“Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another.” Juvenal
When we were young and new, our imaginations soared with dreams and possibilities. Often, the hard work and hard knocks of life eventually impede the dreams and embolden the insecurities.
Dreams are scary. Dreams involve risk, disappointments, and failure. But we wouldn’t know our dreams if it weren’t for wisdom. Wisdom is the supreme version of ourself that discerns inspiration, as our human birthright. Without inspiration, life is dull, and mediocre.
Wisdom knows our nature, strengths, skills, and assets. Wisdom detects our dreams, based on these traits. It is our own wisdom that seeks a more meaningful, satisfying, and fun experience. Wisdom doesn’t concern herself with fears, excuses, obstacles, risks. She sees the best in us, and since she is us, she knows. She is bold, confident, and fearless. She is waiting patiently, ready when we are. And when we are ready, wisdom is a powerful partner.
It's easy to be cynical. I’d tried all kinds of positive affirmations, visualizations, prayers, and new-age propaganda. They seemed silly and unproductive, no matter how many affirmations I chanted. That’s because these get-rich/happy-quick schemes leave out one critical factor: deep layers of fear and negativity, which must be observed and processed. Fear has no interest in letting go, for its job is to protect us. The guard has taken over the entire enterprise, so that this “protection” feels like a lock-down.
By facing our dreams, we get to face our fears. Our fears are the only things stopping us, though they are doozies! I always wanted to be a writer, but fears and insecurities overwhelmed me. Eventually I was so disgusted with the situation, I decided to write down every interesting thought on any available scrap of paper, until I ended up with piles of stuff. I ended up comfortable trying.
If we allow ourselves to be scared and to try, disappointments and failures are nourishing. We are practicing success, confidence, self-esteem, and courage. Sometimes trying our dreams feels spot-on and magical, sometimes it’s awful and cringey. It doesn’t matter either way. We are playing, practicing, risking, and trying.
By practicing our dreams, we are practicing overcoming fear. In so doing, we get to live the life of our dreams, just by acting them out.
We have everything we need inside us to live our dreams. Reality ends up being far more satisfying than any fantasy. By daring to dream and taking the actions and risks involved, we become more courageous, confident, and free to make life-affirming choices. Wisdom, our supreme self, wants to share an adventure with her person, her vessel. She is here to guide, support, and serve this one unique opportunity for life. By trusting her, we can play together on this planet, like the curious and enthusiastic tourists we are.
As we face and manage the obstacles to our dreams, we become open to opportunities that might have escaped our attention. We feel more comfortable saying yes to them. And we trust ourselves when we choose “no.”
Wisdom inspires, compels, and encourages. She shows us that fear is a powerless ghost of negative misunderstandings.
Wisdom’s only requirement: We must pay attention. We must take responsibility for the quality of life, and not abdicate the privilege to someone else or nobody. We must show up for the duty of tending to our life. And when we do check out, we notice we are checked out. Then we return to the action of crafting the quality of the moment, as we can.
And while life unfolds as it will (with a possible and unexpected death snuffing it out at any moment), this playful practice of dreaming, creating, and imagining goodness--and studying all the obstacles as they arise--returns us to the fullest experience of life. It sure beats the enslavement of fear and boredom of apathy.
The actions we take to support a dream also support the best quality life.
Wisdom tells us we can do it, or we would never have dreamed it. Wisdom wants a conscious human body, and a human needs a fearless god genius to prod us along. It's a partnership made in Heaven on Earth.
When we dare to dream, we dare to own and occupy our lives.
"Courageous, untroubled, mocking and fierce--thus wisdom wants us to be. Wisdom is a woman, and loves only a warrior." Friedrich Nietzsche
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