“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge.”
– Author and Historian Daniel J. Boorstin

In recent months, I discovered an underlying notion that I need to be heard by my family. An old belief of not being heard nor valued by my mother and father was reawakened from within, triggered by a recent, innocent conversation with my father that went from 0 – 60 in no time flat. My emotions bubbled, and I saw a glimpse of that 16-year-old little me. I felt disappointment, hurt and the feeling of not being valued, as well as my own judgements, which I did not like. I observed myself pushing old illusions onto my father in the current moment, making matters hurt even deeper from within. The illusion became stronger, and my world did not feel safe anymore.

I stopped myself and took in a slow deep breath, pausing to see what I was feeling so deeply. This allowed me to feel what had arisen from within. At that moment, I had an epiphany: the conversation I was having with my father was only him sharing his side of “his-tory.” I had nothing to defend, nothing to hold onto. I had done deep work, yet I was trapped by my own illusions that something else was happening in that moment. It was the feeling of an old hurt, like it was happening all over again.

I reminded myself to practice self-care. In the past, these situations had led to self-destruction; through the distortion, I created my own obstacles in life – an illusion that it is about me, when in fact it has nothing to do with me at all. The epiphany gave me hope and healing on a deeper level. I was feeling everything with a newfound intensity. I found the ability to share and acknowledge the illusion and now see the truth which previously I was unable to see.

The illusion starts in the mind. It is a difficult reality to accept at times, as the story our minds create is often inaccurate and can create obstacles in our life. Your reality is the way you choose to see it, feel it and live it.

As I live through the process, I ask myself these questions when obstacles arise. You may find them helpful by following them in sequence: What am I making this situation mean? Why are my thoughts going there? What reality am I creating in this moment with that awareness? The final, simple question I ask myself is, what am I making this obstacle illusion mean about me?

There are so many ways to see life. Give yourself the gift of precious time to value and see that you are living a human experience and remind yourself to return to love.

Dipika is a crossroads specialist and a holistic health and lifestyle coach who empowers her clients to activate a balanced lifestyle of the mind, body and soul. She can be reached at [email protected] or www.loveyourlifehealthy.com