Going back to what I referred to earlier, we create symbols to give ourselves a sense of security, meaning and clarity, continuity to life, and well, the adult symbols tend to break us down rather than nurture our sense of well-being. But ever notice even very young children make symbols?
The teddy bear becomes a very meaningful person in the child’s life. They imagine that flowers tell them things, or that the family dog is going to be a doctor when it grows up even though they don’t really understand what doctor means or why it’s important. Children start out with a healthy sensitivity to the self, fully experiencing the self. Ideally, maturing would include maturing the natural behaviors of the child into an experienced form, moving from naive to full fruition. Do current adult institutions show any continuity with childhood symbolism?
No. Is this a good thing? We have built a machine that sucks the vital energy out of humanity. This is why we even come to refer to ourselves metaphorically as machines. That’s what the self-image is. The ideas of self we adopt are prefabricated cogs in the machine.
What would society be like if we took the imagery of childhood and nurtured it toward full maturity? It’s true that the naivety must be lost…
Congress! Parliament. They throw microphones at each other. Actually, politicians are all self-image. Everything about that entire system is self-image, not a thing childlike about it. Every part of that self-image machine is for sale.
Let’s take one childhood image, childhood notion. Anyone want to offer an example?
Sharing vs. not sharing? The childhood notion is that my things are mine, yes? Let’s keep that idea and see what it looks like when it’s no longer naïve.
If we all grew up and were allowed to continue to believe that my things are mine, we would come to see that our things aren’t by themselves satisfying. It would cease to be enough to have our toys. They would have to have some feeling of purpose, and how would they find that?
The purpose would be found in helping others and giving of what you have. Not indiscriminately of course, but we would selectively share our things, because there is meaning in it, because it feels good to give a treat to a little one. Our self-esteem would be affected how if we were allowed to mature in this way instead?
If it’s really mine, I’m not threatened by letting another use it.
I prefer to give, not to loan or borrow. It feels better to share without being asked to or expected to. Yes, contracts are self-image driven. They compromise self-esteem. Giving instead is more natural.
I like to donate to charity but I dislike the letters and calls I get afterwards. Their response is a social expectation, again self-image driven.
I gave my last car to the Salvation Army. A month later, I saw it in the parking lot of the local university. I’m glad someone is finding it useful, but I don’t ever want anyone to force me to share whatever I am currently using. Yes, the force is self-image based. Specifically the projection of others who live confined to self-images and think, “Who do you think you are?”
Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.
Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~