WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:05.779 If you look at the raw reality of your human journey, don't you see that in some way 2 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:08.660 you've been on a journey of embracing 3 00:00:09.280 --> 00:00:12.820 a deeper authenticity of what you are? And what you discovered 4 00:00:13.360 --> 00:00:14.955 was the immensity You 5 00:00:29.710 --> 00:00:31.410 You know what it's like, comically? 6 00:00:32.590 --> 00:00:35.809 It's like a tree that starts out as a seed, 7 00:00:36.829 --> 00:00:38.050 and cracks open, 8 00:00:38.430 --> 00:00:39.570 begins its journey, 9 00:00:40.270 --> 00:00:43.170 and then thinks the whole point of his journey 10 00:00:43.985 --> 00:00:45.684 is to be the tallest tree. 11 00:00:47.825 --> 00:00:50.324 And so it's gonna be anxious the whole time, 12 00:00:51.745 --> 00:00:53.845 afraid that it might not be the tallest. 13 00:00:55.640 --> 00:01:00.060 And it's going to exert a tremendous amount of imaginary effort. 14 00:01:03.400 --> 00:01:06.300 Thinking that the most important thing is in the future, 15 00:01:08.534 --> 00:01:11.755 Not realizing that life has simply asked the tree 16 00:01:12.454 --> 00:01:13.515 to be a tree, 17 00:01:15.414 --> 00:01:17.115 and see that it's already happening. 18 00:01:19.895 --> 00:01:21.515 See that within the seed 19 00:01:22.310 --> 00:01:24.490 is encoded everything that you need 20 00:01:25.189 --> 00:01:26.490 to be what you are. 21 00:01:27.509 --> 00:01:32.570 And in being what you are, which in a way is to say to be as God made you, 22 00:01:33.990 --> 00:01:36.490 is all that life or God is asking for. 23 00:01:38.085 --> 00:01:39.305 To be what you are. 24 00:01:41.125 --> 00:01:43.625 Because in the reality of what you are, 25 00:01:43.925 --> 00:01:45.385 the truth of what you are, 26 00:01:46.325 --> 00:01:47.385 is your purpose 27 00:01:47.685 --> 00:01:50.220 that is in service to all that is. 28 00:01:53.580 --> 00:01:55.200 It is your part to play, 29 00:01:58.300 --> 00:02:01.200 which, you know, in maybe a more traditional way, 30 00:02:01.900 --> 00:02:03.440 is to say, be yourself. 31 00:02:09.705 --> 00:02:11.084 Which, in another way, 32 00:02:11.785 --> 00:02:16.125 is to say, honor what is deeply sincere and true in your heart. 33 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:27.300 Do you not see that this is the purpose? 34 00:02:34.655 --> 00:02:37.235 In one way it's so subtle, but it's not. 35 00:02:38.415 --> 00:02:39.315 It's not. 36 00:02:44.255 --> 00:02:45.875 It's profoundly obvious, 37 00:02:46.849 --> 00:02:49.189 but in another way, it's profoundly terrifying 38 00:02:50.849 --> 00:02:54.469 because it also points to the one thing that you're most afraid of, 39 00:02:56.290 --> 00:02:59.269 which in a manner of speaking is to truly be yourself, 40 00:03:02.635 --> 00:03:04.255 Which in another way of speaking 41 00:03:05.595 --> 00:03:06.735 is to be honest. 42 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:22.500 And what's kind of funny about this is because 43 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:27.379 if you look at the raw reality of your human journey, 44 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:30.500 don't you see that in some way, 45 00:03:31.175 --> 00:03:32.075 in some way, 46 00:03:33.015 --> 00:03:35.595 you've been on a journey of embracing 47 00:03:36.215 --> 00:03:38.635 a deeper authenticity of what you are. 48 00:03:45.740 --> 00:03:46.880 And what you discovered 49 00:03:47.340 --> 00:03:49.280 was the immensity of pain 50 00:03:50.380 --> 00:03:53.040 that comes with hiding from your own heart, 51 00:03:58.175 --> 00:03:59.395 Which is like saying 52 00:03:59.935 --> 00:04:02.275 you are not allowed to be what you are. 53 00:04:12.175 --> 00:04:13.395 Do you see that? 54 00:04:16.709 --> 00:04:21.690 I understand if you don't see it, but if you're here watching this, it's very likely that you see it. 55 00:04:22.870 --> 00:04:23.690 But I understand 56 00:04:24.229 --> 00:04:28.570 the many people who don't see that because we can look at our own experience. 57 00:04:28.965 --> 00:04:30.745 There was a time we didn't see that, 58 00:04:31.365 --> 00:04:33.465 right? There was a time we were so convinced 59 00:04:34.645 --> 00:04:36.425 that the real prize and purpose 60 00:04:36.885 --> 00:04:39.625 was some future version of ourselves 61 00:04:40.405 --> 00:04:42.185 that had the whole world's approval. 62 00:04:45.510 --> 00:04:48.169 Some future version of ourselves where we were 63 00:04:48.470 --> 00:04:49.210 no longer 64 00:04:49.910 --> 00:04:50.410 human, 65 00:04:51.590 --> 00:04:52.490 but special 66 00:04:53.190 --> 00:04:54.970 and better than everyone else. 67 00:04:58.544 --> 00:05:00.324 Only to realize that that is 68 00:05:01.345 --> 00:05:02.485 not the real prize. 69 00:05:03.104 --> 00:05:04.724 That is not even a real thing. 70 00:05:06.944 --> 00:05:08.405 That is a photoshopped 71 00:05:08.784 --> 00:05:10.085 version of a human. 72 00:05:12.260 --> 00:05:14.360 A photoshopped version of a human 73 00:05:15.220 --> 00:05:16.520 that will never exist, 74 00:05:18.020 --> 00:05:19.480 that'll never be real. 75 00:05:23.155 --> 00:05:24.055 Which speaks, 76 00:05:24.514 --> 00:05:25.255 of course, 77 00:05:27.555 --> 00:05:30.615 to the beautiful fear we have of our humanity, 78 00:05:32.514 --> 00:05:33.495 of our authenticity, 79 00:05:36.850 --> 00:05:38.870 the raw totality of what we are. 80 00:05:40.930 --> 00:05:44.470 In the same way that we might be scared of life's raw totality, 81 00:05:46.865 --> 00:05:50.485 We might look at the lightning or the storm and think that's not lovable. 82 00:05:52.225 --> 00:05:53.525 That shouldn't be allowed. 83 00:05:54.625 --> 00:05:57.365 And so we hide it, we turn away from it. 84 00:05:57.905 --> 00:06:00.645 We turn away from it, and we say, no, not that. 85 00:06:01.710 --> 00:06:02.530 Not that. 86 00:06:12.030 --> 00:06:14.530 You know, and also speaking to the point of life 87 00:06:16.435 --> 00:06:17.335 and understand 88 00:06:18.275 --> 00:06:20.535 playfully, as I say all the time, 89 00:06:21.715 --> 00:06:25.255 I'm just using silly words and I'm making all of this up 90 00:06:26.115 --> 00:06:29.255 in an attempt to point to something that is beyond words. 91 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:37.700 But another pointer that might be helpful 92 00:06:38.640 --> 00:06:40.100 as it relates to understanding 93 00:06:40.400 --> 00:06:40.900 the 94 00:06:41.280 --> 00:06:43.780 fundamental point and purpose of life. 95 00:06:44.775 --> 00:06:48.715 You know, there's an illustration that I think makes this quite obvious. 96 00:06:56.320 --> 00:06:57.940 Can you see this, that 97 00:07:00.640 --> 00:07:02.580 in your whole human search, 98 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:07.380 the thing that you crave most 99 00:07:09.725 --> 00:07:10.625 is some 100 00:07:11.085 --> 00:07:11.585 flavor 101 00:07:12.765 --> 00:07:14.865 of what we will call love. 102 00:07:20.125 --> 00:07:21.825 And what I mean by flavor 103 00:07:25.099 --> 00:07:26.240 is some extension 104 00:07:26.780 --> 00:07:27.440 of love. 105 00:07:28.379 --> 00:07:32.319 Whether it's to be approved of, which is to be seen with loving eyes. 106 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:38.879 Whether it's to not be judged, which is to be seen with loving eyes. 107 00:07:42.745 --> 00:07:43.725 To be included, 108 00:07:44.665 --> 00:07:45.885 to not be abandoned, 109 00:07:46.665 --> 00:07:49.325 which is to be seen with loving eyes. 110 00:07:53.705 --> 00:07:55.885 To find the perfect partner that 111 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:58.660 will embrace you totally, 112 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:01.860 which is to be seen with loving eyes. 113 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:08.500 To be treated kindly and fairly. 114 00:08:09.840 --> 00:08:11.620 To be seen with loving eyes. 115 00:08:17.295 --> 00:08:18.995 Even to have a billion dollars. 116 00:08:20.255 --> 00:08:22.035 Why? So that I can relax 117 00:08:23.135 --> 00:08:27.235 and feel good about myself, which is to see myself with loving eyes. 118 00:08:31.500 --> 00:08:34.240 And I imagine for some, this is easy to see, 119 00:08:35.179 --> 00:08:37.120 and maybe for others, it's a stretch. 120 00:08:38.620 --> 00:08:42.000 But in a way, I just wanna promise you that that's what's going on. 121 00:08:44.654 --> 00:08:46.995 That the absolute core of what you are, 122 00:08:48.255 --> 00:08:51.154 what you're looking for in this life is love, 123 00:08:52.415 --> 00:08:54.995 which in a way and in a manner of speaking 124 00:08:55.880 --> 00:08:59.260 is to say that this whole life thing is about love. 125 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:02.780 And, of course, we have it from the human perspective, 126 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:05.580 and we can only see it from that perspective. 127 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:08.220 But I would also suggest that 128 00:09:09.835 --> 00:09:12.975 whether it's another creature or a form 129 00:09:13.435 --> 00:09:14.175 of vegetation, 130 00:09:15.835 --> 00:09:17.375 this is still a container 131 00:09:18.635 --> 00:09:19.135 that 132 00:09:19.515 --> 00:09:21.455 seeks the fulfillment of love, 133 00:09:23.510 --> 00:09:26.170 albeit in different forms and expressions. 134 00:09:27.029 --> 00:09:29.850 The container itself, which we call life, 135 00:09:30.310 --> 00:09:32.010 is in fact love. 136 00:09:33.269 --> 00:09:33.769 And, 137 00:09:34.149 --> 00:09:38.465 again, I understand if that's a stretch, but I'm just using silly words. 138 00:09:39.005 --> 00:09:39.745 But, again, 139 00:09:40.765 --> 00:09:42.945 pointing to something that's profoundly true. 140 00:09:46.605 --> 00:09:50.545 And, of course, this is what spirituality has tried to say since the beginning. 141 00:09:55.019 --> 00:09:56.959 And my playful attempt is 142 00:09:57.819 --> 00:10:02.079 to break it down to see the truth in it in our everyday lives, 143 00:10:03.819 --> 00:10:04.560 and not 144 00:10:05.714 --> 00:10:08.454 have it remain as some cute spiritual phrase, 145 00:10:09.795 --> 00:10:11.015 but to embrace 146 00:10:11.555 --> 00:10:13.015 the reality of this. 147 00:10:13.714 --> 00:10:16.135 That this is the life that you are living. 148 00:10:17.394 --> 00:10:21.000 A life that is only in search for love, 149 00:10:22.420 --> 00:10:25.240 which is to also say the truth of life, 150 00:10:27.140 --> 00:10:30.120 which is to also say the truth of what you are. 151 00:10:30.740 --> 00:10:31.240 Because 152 00:10:32.315 --> 00:10:34.415 if the truth of life is love 153 00:10:34.954 --> 00:10:38.095 and all that is in life is an extension of life, 154 00:10:38.875 --> 00:10:40.495 then the truth of what you are 155 00:10:41.195 --> 00:10:42.015 is love. 156 00:10:44.555 --> 00:10:49.110 Which, on the other side of this coin as it relates to the only thing you want, 157 00:10:50.450 --> 00:10:55.110 and it might look like you want a thousand things, but underneath it all, it's just love. 158 00:10:56.290 --> 00:11:03.245 We can look at the only thing you're afraid of, which you might think it's a thousand different things, but it's the same thing. 159 00:11:04.905 --> 00:11:08.685 And it is the fear of not getting the one thing that you want. 160 00:11:12.069 --> 00:11:14.569 It is the fear of love's absence. 161 00:11:18.709 --> 00:11:21.769 If you look at any emotional experience that you have, 162 00:11:22.550 --> 00:11:25.930 anything we might call a positive emotional experience 163 00:11:26.709 --> 00:11:27.209 is 164 00:11:28.605 --> 00:11:29.425 some recognition 165 00:11:30.765 --> 00:11:31.905 of love's existence, 166 00:11:32.765 --> 00:11:34.145 some flavor of love. 167 00:11:35.885 --> 00:11:37.185 And every, 168 00:11:37.485 --> 00:11:40.305 what we might call negative emotional experience, 169 00:11:41.530 --> 00:11:43.630 is the fear of love's absence, 170 00:11:44.410 --> 00:11:45.710 some flavor of love. 171 00:11:49.130 --> 00:11:50.350 Can you see that? 172 00:11:54.824 --> 00:11:58.285 And what's wild about it is we can tell 10,000 different stories 173 00:11:59.785 --> 00:12:01.165 that say it's not that, 174 00:12:02.665 --> 00:12:06.605 but underneath all of those stories, that's exactly what it is.