Double Edged Storytelling
“As above, so below” — Hermes Trismegistus
In an odd way, it does seem there is a certain type of balance in the universe. Yet as far explaining it … well, I will leave that up to others wiser than me to figure out. However, yes I do have some observations I would like to communicate here. Like most of us, I am and do many different things; as a spiritual being, a human being, a man, a husband, a father, etc. But in my professional life I am essentially a storyteller, more specifically a filmmaker (and of course a writer). And that is where I am coming from in my observations today, here and now. I actually already started this conversation a few days ago on my other blog. For those of you who may want a little background on all this before you continue here, you should probably go there first – http://dreamsawakemovie.com/2013/01/the-path-of-story-you/ – because I don’t want to repeat myself here (so yes, it might be wise to go there first) …
From my point of view and after many years considering this, I feel the path of story is only the beginning point of a long spiritual journey for all of us, which encompasses many lifetimes of battle-tested physical existence. And yes, as that quote goes, I do think we are ‘spiritual beings having a physical experience’. So essentially, we are spiritual. And it seems, that having a physical life requires some type of physical timeline in which our life story plays out on. So, from the time we arrive as mere babes, we are trying to find our way on our life’s timeline. For we have things to do and places to go, in order that we learn the lessons we came here to learn. Over our time here our life plays out as its own unique story. Each of us unique in our being, unique in our timeline and unique in our story. So then, here you are now, beamed into the 21st century, inundated and saturated with story everywhere all around you; film, TV, radio, music, video games, internet, mobile, and who knows what next. How do you discover, or actually create, your own story in the midst of all this … intense clamoring distraction?
Somewhere is the balance. A downside and an upside to everything in creation. No darkness without light, no light without darkness. And how does all this fit into story and storytelling? I think we are each unique in our creation, but we must learn to break free of the beginnings of our own common story, and learn to create our own realities, all free of the original structure of our story. These physical lifetimes provide this long spiritual journey, and thus vehicle, for our very spiritual freedom, our own story of creation. But I think there are dark traps here that require us to traverse this elaborate labyrinth. The upside and the downside. I think the proliferation of story content in our world many times is further obscuring our true path. I think story can be used to help us each find our path, but it can just as easily enslave us into a fabrication we think is reality. And could actually lead us farther away from our own reality. I just hope those layers are not getting too thick for us to clear away. What do I mean?
Every morning when I sit down to meditate, one of the very first things I do is a technique called ‘dumping my colors.’ I have learned over the years that we have certain spiritual structures; auras (energy containers) and chakras (emotional centers) that can influence our social situations, our daily events, and life direction. If I don’t maintain these structures regularly my life can get quite whacked out and I lose my balance, my energy, and my direction. Meaning, in the end I can lose a grip on my own reality, who I am, and what I am doing.
So when I do this simple technique, it helps clear the color from those structures. And what is this color? This color can be picked up in many ways; people, places, events, situations, and of course, as a part of story content that we pick up from all these aforementioned mediums. In actuality there seems to be much more ‘color content’ floating around than ever before, because there is so much more ‘story’ floating around. And why is that, you think?
I think we are essentially seekers, searchers of our own place, our own destinies in our world. And we are attracted to and seduced by story content, where we search for clues to understanding ourselves. But don’t get too drawn in by all these fictions, because they may not actually be you at all. Much content out there is about the human condition, not necessarily the spiritual condition. Because remember, we are spiritual beings having a human experience. I think the clues to our spirituality can be within the fabric of the human condition, but not necessarily as a destination, only as a beginning point. I think we must transcend the human experience to fully realize our divine heritage and journey. So, I only suggest, buyer beware, of the story content you allow your being to digest. It could give you spiritual congestion and constipation that could be misinterpreted as a truism for the human condition, when it is actually only an illusion.
When I do my daily routine as mentioned above, there are times when I find so much color from all the story content I have picked that I am amazed how much better I feel once I have gotten rid of it from my system. For things in my life do seem clearer, and my life runs smoother. I am very happy I have such a tool for my toolbox. (if you might want to know anything more about this, check this website — http://www.theeurekasociety.org)
And now this has got me wondering lately if me being a storyteller is as honorable as I once thought it was. For I would hate to think of myself as a drug dealer of sorts, a purveyor of illusionary storylines that do people no good at all, coloring and clogging them up. But no, that is probably not actually true. For that is partly why I try to tell more positive, uplifting storylines that may help others find a truer reality for them. I believe in win-win scenarios, which I hope balances out the too many lose-lose scenarios I find inherent in so much story content these days.
Until next time, be well … and please, pick you story content wisely, like you would your very closest friends. Because I do feel the story color you do pick up can affect and decide where your attention is, where you actually wind up, and then of course … how you feel.
TMC