Reflections, smoke and mirrors

Well, I've been thinking about this for a long time and I've decided that the new agers and the rest of the navel contemplators who proclaim that if we do not like someone, it is because they are holding up a mirror to us. That it is actually our reflection that we do not like. Well, I say that concept is full of shit! Or maybe I am. In any case it's over used and I believe, exploited in order to get the insecure to read more self help books! Yep, I think it's a damn conspiratory plot! ha hahahahaaaaaaaaaa~ Not entirely.

When I was young and impressionable, I rejected this claim outright. Hogwash!! That's just ridiculous! If I were like them... I would like them because they would share the same ethics, manners and etc... as I do. Humph! Then I stopped reacting and calmed down... I saw the granule of truth in it, and blew that WAY out of whack. OH YIKES! I was being reflected in every vile no good dirty rotten low down back stabbing bastard in the universe! Too much, too much. I'm vermin! I pondered, contemplated and did my best to understand my connection to the aggressively selfish, snottily entitled, unforgiving, disconnected and even violent members of our society and my personal orbit.

That led to my self esteem taking a huge hit (which believe me, it could not afford) and allowing the sharks within my orbit to tear me to pieces while I tried to be understanding and thoughtful, because, you know, it was really me being reflected. Then, after a whole lot of searching and soul suffering, it came to me. Clear as a bell. Just because someone wears a robe or procures a PhD, does NOT mean they have answers! They are students the same as all of us, and they have weak spots, they fuck up and get greedy and misinterpret just like all of us. That is when I figured out that many "truths" fall on a spectrum. Truths themselves are often not black and white, or maybe it's our experience/perspecive that is not. I'm not sure. Anyway, the point is that not much is absolute. We all have clues surrounding us like fog, but we must come to our OWN truth. Even as you read this, take nothing from anywhere and think that it is coming from an authority more qualified than your own mind, heart and spirit. Change is constant and there are lots of misconceptions being preached by authority figures. Not all of them are blasphemous right wingers either. They throw more smoke and mirrors into the already confusing landscape of our inner lives and hearts and our search for truth and meaning. These persons are definitely our teachers, but WHAT they are teaching? And how are they teaching? This is the mystery... and make no mistake, they are not even aware they are teaching. May times they are so self absorbed, ignorant, unaware or all three that they are just acting out their inner demons constantly...so they are not to be revered, nor do I believe that they are always reflecting ourselves; however, they are deserving of attention and detached assessment. There are violent teachers, there are vile and nasty ones, using ones, betraying ones, and bigoted ones, ignorant ones.... etc... Even though they may be merely pawns in a bigger picture, they have an important purpose, and that is the part that is deserving of our attention. It is WE who decide what the teaching is, and how it is being taught. (Or more correctly, being channeled to us from elsewhere) And how we can use this lesson to live a better life or make the world a better place.

So, getting back to the smoke and mirrors. It's good to ponder new ideas and perspectives and broaden ourselves. But just remember, sometimes if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and shits like a duck... It IS a fucking duck! Sometimes you are being challenged rather than reflected. Your moral fiber, how you handle this person and what they are doing and whether or not you allow yourself to be influenced and seduced by darkness, or whether you stand up for what you believe and send that duck waddling.