by Trip Lively
Searching for the Man Behind the Curtain:
Years ago, I first realized that the material world, and all of its societal manipulations, was being rigged by an outside force. And, more importantly, I knew this was not a benevolent force.
I began to question everything.
Was “reality” real?
Suddenly, I found myself taking those very first steps towards seeking truth. Which, at the time, was the road less traveled by my college peers.
Less than a handful of years following the orchestrated events of 9/11, I watched closely as the world around me began changing at a very rapid rate. It was the beginning of the end of our freedoms.
Not to mention, the “American Dream” that was shoved down my throat throughout my entire public school upbringing was crumbling away before my very eyes. Friends with degrees were having trouble finding jobs, and freaking out as they drowned in their enormous amounts of debt.
Even though, due to my age at the time, I did not fully understand what was taking place in society, I was able to see that it was not right.
Before I was even legally old enough to purchase and consume alcohol, I was already reaching my curious fingers towards the veil of reality. I just had to know what lies on the other side.
And who, or what, this force was that was pulling the strings and calling the shots.
This led to the discovery of about a dozen interviews that initially helped me remove the blinders and rose-colored glasses that prevented me from seeing reality for what it was, and not for what I wished it to be.
As you could imagine, cognitive dissonance kicked in pretty quickly. Luckily, due to my fluid nature as a maturing adult, I just went where the truth flowed.
From there, it was as if a floodgate had opened, and the information began pouring in at immense speeds. Suddenly, I realized the importance of what I had stumbled across, as well as the potential it could have in shaping my future.
Luckily, the college years allow you an once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity to find yourself, without the influence or guidance of parental figures. How people respond, and to whom they become, is up to themselves and the choices they make during this window.
For me, it was a time of great experimentation within and without all the realms of existence.
As I recall, it was a combination of falling down Alice’s rabbit hole, while walking Dorothy’s path along the yellow brick road, with my eyes dilated like I had just left the optometrist.
Document Your Awakening:
Looking back on those early days of truth seeking, I remember I had to learn to become more fluid in order to prevent the be-lie-f system I was indoctrinated into from sabotaging my journey.
You would be surprised at how quickly cognitive dissonance can set in at those early stages of awakening. Don’t let it hinder your path! From experience, I can say that seeing reality for what it truly is was one of my first steps towards gaining sovereignty as a soul. As they say, “Once you are awake, it’s hard to go back to sheep.”
In my early days, these topics hardly came up in casual conversation.
Because of this, I had a period of going on the brink of insanity. It was so hard to have the façade stripped away, and even harder to deny the truth that lay before me. Not to mention how hard it was to find others to even talk about these things with.
So, in order to combat the onset of premature insanity, I began documenting my awakening in various mediums. Being an artist and a writer, I let my passions guide the way to expressing myself, and it turned out to be a lifesaver.
Here is an example of a poem I wrote one evening. I was sitting in the tub, busily scurrying from site to site, digging for more nuggets of truth. Suddenly, I felt a calm within. From there, I paused from the interviews and articles and just breathed.
Clarity.
After a few moments, I found my fingers moving back and forth across the keyboard, as I produced, “Conversations with My Soul.”
Conversations with My Soul:
And I asked myself why I have yet to discover my treasure,
For I have looked high and low, searching endlessly,
For the joy, the love, the answers, and the comfort of knowing.
“Surely God’s secrets are hidden somewhere,” I reminded myself,
Unto which my soul cried out, “You have not searched your heart
And in fact, it is where the happiness of the world resides.
In love, you see, you will peace and peace of mind.”
In disbelief I thought, “How could this be? For I only know happiness
From outside impulses of both my desires and my addictions.
My smile, though genuine, only reflects the love I wish to share.
For though I may find despair to cloud my thoughts at times,
I wish to shine bright for others so they can break free from darkness.
My actions unto others is fueled by my desires,
And my actions unto myself are fueled by my addictions.
“Then your treasure shall never be found,
For it’s contents sink deeper and deeper as you stray from self.
How can one seek to find that which he is running away from?
How can one find happiness when he surrounds himself elsewhere?
How can one know true, blissful joy, if he does not accept it?
These treasures are within you, just as I am within you,
And until the two become one, you will not see the true light.”
In anger, my thoughts began to run wild as I found myself
Battling with what I knew of this life, and what my soul knew of its life.
“How do I accept the life I want while leaving the life I’ve created?”
To which my soul replied, “Fear not the loss of this life,
For are you not living in despair because of it?
Free yourself from your thoughts, your fears, your worries.
You are bound by ego, and ego alone. Do you not hear my cries?”
“Indeed, I have heard your cries, for they awoke me from my slumber.
I have seen the path to glory, yet have strayed.
I have seen the roads to confusion and despair, yet have followed.
I have seen many routes and many roads in my time,
And though my heart knew of the one true calling,
I have abandoned the cries of my soul for the cries of this world.
Now, I only hear the cries of my physical self, begging to be rescued.”
“Then rescued you shall be,” my soul comforted me.
“He who finds light in the void shall be humbled, knowing love
For life is love for all, and love for all starts with love for self.”
As despair melted away and the dark clouds of my thoughts dissipated,
A moment of clarity swept my entire being, and I felt alive.
For the purpose of my pain was to prepare me for the pleasures of my life.
I am finally ready to walk in the light of love.
Traveling the Divine Path is Easier in Numbers:
As a result of seeking truth, and being true to myself, I came to notice something I like to call the “Divine Path.”
It is the path I believe that is naturally available to everyone, and it is the path that is in harmony with that of the Supreme.
I began to realize that the easiest way to judge whether or not I was following harmoniously with the natural path of the Divine, was to tune inward. Not only could I feel it within, upon doing so, I could notice it all around me.
Events, in general, began to take on a high level of synchronicity, which was unlike anything I had ever experienced. However, during those early days, I was still seeking the truth, more-or-less on my own.
But, before I knew it, I was no longer by myself on this quest for truth.
People who became my closest friends, to this day, appeared out of nowhere during these years, through the most random connections and ways. I even met my wife this way, which is a story worth a blog post on its own.
The point I am trying to make though is that no man can discover all there is to know by himself.
Now, more than ever, you need to seek like-minded friends. They need you just as badly. Analyze your acquaintances, and ask yourself who amongst them is awakened.
For those that are still asleep, following the path of their fellow sheeple, ask yourself the best way to help nudge them back to their naturally awakened state. But always remember, you cannot force a snake to shed its skin.
Mankind will awaken at the rate at which it awakens.
It is not our place to impose our beliefs on others. Instead, we should simply strive to act in the manners that someone who is awake acts in. By being natural, we will naturally impact those around us.
A Divine Partnership for the Divine Path:
While like-minded friends are very helpful in your path, a like-minded spouse is a necessity.
Speaking from observations of the state of marriage in today’s society, statistically the likelihood of its success is more-or-less equivalent to that of a coin flip.
Fortunately, both my wife and I grew up in homes that continue to share in the beauty and sanctity of true, unconditional, fully committed love. This love has been a part of ours lives since we were born, and it is this love that we continue to share with our children.
When I met my wife, we came up with the perfect term for our friendship. We were, simply put, Adventure Buddies (for life). We came to learn that we were two sides of the same coin. Always complimenting one another, and always keeping each other balanced and grounded.
Our Divine Path has been a magical one, and I know that this is something I would not have been capable of experiencing with just any girl in the crowd.
That is why, in closing this blog post, I recommend you really seek to know yourself before setting out to find anyone else. Trust me, they are probably doing the same self-work, and your paths will probably cross at the most opportune time.
When walking the Divine Path, trust in the Divine Path.
Live Life Loving,
