9) ENLIGHTENMENT IS GIVING UP THE
NOTION THAT YOU ARE UNENLIGHTENED
What happened:
As the plane flew closer to the drop-zone, I sat in the doorway
dangling my feet in space, awaiting my turn to jump out. Many reasons
arose in my mind as to why I should cancel the skydive, even at that
advanced stage of the project.
Abstract:
Completion is a state which you and I actively, creatively
(paradoxically) resist.
Observation:
I had already given my word that I would complete the skydive, no matter
what my mind or emotions had to say about it. I noticed that neither
that fact nor the imminent completion of BREAKTHROUGH SKYDIVING had any
bearing on how much sway my mind and emotions actually had over me at
that point. At times I began to submit to the reasons why I should call
off the skydive. I noticed that there was not one single thought or
emotion that actively encouraged me to continue.
When my jumpmaster, shouting in my ear so as to be heard above the noise
of the engine, told me that my moment to jump out of the door had
finally come, it took me a second or two to desist buying into the
racket my mind and emotions were making. I eventually did jump, and came
to earth well over one hundred yards off target.
Conclusions:
It is at the point of imminent completion, imminent transformation to a
new stage or even to a new state when I am likely to resist most
fiercely what I originally came here to do. At that point, the
commitment that I am my word that I would make something happen takes a
back seat to my own reasons and excuses. My word appears to be
justifiably null and void.