Mere Mortals

mere mortals Q You put alot of emphasis on the role of choice on the path to freedom. But what about those times when we’re not consciously choosing? There are periods when Ifeel like my life is being guided, when Idon’t really feel like I’m the one who is making the choices. A But that could never be completely true. Even if you say that you are being guided in some way—and you very well may be—you are still making the choice to allow that to happen. As long as there is ahuman being who is walking and talking, there is always going to be someone in there who is making the choices. It doesn’t matter who the person is or how guided they may be. Even if an individual is free from the small-minded and self-centered motives of ego, even if their choices are the expression of aliberated heart and mind, there is still an individuated self, no matter how transparent it may have become, that exists, has preferences, and will continue to make choices until the body drops. And in fact, it is this very part of ourselves, the part that is making all the choices, that we have to take responsibility for—that we have to liberate from the ego—if we want to be free. m e r e m o r t a l s 6 3 Ifind it paradoxical that when you’re speaking about freedom you speak about responsibility at the same time. Well, that’s abig part of what spiritual freedom is all about—especially these days. Because in the end, our free¬ dom doesn’t depend upon whether we happen to feel free or “guided” or not—it depends upon what we choose to do. And as Ihave already said, the reason people are cynical about the concept of enlightenment is that too many of those who claimed to have attained this condition were apparently unwilling to take responsibility for what it is supposed to m e a n . But isn’t it difficult to take responsibility for being enlightened? Imean, many people look to you as an example. Do you ever feel burdened by that? By having to appear to be “perfect” in the eyes of those who believe in you? What aquestion! Well, to be honest, no, Ihave never felt burdened by the need to appear in any particular way to others. But at times Iam burdened by other people’s unwill¬ ingness to wholeheartedly meet the very ideal that they claim to admire in me. Well, isn’t that an awful lot to expect from people? That’s my job—to expect alot from people, to expect alot more from them than they’d ever expect from themselves. 64 living enlightenment But aren’t we all only human? Imean, if we’re not enlightened yet, there’s only so much we mere mortals can do. Mere mortals? I’m amortal just like you. Don’t push me away, don’t make me unreachable. I’m ahuman being made of flesh and blood, just like you. Everything that I’m speak¬ ing about, anybody can realize, if they take it seriously enough. It’s far too easy to say, “It’s not possible for me, but you can do it because you’re special.” Don’t you see—that’s how you let yourself off the hook. The belief that “I already know that it’s not possible” is just cynicism. And cynicism is just pride. It’s just ego. If you do want to be free then that’s the very part of yourself that you have to let go of. Are you saying that the belief that it’s not possible comes from the ego? Yes, of course. The ego protects itself from its own potential destruction through convincing us that it “already knows” that it’s not possible to be free. Because freedom means its own death. That’s why the ego endlessly takes refuge in the cynical position of “already knowing.” You see, if we already know that it’s not possible, then there’s no need to take any risks or to be vulnerable in any way. But when we dare to make room for the unthinkable possibility of our own liberation, we have to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, which simply means to not be so sure, to not know. It’s only when we are willing to really not know that we may discover, to our own astonishment, that it actually is possible. m e r e m o r t a l s 6 5 It’s not that Idon’t want to believe it’s possible. But there’s a fear— That’s because underneath the cynical idea that it’s not possi¬ ble you’re afraid that it may actually he possible. That’s how it always is. Underneath the cynicism is fear of ego death. Everybody wants to get enlightened but nobody change. w a n t s t o Isuppose that’s true. The great challenge of enlightenment, for all of tals, is radical transformation. It’s the demand final reckoning with the enormity of what it means to be alive. Some people wait until they are on their deathbed to do this; most manage to avoid it completely. If we want to be free, we want to come to this final reckoning now while still have time left. u s m e r e m o r - t o c o m e t o a w e Time to do what? To defy the cynical ego. To transcend it and prove that it’s possible to become an example of pure motivation. To live the law of love in adeeply divided world. Unless some of us are willing to do this, no one is ever going to believe that it’s possible. 66 living enlightenment