Cliff Hanger
A man is hanging upside-down over a cliff. His feet are barely held by the sharp edges of a boulder. Two thousand feet below him are rocks and rough waters where many had fallen before him.
As he tries to get free, he sways precariously in the air. His wallet falls from his pocket and disappears into the water. Then his car keys drop.
Again, he tries to get free and his gold name plate plummets into the sea.
The more he tries to free himself, the more he loses. The more he loses the more he gains.
A fierce winds shakes him until his pockets are completely empty.
For each thing that he let go, he gained more freedom from the cliff. He swung himself up, but couldn’t get free.
Suddenly he yells,
“Oh God, please help me, don’t let me die like this. I have a reputation to uphold. I’m a good salesman. Last year I saved my company millions. They couldn’t have done it without me. I work 50 hours a week and have never taken a day off, please don’t let me die. I have a wife, a family. My daughter is starting school next year.”
And with that he got enough strength to climb his way back to the top of the cliff. He starts banging his chest and shouts,
“Look at me, I’m on top of the world. Ha. I did it. I beat death. I even sold you - the almighty God.”
Just then a wind gust blew him right off of the cliff into the icy water and he disappeared into the wet white swirl.
The moral: Ego kills.
When life starts to shake us down, it is trying to shake us free from our ego. We are all free, but the ego keeps us in prison. We are not our money, possessions, job, title or reputation.
We are all sparks of love trying to ignite the sparks into conduction. Inside us, we carry all the connections to the universe. When we put our hands together, we put our hearts together. And when we put our hearts together, we are ego-less - and when we are ego-less, we are one.
When life breaks us down to the coldest moment of our being. When we feel that we’ve been turned upside down and there is no ground, it’s only a way of getting our attention.
We are waking up, shaking off the moss, tightening the reins, yet loosening constraints. It is within this paradox that we re-balance our tires, readjust our steering and ready ourselves for the expansion of our wings.
If we feel that life has turned us upside down, it is God that is holding our feet. God can shake us but we can’t shake God.
Have you ever had moments of shaking? Share your thoughts.
28 comments:
remind me not to yell and wave my arms on the edge of a cliff..:)
We have to be grateful when the wake-up call comes, even if the shaking makes life unbearable and inconvenient. To recognize the shaking as a wake-up call is wisdom.
Great post!
I feel your writing is hitting a soaring stride (mixed metaphors are the fertilizer of poets...).
My experience of God shaking me?
Well, two years ago I tried to kill myself. God tricked me out of it. When I checked into the hospital for psychological aid, I discovered I had a deadly virus in my liver.
God's humor is Cosmic, eh?
God's mercy is unbounded...
He let me try to kill myself...
He let me catch a deadly virus...
He let the doctors help me fight the virus and, now...
He's letting me live with much less ego.
~ Alex from Our Evolution
Robert,
You are hereby reminded. :D
Miruh,
Gratitude is the key to waking up to a wondeful life. Soon we will come to welcome the shaking as a part of the journey. Thanks for your wise words.
Alex,
I must say that I am saddened and happy for your experience; saddened that you felt you wanted to shut your light and happy that you were guided to a deeper light that brought you to me. (See, it's all about me.)
God is a genius.
I am so enthralled that you are alive and well and sharing yourself with us today. Thank you. You are worthy.
I think GOD is so genius enough in using people to help up other people. I am a living witness of that, more than a thousand times....and He still do.
You are among those who helped me, just to remind you.
Thanks!
This is a lovely reflection...:) I love your posts!
Whenever I face bumps in the road, I always think there are people out there who wuld love to trade their problems for mine.
This is alovely and well timed spoonful of your homemade chicken soup, Alexys.
Bless you. xo
Alexys,
Great story! It is so true that we must learn to let go of all and that includes our ego and allow ourselves to be. The ego does so much damage along the way. May we learn from the miss steps our ego has created.
Hi Alexys,
Wow, this story is quite a story...it was so well described that I was actually seeing the whole scene in front of me...
Vanity, vanity...*nodding*...
Instead of shutting up when he got back to the top of the cliff, he had to defy God...silly man!
Indeed, Ego may kill.
But I have a question: what would we be without our ego? Our ego (conscious mind) is where our present perceptions, our memories, thoughts, fantasies and feelings dwell...it can also be said that it is our driving force, what encourages us to fight for what we want and need.
The problem lies in hiding behind our Ego (the driving force) to justify our egotism (in satisfying our needs and wants; without caring about our fellow humans).
"We are not our money, possessions, job, title or reputation." - I agree. We are much more than that...we are the Ego, Superego and id all together; and beyond all three.
"God can shake us but we can’t shake God." - so true! And I also agree that God sometimes shakes us as some kind of reality check!
"Have you ever had moments of shaking? Share your thoughts." - Oooh, so many of them...but you know what? They gave me even more strength to carry on! And I am thankful to God, everyday, for those shaky and shaking moments for they helped me to grow up and evolve!
Sometimes I think that humans only learn things through pain and hard times *nodding*! It is as if they were stubborn kids and the Father had to put some hurdles, rocks, storms in their way in order to see what they're made of....know what I mean?
This was a fantastic article, darling! Another hit :D!
Cliff Hanger Cheers
Hi Angel,
Thank you.
May we all bear witness to God's greatness. It makes the journey memorable.
Hi Khaye,
Thank you.
Thanks too for sharing your thoughts. Hope to see you again here.
Hi Uber,
How can you so sure that we would want to trade our problems for yours? LOL.
Okay that was my humor speaking.
You are right, many people think they would trade their woes for others woes, but if it came down to it, they would keep them and deal with them accordingly.
Thank you for such food for thought.
Many blessings to you my friend.
Hi Mark,
Once we let go of the ego, we can open ourselves up for so many of life's gifts.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi Max
"Wow, this story is quite a story...it was so well described that I was actually seeing the whole scene in front of me...
Vanity, vanity"
Thank you my dear.
"Instead of shutting up when he got back to the top of the cliff, he had to defy God...silly man!"
Can you say Kanye West? LOL.
"I have a question: what would we be without our ego?"
An excellent question.
"Our ego (conscious mind) is where our present perceptions, our memories, thoughts, fantasies and feelings dwell...it can also be said that it is our driving force, what encourages us to fight for what we want and need. The problem lies in hiding behind our Ego (the driving force) to justify our egotism (in satisfying our needs and wants; without caring about our fellow humans)."
Beautifully articulated. I look at ego as a passageway, if you will, but another problem is that many people reside there instead of passing through. It serves it purpose for all of those things you mention and it also acts as an addiction to superficiality and thoughtlessness (as you mention hiding behind the ego.)
As Andrew Cohen says,
"Ego is the deeply ingrained, compulsive need to remain separate and superior at all times, in all places, under all circumstances. In contrast to the inherent freedom of the Self Absolute and the fearless passion of the Authentic Self, ego is experienced as an emotional quagmire of fear and attachment. It is the part of you that has no interest whatsoever in freedom, feels victimized by life, avoids anything that contradicts its self-image, is thoroughly invested in its personal fears and desires, and lives only for itself. Ego is an anti-evolutionary force of powerful inertia in human nature—attached to the past, terrified of change, and seeking only to preserve the status quo."
"We are much more than that...we are the Ego, Superego and id all together; and beyond all three."
That's a powerful statement that further reiterates our paradox - we are everything, yet we are nothing.
"...They gave me even more strength to carry on! And I am thankful to God, everyday, for those shaky and shaking moments for they helped me to grow up and evolve!"
And that's the beauty of "the shake," we are shaken, but not stirred. LOL. We are reconstituted and stronger than before.
"Sometimes I think that humans only learn things through pain and hard times *nodding*! It is as if they were stubborn kids and the Father had to put some hurdles, rocks, storms in their way in order to see what they're made of....know what I mean?"
Exactly.
"This was a fantastic article, darling! Another hit :D!"
Thanks again for you thorough feedback and for your love and appreciation of deep thought.
Hang In There Cheers
This is a humbling story which can serve as a wake up call where people are ready to see relevance. I have taken steps to put work on the backburner to be with someone who is seriously ill. This is teaching me that love, empathy and compassion make me who I am. Many people identify with a job, a paycheck, a community or, some other label. Life experience is teaching me the power of soul has nothing to do with where you live or what you do to pay the bills. What sustains you is immeasurable. You know what yo ufeel. The question is, what kind of conditions will prompt you to listen differently?
Liara,
My heart and blessings go out to you. It is amazing how we bring forth all the qualities that make us God-like, especially when faced with illness, loss or the potential of losing something or someone. Continue to let your Soul guide you like a beacon of hope and compassion and my love is with you.
Hi Lady A!
"Thank you my dear."
You are most welcome *bowing*!
"Can you say Kanye West? LOL."
LOL Kanye West LOL. Yes, Kanye is also a bit arrogant, isn't he?
"An excellent question."
Thank you...*bowing*!
"Beautifully articulated. I look at ego as a passageway, if you will, but another problem is that many people reside there instead of passing through. It serves it purpose for all of those things you mention and it also acts as an addiction to superficiality and thoughtlessness (as you mention hiding behind the ego.)"
*Bowing* obrigada! A passage way, yes (it can be viewed as such)... and you are right: people remain there! Well said, we are in utter agreement!
Thank you so much for this awesome quote! But I would like to add one tiny thing: I agree that the ego lives for itself, that it's invested in its personal desires; however, I believe that the fear for the past, the victimisation by life, fears and attachment dwell in the id (where it is stored our past memories); for once our past is unresolved it brings to the present life a group of fears that many times hinder evolution (thus the need to undergo sessions of regression).
"That's a powerful statement that further reiterates our paradox - we are everything, yet we are nothing."
Indeed...and I agree with you: we are everything and nothing! The foundation of existentialism...
"And that's the beauty of "the shake," we are shaken, but not stirred. LOL. We are reconstituted and stronger than before."
LOL LOL that is exactly it: shaken, but never stirred LOL (you rock)! Absolutely...and isn't it great to just come out of the ashes?
"Thanks again for you thorough feedback and for your love and appreciation of deep thought."
You are welcome, my dear Lady A *bowing*! I advocate deep thought...even through what seems to be diet thought (if you catch my drift)!
Hang together Cheers
Alexys,
What a great reminder! Yes, ego is the bane of us all. I have had a few moments (actually too many) when I had to be hit over the head by the proverbial two by four before I realized I was wrapped in ego. Fortunately, I have learned to listen to those soft whispers that come to us all, before they become loud shouts!
You are a wonderful Light! Thank you for shining so brightly.
Peace and Love, Linda
Beautiful words my friend,
Thank you for the light that you bring this world...
I feel your love so clearly whenever I visit here,
Thanks for everything you are,
My love to you, Maithri
Hi Max,
"Yes, Kanye is also a bit arrogant, isn't he?"
Just a bit.
"Thank you so much for this awesome quote! But I would like to add one tiny thing: I agree that the ego lives for itself, that it's invested in its personal desires; however, I believe that the fear for the past, the victimisation by life, fears and attachment dwell in the id (where it is stored our past memories); for once our past is unresolved it brings to the present life a group of fears that many times hinder evolution (thus the need to undergo sessions of regression)."
I agree with that addition.
"LOL LOL that is exactly it: shaken, but never stirred LOL (you rock)!"
Thanks.
"Absolutely...and isn't it great to just come out of the ashes?"
The Phoenix has risen.
"I advocate deep thought...even through what seems to be diet thought (if you catch my drift)!"
ROFL. I love it. There is a lot of diet thinking going on. ROFL.
Hanging Tough Cheers
Hi Linda,
We have all had those moments haven't we? At least you have learned to listen to your inner voice and let it gently guide you to your spirit.
Thank you for your kind and heart-felt words. I reflect the light in you.
Hi Maithri,
Love has written your name on my heart as you write it on the world. Thank you for your constant and gentle waves of gratitude and mercy. I am what you are - together we are love.
Waving love to you. :D
Hi Lady A,
"Just a bit."
LOL yes, a tiny bit....
"I agree with that addition."
*High Five*!
"Thanks."
You are most welcome, darling!
"The Phoenix has risen."
Always...and it is a beauty when it happens!
"ROFL. I love it. There is a lot of diet thinking going on. ROFL."
LOL...I am glad you do lol ;)! ROFL....so true...*nodding*...
Hanging Loose Cheers
Very nice reminder to not allow us to be full of ourselves.
Max,
High five a thousand times. :D
Rachel,
We can always use reminders. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. :D
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