Inner Freedom and Optimum Performance Has 1 Powerful Path — The Path of Purity Is Not It
Following someone else’s guidelines, or moral code will not maximize your performance and happiness
For 26 years I followed the path of purity (dos and don’ts, moral codes) of various personal development teachers and spiritual traditions. The results were dismal.
If you focused on self-development or looked to optimize your performance, you have probably spent many decades and truck loads of money trying to evolve and increase output.
Not wanting to think your time and money were wasted, you may overestimate any change that has occurred, if any. You then quickly move on to the next teacher, course, or best-selling book. Thus, the cycle continues ad infinitum.
Another path is possible which results in radical transformation. And no teacher or expensive course is required.
1#. The past plays itself out in the present
You are a creature of habit, therefore at a fundamental level, you do the same things over and over again. As a result, you get the same outcomes.
Due to past programming, your subconscious beliefs run your life. You like to think you are in control and determine how your life plays out. But being unconscious you are unaware of their influence.
Ways to measure if your development and your productivity are increasing are:
- Reactions — Examine your emotional responses to the world. In terms of frequency, intensity, and recovery time.
- Health — Has your body remained lean and supple over the years?
- Relationships — Investigate if your relationships now have more depth and connection. Do you still get angry and frustrated with your parents?
- Bank balance — A sign of progress financially is your wealth increasing year on year.
- Career — Promotions or an increase in the net profit of your business are indicators of expansive vocational change.
Self-talk that justifies why things are not developing or denial of areas of your life not changing, is keeping your life locked in a similar pattern.
You look to refine and improve your behavior through the teachings from others that rest on rules, guidelines, and moral codes. However certain problems arise that you don’t want to address.
#2 — Paths to Freedom
There are 2 paths to freedom and productive results.
One path is the path of purity.
It has been put forward by many religions and philosophies. You follow a set of moral and ethical codes with the hope of purifying yourself that will produce results and development. Some of the teachings may be things that the teacher or lecturer had found helpful themselves.
This path can be problematic for several reasons:
- Rigidity — You follow a set of fixed do’s and don’t. Your behavior is limited to these prescribed behaviors. If you don’t want to do these things, you force yourself to follow them. It feels unnatural but you do your best to follow, at least when others are around.
- Shadow — Following a moral code creates a “nice” side of your personality. However, there is a corresponding dark side. This aspect of yourself is suppressed and comes out in ugly ways. An example is a priest that promotes charity from the pulpit but is later found out to have embezzled funds.
- Self-judgement — When you do indulge in your shadow side self-criticism arises. You regret what you did and may feel guilty. You feel disappointed for not following someone else’s agenda, that you have taken on as your own.
There is another path. The path of wholeness.
On the path of wholeness, you acknowledge and accept all aspects of yourself.
Life is lived from a place of spontaneity and authenticity. You live from what arises within you in the present moment. Authenticity is expressed from a place of your being yourself. Your essence shines forth.
Should you find it hard to embrace living from a place of spontaneity and authenticity, drop your self-imposed rules and self-judgment. Instead, do what you like to do and follow your passions.
For those that are very repressed emotionally, think back to those things that you loved to do when you were younger or those things that you wanted to do but were not allowed to do. Think of those activities that you have been criticized for when you were so you stopped doing them.
When I was in high school I wrote an essay on Mahatma Gandhi. I proudly presented it to mom when she arrived home emotionally drained from a long day at work.
“What is this? You told me you would do this properly? This is full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors!” she angrily said.
I was shuttered and didn’t understand how I could put so much work and effort into something and it was considered a complete disaster and disappointment.
It was 33 years later until I wrote again with such freedom and passion.
Another gateway to the path of Wholeness is through doing what is opposed to your past conditioning. As your past conditioning is your own internalized set of dos and don’ts.
Do the Opposite
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein
Do the opposite of what you are currently doing.
If you are an introverted person you will mull things over in your mind, avoid conflict, and spend a lot of time alone. Your self-talk will justify why it’s a positive course of action. If you are extroverted you seek out and strive to connect with others. The tv and radio will always be on, silence and reflection are not your friends.
I followed the path of purity and was introverted. I followed the guidelines and advice from others on the path of a pure lifestyle. In so doing I allowed my past to box me into a corner but justified it as I lived by what was prescribed by these moral codes of conduct.
Until I met a teacher that told me to do the opposite. I did and things changed. Immediately and with positive results.
By doing the opposite in my thinking and behavior, instantly I became aware of how I was limiting myself and my experience of the world.
Whenever I was around people, I said to myself I would talk to others. The results were phenomenal. Instead of looking at the ground or off in the distance. I maintained eye contact with other people. I noticed my posture changed, I walked taller. These physical changes acted as an invitation for others to connect with me.
Instead of holding back my thoughts and feelings, I expressed them. I was surprised that others at times felt and experienced similar things. The 20 years of frustrated and angry reactions to my mum have softened. I respond to her based on what is required at the time.
Troubleshooting
The path of wholeness takes gentle awareness and a shift in perception is required. When following the path of wholeness you may drag your past into the present and doubt your ability to function on this path.
Internal Driver. The “Driver” aspect of your personality will look to take you back to acting on your unconscious beliefs. This is a part of yourself that will look to push you to act as you did before. It may present itself as thoughts or feelings which will push you into past behaviors. Beware of your thoughts and feelings when you react to situations as you would have in the past.
Turn the ‘knob down’ on the influence of the Driver by mentally thanking it and acknowledging its positive contribution in the past.
Embrace the shadow. The darker and repulsive aspects of your personality are part of you and need to be accepted.
Accept the sides of your personality that you don’t like. To do this doesn’t mean that you like or dislike these aspects. Accept means simply to acknowledge that these aspects exist. In time you will see them add to your life.
I projected a “nice guy” personality out into the world. I soften my voice and talked slowly. I had always thought this gave the appearance of being weak and not masculine.
But I now see this part of myself as that which likes to help and assist other people.
What was seen as a weakness is now a strength.
External feedback. If you are unsure as to whether you are doing the opposite, be open to feedback from the world. Are people treating you differently or the same? Are you now getting your desires meet or making excuses as to why you missed out on that promotion, again? Be focused on the outcomes instead of the story you are telling yourself.
Indecision. Doing the opposite may feel clunky at the start. Impulses that arise you consider inappropriate to follow. If so, measure them up to your sense of being an authentic adult. Would acting out on this desire be in line with who you are and want to be?
Final thoughts.
Embrace your desire to develop and evolve through Wholeness. Through the path of inclusiveness, the apparent gap between the various aspects of yourself dissolves along with the associated inner conflicts.
As you progress further apparent separation between yourself and your family, friends, society, nature and the world at large will collapse.
This takes place through the identification of similarities between yourself (which now includes those shadow aspects) and that which is external to yourself.
The path of Wholeness allows every aspect of yourself to be directed and focused in the present moment. As such you are best positioned to perform at your maximum.