I’ve been struggling with where to place my experience from last week, the one where I confronted a man’s actions of blatant disregard for property. (read more here) I can’t quite qualify it because it was very unlike me and I couldn’t stop myself. I know it happened for a reason, just not sure how or where it fits into my life at this time.
As it’s been a week and I’ve had time to dwell on it, part of me questions my behavior and sanity. Another part is happy because I spoke up and cared enough to express my self. Still another part of me sees this as a massive growth experience – allowing for the opening expression of my voice – something I’ve had to grow into. Perhaps all the parts are correct and leading me into something constructive!
It is not what you think that determines the quality of your life, it is the space in which you think. It is what you could think that determines the quality of your life.
Werner Erhard
My inquiry has led me to realize that what’s missing is a context for which to place the experience. A context sets up a framework for which all the events in your life can be viewed from. In the past, I’ve had a ‘personal growth’ context – everything that happened during my life’s journey was attributed to and held within the framework of personal growth.
From the Dictionary: Context: the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood.
The China Prisoner story that I love so much is also a great example of successfully creating a context for one’s life. Sydney Rittenberg created a context for his life as I’m making a contribution while he was imprisoned in a China jail for 10 years. His time in prison added to the quality of his life within this context and gave him complete control over his circumstances – in that he was free.
“There Is Nothing Much You Can Do About The Circumstances Of Your Life. One Thing That You Have Absolute Control Over In Your Life Is The Context For Your Life.
Werner Erhard
Werner Erhard in the video below uses an example of well-being. Say for example I choose the context for my life as well-being. The circumstances in my life reflect that well-being, even the negative circumstances begin to reflect that well-being if I hold them as a part of the well-being context.
Everything in your life can and will be viewed through a well-being perspective.
For example, just say I come down with a negative circumstance of contracting an illness and need to stay home and recover for a week. Within my context of well-being, the illness wouldn’t live in a small box of “I can’t miss work,” or “I shouldn’t be sick,” or “I caught this cold from my colleague.” The illness would be existing within the context for which it exists within – well-being, which allows for an expanded viewpoint.
Perhaps my thinking within my context of wellbeing might be something like this: How is getting this cold contributing to my well-being? How can I better take care of myself? What can I contribute to my life that will add to my well-being?
We have dominion over the context of our life, meaning we decide what that context is, and therefore everything that happens to us in life fits into that context. My experience last week had me realize that I need to re-create a context for my present life: What context is there for me that will allow for the most expansion? It’s clear to me that I haven’t been operating within a conscious context and it would be a great time to create one!
I believe Peace is a great context for me. As I mentioned many times in my blog, rising from perceived slavery has always been my main objective. There’s been no peace, it’s always been a struggle. So, it’s really a perfect step to name peace as my context for life – where everything that happens can be viewed within the context of peace.
Following along with what Werner stated, if I create a context of peace – not trying to get peace because I’ve already got it (as it’s my context) but instead seeing how my life circumstances contribute to peace, including the experiences of struggle, suppression, anger, frustration, etc.
My experience from last week clearly shows me that I am currently working through and healing suppression within the context of peace.
It certainly was an example of a suppression uprising to say the least. I spoke my truth without fear or hesitation. I didn’t hold my tongue and swallow my words. It also gives my expression of anger some space, to be at peace with it and no judgment. I can imagine I have lots of anger stored up from being suppressed believing I was a slave, and to become a better witness of that emotion.
I unconditionally love myself back into Unity!
It was a good experience for which I can build upon and begin to witness how a new-found freedom within the framework of peace will open a new world for me. I think it’s brilliant to have a context. Give it a try and see what you come up with for yourself! Please watch the video as Werner does a great job (in 3 minutes) explaining context!
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