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Unity Way

June 19, 2005

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Life as an Adventure: Embracing Uncertainty

by Andrei Yashurin

Last week, we talked about being humble in the face of 
the fact that we cannot control or know everything in 
our life. Intellectual and spiritual honesty requires 
us to do to.

If we do not accept ourselves at our current level of 
development, there will be a tendency to substitute 
the truth for simplistic explanations of reality, which 
might lead us to further errors and failures. Wrong 
expectations will bring disappointments. That's why I think 
that it is important to learn to embrace uncertainty in 
different areas of our existence.    

Of course, I don't mean that the universe is chaotic or 
that we cannot expect working of the law of cause and effect. 
But the world is always more complex than our ideas about 
it, and some of the factors which influence our life will 
always stay beyond our understanding. This is not something 
to be anxious about, because we can rely on goodness of 
the universe.

There was a time in my life when I envied those who planned 
their lives in advance since childhood. Now my feelings about 
those people changed. I even wonder whether they are missing 
something important in their personal journeys. 

The truth is, unpredictable events happen to us and to all 
around us. What will we do when they'll come? Will we be 
able to maintain our peace of mind, our happiness, our 
productivity in new settings? Will our experience be 
adequate for dealing with new challenges? 

When a huge cyclone transported Dorothy to the Land of Oz, 
all of her experience of living in Kansas suddenly lost its 
relevance. She had to adapt herself to totally different 
conditions, which she did successfully. But I wonder what 
would happen if her mind would not be so open. 

Why it is difficult for some people to embrace uncertainty? 
They hold on to what they have, not willing to let it go. 
This includes their self-image.

For instance, they may say: "Without my job, I am nothing"; 
"without my family, I am nothing"; "without my property, 
I am nothing". But they are completely wrong. Either with 
or without their possessions and relationships, they are 
unique individualizations of God, endowed with great powers 
and possibilities. Our "I AM" is of God, not of this world. 
If we realize this, no outward change will threaten us. 

Recently I watched "Star Wars, Episode III". This movie 
showed the process of Anakin Skywalker's downfall. His 
underlying fear of loss, which grew out of unhealthy 
attachment, brought him to the Dark Side of the Force, 
making him a terrible Darth Vader. 

I don't think it may ever happen to us - I don't believe 
in existence of "the Dark Side of the Force". Yet, the lesson 
is clear. Let us not allow our heart to be attached 
to anything or anybody in this world. Attachment leads 
to suffering and frustration of our creative potential. 
Yoda was right when he advised: "Train yourself to let go 
of everything you fear to lose".

Love, but don't be attached - this is the secret of spiritual 
maturity. Be willing to let go people and things as they 
move out of your life. You cannot hold them, because life 
is the dynamic flow. But  you won't ever stay empty - 
new people and things will enter into your life. Trust 
life. Trust its ultimate goodness. 

Move forward,
even if you do not know
what will happen
after the next turn of the road;
But stay assured:
behind all appearances,
behind all things and people,
there will be the face of loving God.

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http://pcjournal.ru/talks ~ Talks on Truth

Andrei Yashurin: yashurin@gmail.com

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All messages (c) 2005 by Andrei Yashurin

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