Get beyond Self

We are Complete

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There is this Sanskrit Subhashita ( an eloquent saying or a wise proverb so commonly found in Sanskrit texts , which holds deep meaning for life ) which says that one is one’s best friend, as well as one’s worst enemy. In effect, on one hand, all the ingredients required to reach the pinnacle of achievement are within us, and on the other hand, enormous barriers that hold us back from what we can become also resides within us.

What holds us back?

It has been hypothesised and documented in studies, that most of us die underleveraged to an extent of up to 95%, operating at just about 5% of our full capacity! There are some strong ‘gravity’ factors or inner inertia, that hold us back. If only we can recognise and break these internal barriers, it can take us from 5% to a potentially fullest level of 100%!

·        Our values, beliefs, thoughts, judgments, opinions, and biases bind us to what we think we know rather than prompting us to explore what we do not know. These are the limiting walls beyond which we do not grow. They not only limit our options but also typecast us into a pattern, almost locking us in. They leave us unable to move with the flexibility required to explore as if we were being held captive by these boundaries. This is when our best strength turns into our biggest constraint. 

·        Qualitatively, the framework of our beliefs, values, etc becomes a reference point from which we assess, ascertain or judge others’ positions. This makes us a relative thinker, robbing us of our access to absolute or unbiased thinking.

·        However, the positive side to this is to realise that while it is our body which gets constrained our soul has no boundaries, and if we wish, it can be a source of transformation.

Break open the Shackles

Considering the gravity of the situation, breaking these constraining shackles is not easy. It is not just about opening up but is more like breaking the sound barrier ( just like we always thought that humans can’t travel faster than sound , consequently one can’t reach a point , before its sound ; till we grappled with the technology of supersonic gets ) . It is about liberating the soul from the constraining body.

·        Since the biggest barrier for us is our self, once we succeed in getting past this barrier, there is nothing more to conquer and nothing that can stop us further. This is where we unleash our full potential unhindered. That is why it is considered the liberation stage of getting beyond the self.

·        Getting beyond the self here is about defying the gravity which pulls us down, and holds us captive through the 3 components of body, mind, soul. We need to free our self on each level, as explained below:

o  Body – Get fit, healthy and have energy beyond our age.

o  Mind – Choose and make our work, which is our cause, higher than ourselves. We (who we are) can be ordinary but don’t let our work (what we do) be anything less than extraordinary!

o  Soul – Get rid of our bondages of fear, insecurities, guilt, shame, beliefs, biases or anything that can hold us back.

How to get Beyond Self?

How do we reach beyond self? There could be many ways of doing this.

·        Develop Self-awareness – Get to know ourself better. Get to know and feel the elephant, and move beyond the perspective of only one blind man (from the story of the Elephant and 5 blind men) – which we currently hold.

o  Involves knowing what we are/are not, what can liberate us/what can hold us back etc.  

·        Build powerful perspectives – Hold a larger perspective on life. Replace ourselves with a worthy cause to be at the core of our pursuits. A perspective like “Win-within-Win” helps us to see ourselves as a part of a larger whole, with a deep conviction that our contribution towards a larger good will lead to our share of the larger good Getting larger than good ( Normal/Just )

Nirvana Journey

Getting beyond our self is real Nirvana, a spiritual journey of actual liberation from all physical and psychological bondage. We will feel light, and we will flow easily to connect with the context and reach the world around. We can choose to dissolve, surrender and be a part of the larger being.

·        Since in this state we are outside ‘ us’ , we will be amorphous and not bound by a contour/geography, which will allow us to take the shape we want. We will no longer be attached to or associated with , confined to or defined by the body in which we are held and with which we are identified.

·        AAs a corollary of transcending our body ( may not have to be literally ) , we will no longer be in a relative frame of mind when looking at people or pursuits, there will be no judging anyone since there is no framework to judge against. We will hence be in an absolute stage, in the form of truth and purity. This is the stage perfectly amenable to assimilate or dissolve into the larger purity (In Hindu philosophy, this is a process of Aatma uniting with Paramaatma – being a part of the larger whole). 

Liberating ourselves from the clutches of self is the real Nirvana!