Think of life as a race to get to the top of a delusional pyramid created by the culture. From the time we were born, we weren’t given a choice as to whether or not we wanted to partake in this race. We were assigned a number (our names) and a team (our nationality, religious affiliation, hobbies, talents, etc.) by our parents, and trained by our educational institutions, social circles, and the media on how to get to the top of this pyramid. They formulated our definition for right, wrong, beautiful, successful, happy based on their level of awareness, and then told us to thrive without teaching us how to survive.
Some of us were born with obvious talents, and some of us were born with obvious handicaps, which created envy and comparison. We started becoming our own worst critic by constantly checking our ranks in the race, which created depression, anxiety, and fear. When a friend or colleague fell behind, we secretly celebrated the fall of another competitor, which created selfishness, distrust, and dishonesty. And when the “lucky” handful of us finally reached the top, bruised, battered, and shattered by all the negative weight we picked up along the way, all we were left wondering is why winning felt so worthless. You see…what the culture didn’t tell us, is that the prize for getting to the top of this delusional pyramid is a pyrrhic victory (a victory or goal achieved at too great a cost that it no longer feels like a victory).
Now imagine removing yourself from this race by going against the standards of society. No one is a competitor, so there’s no need for comparison. There are no ranks or systems of hierarchy, so you fill yourself with love rather than self-depreciation. You start supporting and encouraging your friends and colleagues, so your relationships are strengthened by trust and humility. This is what it means to walk by faith and be guided by the soul. It means taking the road less traveled and seeking long-term gratification rather than short-term satisfaction. Walking by faith actually looks a lot like failing because you no longer measure your success to the standards of the norm. People start thinking you’re falling behind or that you’re aloof in some imaginary world when in reality, it’s quite the opposite. People are falling behind by wasting precious time competing in a race that prevents them from living the fullness of life.
Walking by faith is far from easy, which is why many people choose to stay in the short-term securities of the race. It requires you to be comfortable with being uncomfortable by consistently challenging the status quo. It requires you to unlearn everything the culture has shoved down your throat since you were a baby, and trust in the unknown. And it requires you to be guided by something as intangible, invisible, and inconceivable as your soul.
In the beginning it’ll feel unsafe, lonely, and unnerving. You’ll slip up and try to reenter the race just so you can feel some level of safety and belonging. But as soon as you get out of the race and tap into the inner voice of your soul, miracles start to happen, doors start to open, and the universe begins to alter events in your favor. I honestly believe that fighting the culture and reaching transcendence is our main mission in life. If you want to experience true liberation and witness miracles happening every single day, free yourself from the race, let go of the weights of negativity, and allow yourself to be guided by your soul.
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