure it is good for all of us. It has been uncomfortable to watch friends clash because of their belief systems. It has been sad to see 2 friends die, and another 6 succumb to disease. I have been unfriended by dozens of people who do not like what I have to say. I am okay with all of it. It is supposed to happen. I am losing two important people, who have always been a crutch for me. It is time that I learn to walk without crutches. I am not sad because this is part of my changing reality. More of my reality will continue to change and I will be okay with it. In fact, I am allowing for the new reality to come in without any resistance. It will be uncomfortable, but I will adjust to it, and I will grow in it.

And so will you. Resistance is a killer. Resistance clogs your flow. Resistance compounds your fear, anxiety, negativity. Fear spreads like a wildfire. Relax. You are doing great and are taking good care of yourself in isolation. Adjust to whatever new reality is coming in, even if it looks uncertain. You can choose to thrive in uncertainty rather than cower in it. You can float in the ocean, trusting that every new wave will carry you where you need to be, even though a wave has the capacity to pummel you. It is not the wave, it is your resistance and doubt that makes you go under.

Have you ever floated belly up in the ocean and wondered what exactly is holding you up above the water, even though you are not actively swimming? Have you noticed that the minute you start to question your ability to float, you see a wave coming, you try to resist it and you now have to start pedaling to stay above it? That is your resistance. Relax and allow yourself to adjust to the waves. There is a lot of power in uncertainty. The power is in knowing how to flow with it. Accept whatever comes without resistance, then slowly work to adjust to this new reality. The more relaxed you stay, the less change will hurt.

Allow all those old beliefs, relationships or patterns that no longer serve you to flow away. Do not argue or fight to keep them, but gently allow them to wash away. Whoever wants to go, let them without any resentment. Wish them the best. Whatever no longer works, allow it to crumble without any fear. Whoever is attacking you, nagging you, taunting you, allow them keep barking, pay attention to something else. Why?

If I made a fist and threw a punch at your face, it would hurt. But if you were in flow, you would slowly bend like a reed in the wind, and my punch would miss you. My punch could not hurt you. You would now be much more powerful than anything I could do to you, and I would remain powerless. Instead of fighting people, or fighting a new reality, bend and flow.

When a hurricane passes through town, which objects get destroyed? It is the oldest, most rooted trees that fall in its path. It is the flowers and the reeds that can bend with the wind that survive. Go with this flow and you will adjust easily to whatever new reality you make.

S