It is often said that our biggest obstacle in life is ourselves. This is true on so many levels. There are many instances when we limit ourselves with beliefs that constrict who we think we are. These beliefs dictate if we are capable or not of getting something done or done well, or the limits of what we believe our potential is. If you picture these thoughts and attitudes as things we might carry in a suitcase, how big is your suitcase?
How many times a day do you tell yourself that you are wrong, or perhaps so right that it doesn’t allow the grace of the universe to speak to you? There is obviously a component of discernment that is important here. It is helpful to make a choice and move ahead, but how many of us really look at the motivations behind our choices?
I remember a time when I identified myself as a stonemason. When people asked me what I did for a living I replied: “I’m a stonemason”. It did not occur to me until years later to say “I do stonework” or “I build with stone”. There wasn’t anything wrong with my answer but I began to inquire more deeply regarding the question “Who really am I?” I love to work with stone and what it requires and asks me to make beauty. I love the places it takes me and the people I meet through it. When the work is done for the day, though, what have I created? On one level I have built a stone wall or a patio or something else, but on another, deeper level, I have created a place for someone to enjoy their space more, or to add to the beauty or structural integrity of their house. The value of what can be created with stone extends into many realms.
All of this to say that I am more than a stonemason, as many of you who read this are, too. When I build, I think of the pleasure that will be derived from my work. I think of the shift in perspective and energy that may accompany the new space I am building. I think of the joy that the stone will bring into my client’s lives. The stone will transmit this if I feel joy when I build. This is what I believe.
What thoughts go through your mind as you do your work in the world? What are the deep structures of belief that you see as yourself? Are you willing to go beyond that, to bring into existence a greater part of yourself that you haven’t felt before? Are you willing to let the world see you as something other than how you define yourself?
