The "WE"

"Proving Ground" by Dar Freeland

images & text © 1997-2011 Dar Freeland | all rights reserved

Can one who is suffering, hear and feel compassion? Can one who is hurting, feel anything unless they receive exactly the help they are asking for?

Today, the mind is bruised with the pain of angry egos and needs unheard.

Today, the heart is blinded by scolding silence and complete abandonment.

Today, the soul gives back to the Father, the sweetest gift ever received.

No time-outs left.

Who wins?

A gentle wind is weeping.

The hawks are silent in the trees above the house.

I think they know too.

On Father's Day. How perfect.

--dar freeland

faceupstudio.com

The Hamster Wheel

"The Wheel" by Dar Freeland

images & text © 1997-2011 Dar Freeland | all rights reserved

Guilt, shame, blame, repeat. Don't skip any steps.

What happens when the human hamster wheel we are running on while at our weakest level of consciousness becomes exposed? Our hidden self screams out with anger. Why would we choose something that provides volatility, rage and finally the systematic disintegration of all we've worked to build that is peaceful?...because that is what we do...

Why would we choose to be on this wheel to begin with? Most of the time, we don't know we are on it. But little untruths that emerge are our first clue. We feel we must hide something or be judged for it. Guilt is a huge waste of energy and resources within. But we are taught to feel it to our core, and the challenge to love self beyond another's opinion runs deep. When exposed, many feel anger about not having the strength or resources to remain hidden - so we strike out...and usually the what or who we love is standing too close to our volcano.

We feel guilt about something, then we feel shame, then we blame. Once the arrow of blame has been cast, we feel guilt about it. Then shame. Then we blame some more. We run so fast on the wheel that our egos become extraordinary athletes at it, or fall to the side in exhaustion. Then we feel some more guilt at what we are not. Some jump back on the wheel and push it into rotation again. Some jump OFF. Those are the lucky ones.

When we are always in the truth about ourselves, what we think, feel and do - even if it is unpleasant - we are finally FREE. We are human and imperfect...yet we never need to feel that we have to hide in order to survive or not be beaten down more - a potentially systemic condition. We CAN be imperfect because our imperfection is as impermanent as we are. It is a small moment in time. We know we can make adjustments and do it again until whatever it is - however we want to live and be, is in resonance with who we really know we are. We can say "I don't know" and be at peace with that until we find the solution.

We are already perfect - even and especially with those things we judge as imperfect. Not believing this (from years of conditioning) or trying to prove that we are someone different is what makes us jump on the wheel in the first place. The wheel goes nowhere. Only and always back to itself, until we are exhausted and fall, then we do it some more.

Jump.

--dar freeland

faceupstudio.com