In the activity of walking, I know that I can start, stop or restart, if I wish, in several points of the path, I can also at any time, if I so decide, modify the direction or the path, even change the path itself.
I can do the same with my life.
Let us begin an analogy that has an impact on decision making, change, transformation, disturbance, transition, renewal and evolution of our lives.
Δ§Δ Why shouldn’t I start a walk? There are several reasons; some powerful, invincible, and others trivial, weak; an ordinary one would be because it is raining! For some people, the mere fact that the sky is cloudy, it discourages them from doing so, it persuades them not to start a walk.
If we want to live life to the fullest, we have to get out of bed every day with our spirits up and fight with ourselves to face all the negative aspects, from the moment the sun rises, transforming the bad approaches, to feeling and thinking positively. Let us remember that we must move forward, that is, with joy, love, approving ourselves, with order, with humility, with affection, with slimness, with health, always accepting ourselves.
Δ§Δ I can see on the road, at a certain distance, that it divides in two, because I see a bifurcation in the road. I immediately think: when I get there, I will have to choose which of the two ways I will continue my walk.
In everyday life, we continually have to choose between different options; and this may or may not mean a significant change. We must be alert to be able and willing to transform ourselves and make the right and most convenient decisions.
Δ§Δ Every stone in the path can stop me, and provoke in my walk, a change of speed, rhythm, cadence, compass, etc., and this can mean and generate a disturbance in my walk. We must take advantage of each stone on the path to become aware that each one can represent a positive change, always positive.
Let us go forward through life with a correct, positive sense of “looking forward”; and backward only to analyze our personal experiences. Let us avoid barriers and obstacles along the way by facing them or avoiding them. Let us view existential disturbances in a positive light and take advantage of life opportunities.
Δ§Δ When we reach the bifurcation, we will inevitably have to make a decision, and this will represent a deviation, that is, a change.
This bifurcation is analogous to the feelings we have about the things we do not want to change. Let’s accept and confront the transitions.
Δ§Δ Now that we are close to that point of the bifurcation, we observe that they are two similar paths; however, as we get closer we realize that both have undoubtedly different directions, one goes North and the other goes East.
Moreover, as we approach the bifurcation we observe that one goes into the woods, while the other stays in an area without vegetation, one is seen to be lost in the distance, near the mountains, while the other reaches a lake; probably one is more winding than the other, one with slopes and the other flatter, one with more pitfalls than the other.
In everyday life we would like to have a crystal ball that would tell us with certainty what kind of change or by which avatar we should orient our existence. That quartz crystal sphere used by magicians to divine future events.Which step we should take to reorient our life. That first step is the most important because we are deciding on a renewal.
Δ§Δ Now we are stopped, resting at the precise point of the bifurcation and we have no choice but to opt for one of them.
Once we have set out on either of the two bifurcated paths, our feet will continue walking without stopping, they will find their rhythm, their compass, and will move at a speed in step with the rest of the physical body and the mental acceptance that has just decided to make the change of direction; we were walking in a North-East direction and changed to the North.
Now we just have to continue walking along that path with a new direction.
All our fears, anxieties, pretexts, mental resistances, we must reconcile them, make them conscious, to act with responsibility and freedom, with our best effort, in the different tasks that a new avatar brings in our lives. Let us be ready to change.
Δ§Δ After restarting our walk along the new chosen path, heading north, and in a small curve that descended we came across a bridge that crosses a small stream. The bridge is old and extremely deteriorated, it is advisable not to go over it and I must cross the creek walking, because its small stream of water would hardly wet the shoes. However, there is the option of returning to take the other bifurcated trail, heading east.
Sometimes, during a moment of our existence, we wish to go back to a certain past time in our lives, where we were better off; because we are suffering at that moment from great problems; however, going back in time is impossible. We must be tolerant and accept transitions.
Δ§Δ We better decide to continue on the same path and get our feet wet, because on second thought, perhaps on the other path we will find worse physical conditions to move forward.
If we have stumbled over some stones during the crossing, it does not mean that we will have to encounter others in the future.
Crossing the stream while avoiding the bridge is significant, because we have realized that it could fall down if we use it by crossing over it, due to its deterioration.
In habitual life, avoiding repeating mistakes is synonymous of changing the feeling of being a victim, because of bad decisions, and we should avoid negative thoughts and attitudes, replacing them with a new pattern of behavior where we ourselves make the decisions, and no one should be asked for authorization to do so; moving forward is under our power, and this will allow us to stop being a victim. We must not allow anyone or anything to disturb our existence. Let us accept ourselves.
Δ§Δ Once the stream has been crossed, the possible sinuosity of the path can be seen ahead. We should check the elapsed time it has taken to get there. Half an hour, one hour, etc.
We should make a small reminder of the events we have experienced. Everything has been pleasant, we do not feel tired.
One should think and feel that what is really important is not to reach the end of the road, but the experiences that have been lived, the contemplation of the road itself, as well as the nature that surrounds it, the vegetation and the animals that have been observed, its ups and downs, the stones, the bridge, the stream, etc.
All this will help us to feel good about ourselves.
However, in daily life we suffer from negative habits, which often cause us discomfort and irritation with other people and with ourselves. All our experiences should be lights that illuminate our future to acquire new positive habits: the bad habits let’s put them aside.
Δ§Δ The pitfalls and the big stones that come our way must be avoided, evaded, or better, faced by passing over them, taking care not to fall.
How to change our way of being, of feeling, to eliminate those evil habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, shouting? we only have to identify that “need” in us that generates that habit; once fully identified, analyze ourselves, become aware of the harm it does us and eradicate it from our life. Easy or very difficult, it is necessary to achieve it.
We have to look back, analyzing our personal experiences to understand why we have that “need” and in this way we will be able to eliminate and with it the symptoms of smoking, drinking, shouting, etc., and in the same way free ourselves from the past that imprisons us, eliminating those evil habits.
Δ§Δ We will have to continue walking on the new path, although there will be opportunities, if we decide so, to stop to review how we feel physically and spiritually, or to go back to where we came from. Either option is possible.
The important thing, in every decision, transformation, disturbance or transition in our life, is to feel what we want to do, if we do not feel it we cannot know how to achieve it; if we cannot feel it is that we do not want it.
Δ§Δ Now, the option to return can be carried out in different ways, one is exactly on our footsteps, also through some bends that we observe during the journey, through some gap, etc. What is relevant in this possible option of change in the trajectory and in the sense, is not only to stop, but to go back implies that we are not interested in reaching the end of the path immediately, or that we are insecure, fearful or tired, and we prefer to decline in the continuation of the walk.
In everyday life we often tell ourselves that it is difficult to make decisions to move forward, and not so much to keep moving forward where we have become accustomed to doing so. This habit is difficult to break or change, however, we must impose in our feeling and our thinking that transitions are necessary, and we must continue moving forward, even if at certain times we have to stop, to take a breath and to analyze our emotional and intellectual circumstances of the inner self, until we find a balance between what we desire, what we truly feel and what we can achieve.
Δ§Δ The bifurcations in the paths (Future Post SARUTAHIKO, GOD OF TRAVELERS IN ANCIENT JAPAN, Gods of the bifurcations) are analogies of the crucial moments in the decision making of our existence.
Let us take a walk along any path, observe each bifurcation in the road and make each one of them a metaphor that coincides with our own circumstantial decisions. They will help us to better understand and become aware of our lives and encourage us to get ready to walk (Future Post WALKING AND VITAL OPPORTUNITIES).
To walk is to live evolving.