Impersonal Nature of LIfe

Pondering the impersonal nature of Life for the last few days. No idea where it is going but it isn't leaving so whatever wants to be said will be written here.

The pondering began in a conversation regarding the lack of personal service in so many institutions and businesses. Lamenting about how people were just a number in so many cases, dealing with computer responders and even with individuals who seem to lack people skills. For example, a call to a specialist's office to confirm an appointment the day before was responded to by an answering machine where the recorded message very clearly stated what the options were and that, no there would not be a call back. OK, then...

In the course of conversation there was brief flash of how the impersonal being experienced in the world may be a reflection of the true impersonal nature of Life. There is a tendency to rail against the impersonal, wanting to feel special and wanted and acknowledged but is that part of a false concept? Is it perhaps a desperate attempt to maintain the illusion of separation? Could the lack of personal-ness that is evolving in the world not mean there's something 'wrong' but rather be revealing a deeper truth? Yeow!

What if it really is all impersonal and all the meaning given to self and others is really just a sad attempt at creating importance for the ego's survival? On this journey home to Essence is there really an invitation to let go of any concept of personal? Perhaps that's exactly what is going on. No wonder this work isn't all that attractive.

In going deep into Being, beyond all those beliefs and feelings and concepts on the surface of life that's exactly what is found; no me. Touched into this place often over the past couple of years yet there is something within that still wants to grab onto something personal and make it all so very real. It's also easy to be fooled into thinking life is not being taken personally when it actually is. The illusion must be entered fully it seems in order to come to the no-me state, so here again the paradox of Life is experienced. By paying full attention to that in 'me' that wants attention in the moment peace is attained and there is recognition that there is no need, no me. By trying to ignore the cry for attention more resistance is created and somehow the personal seems 'realler'. Ah Life you are a fascinating, beautiful contradiction.

Imagine not taking life personally; wow! Perhaps in the end there really is no point in railing against the impersonal tendencies in the world; it's a wonderful reminder that Life is not personal, it simply is what it is.
 
By the way, this essay was first written in the personal, using a lot of I's. If there is no 'I' then whose writing, whose having the experiences? Hmmm... There is quite a challenge in writing impersonally about experiences playing out at this point in consciousness. Here's what the essay looked like in the personal. Neither is right or wrong, just different language. What's important is that whether using I and me or not, Life is what is having the experiences.


I've been pondering the impersonal nature of Life for the last few days. I have no idea where it is taking me but it isn't leaving so I thought I'd write about whatever wants to be said.

It first came up in a conversation with a friend when we were talking about the lack of personal service in so many of our institutions and businesses. We were lamenting about how we were just a number in so many cases, dealing with computer responders and even with individuals who seem to lack people skills. I had called a specialist's office to confirm an appointment for my beloved the day before and I got their answering machine where the recorded message very clearly stated what your options were and that, no they would not be calling anyone back. OK, then...

In the course of conversation with my friend I had a brief flash of how the impersonal I was experiencing in the world may be a reflection of the true impersonal nature of Life. There is a tendency to rail against the impersonal, wanting to feel special and wanted and acknowledged but is that part of the mistaken concept we have about what we are? Is it perhaps a desperate attempt to maintain the illusion of separation rather than the interpretation that the lack of personal-ness that is evolving in our world means there's something 'wrong'? Yeow!

What if it really is all impersonal and all the meaning we give ourselves and other people is really just a sad attempt at creating importance for the ego's survival? On this journey home to Essence am I really being asked to let go of any concept of personal? I suspect that's exactly what is going on. No wonder this work isn't all that attractive.

When I have gone deep into Being, beyond all those beliefs and feelings and concepts that keep me on the surface of life that's exactly what I've found; no me. I've touched into this place often over the past couple of years yet there is that in me that still wants to grab onto something personal and make it all so very real. It's also easy to fool myself into thinking I'm not taking life personally when I really am. I have to enter the illusion fully it seems in order to come to the no-me state however, so here again I find myself deep in the paradox of Life. By paying full attention to that in 'me' that wants attention in the moment peace is attained and I can move through it to where there is no need, no me. By trying to ignore the cry for attention I just create more resistance and somehow make the personal seem 'realler'. Ah Life you are a fascinating, beautiful contradiction.

In the end I guess there really is no point in railing against the impersonal tendencies in the world; it's a wonderful reminder that Life is not personal, it simply is what it is.