Finding the freedom to limit tags
Labels are a social construction that simplifies life. We learn to label things as good or bad, right or wrong as soon as we learn to use language. We are also conditioned to react to the labels we have assigned by judging certain things we have labeled and desiring others. Over time, this process strengthens us in the consciousness of duality and prevents us from evolving to higher levels of being.
To evolve in consciousness, it is imperative that we let go of labels: both the “positive” labels we assign to what we cling to, and the “negative” labels we resist. Everything that exists is part of the union of life; And whatever part we resist represents an aspect of life that we reject. Over time, this process robs us of stamina and joy.
When we label things, we move away from the totality of their essence to focus on some specific aspects. That makes it easier for us to react to those aspects with attachment or resistance. In truth, we are not responding to the situation, but rather reacting to the label of our own creation!
Another pervasive problem with labels is the way we use them to hide the truth from ourselves and to avoid coming face to face with who we really are. We all need careful discernment when it comes to self-assessment and definition. Identity tags are complicated; it takes great skill to handle them with wisdom and grace. When we don’t, we fall into self-deception.
We are not our labels
The more attached we become to the labels of who we perceive ourselves to be, the more we divide our consciousness to avoid seeing labels and aspects of ourselves that do not conform to our perceptions. If we consider ourselves compassionate, we can ignore our lack of concern for someone else’s pain. If we see ourselves as spiritual, we can sidestep our more mundane or gloomy characteristics and neglect the necessary process of integration that makes us whole. This process of separation can also blind us to the common threads that bind us to everyone else.
One of the solutions lies in asking ourselves why the labels we choose to ourselves and others mean so much to us. We can, and should, have the courage to question our labels, whether they pertain to spiritual affiliations, political parties, religious beliefs, or social status. Of course, labels can be helpful in identifying loyalty in a complex world. But to the extent that we attach importance to them at the cost of excluding other points of view, they can also rob us of our freedom.
Imagine what it would be like to let the labels fade into the background for a while. How would it feel to leave our worldly status labels, our ancestral heritage labels so often wielded like swords of law, and the usual stories we repeat to label ourselves in ways that define who we are? Who would we be without these labels? Would letting go of our labels make us nobody? Would it empty life of meaning? Or would we discover a deeper and more permanent truth about who we really are?
Before mastering the language of labels, we existed in the totality of life. Therefore, we are not our labels. The experience of a deeper self, untouched by the slings and arrows of everyday life, is crucial if we are to free ourselves from the limitations of a label-addicted society. It requires slowing down, being fully present, and daring to question our assumptions.
At this moment on the planet, it is we who are creating the future that we will experience. Will we choose fear over love? Are we going to label and judge others to make ourselves feel more moralistic, or are we going to recognize that the shadow we see in our world also exists in us, so that we can heal the shadow, renounce the labels that separate us, and embrace the whole? of existence? Will we have the courage to walk with our speech or will we shirk the awesome responsibility that comes with being alive in these extraordinary times?
Many people have been traumatized to some degree by recent events. Loss of loved ones, loss of freedom, loss of financial security, and loss of social connection have had profound effects on everyone. At times, the collective shock has been palpable, reverberating through the Field of Consciousness that connects us all. Fear, despair, frustration, disbelief, pain, anger, they have all been present when we have faced circumstances never seen before.
Challenges and high levels of uncertainty tend to polarize people. We may regress to a lower level of consciousness where we seek some security and reassurance. We can try to fight against circumstances, or flee from them, or even freeze like a deer in headlights. In the search for safe ground, we can narrow our circle and cast suspicion on those who have different beliefs. Labels are born from these behaviors and therefore conflict arises. These labels separate and weaken us all.
Revealing the unity at our core
At the same time, the very destruction of life as we knew it is brimming with opportunities for evolution and rebuilding to a higher level. We are all building the foundations for the future, both personally and socially. To get it right, we must first solidify our own foundation: not the labels of who we think we are, but our core identity underneath that: the eternal Being who knows all things as one.
Our true core doesn’t need labels; it just is. As we become more connected to this core, we can dissolve labels of ourselves such as “I am this” or “I am not that” to reveal the truth. I AM that rests underneath everything. Only from this place can we make wise decisions and discern the wisest action. It invites us to recognize our labels and release our dearest identities, even for a moment, to become what is underneath.
We are much more than our labels! The more energy we invest in outdated labels of who we habitually think we are, the more we can put old identities aside and define who we are now becoming. The radiant and universal Presence in us is not increased or diminished by labels that define the identity of the ego. It far transcends the limitations of our minds, and that is one of the reasons we tend to push the Presence out of our conscious awareness while perpetuating ego labels and identities.
We can get rid of this! To free ourselves from these limitations, we have to give up the need to be special and regularly immerse ourselves in the sacred field that connects us all. When life later requires us to regain some identity, as it will inevitably happen, we can do so with less emotional attachment and less ego effort. We can learn to use the limiting mask of identity tags lightly, willing to discard it at any time. We can remain safe in the knowledge that all those labels are but a pale reflection of the vastness of our spiritual essence. When our conscience rests in this deeper truth, it infuses our lives with clarity and wisdom for the task at hand.
Honoring the need to disconnect
This work of finding inner freedom requires discipline and we also need time to rest. When we feel overwhelmed, it is a reminder to unplug, power down, and get back to base. In this technological age where everything happens faster, information overload abounds and addiction to the screen is everywhere. We need to discern how much technology is enough and where to draw the line. It’s perfectly okay to take a break: look out the window, read a good old book, enjoy time with pets and loved ones, sing, pray, dance, walk, run, do yoga, tai chi, or karate.
The challenges on the surface of our lives invite each of us to return to our inner core, to discover who we really are, apart from the labels of our world. Notice what interactions bring peace, wisdom, and clarity. Lean on these and they will expand the heart. Also note the painful emotions and triggers that fuel the compulsion to trade inner peace for your own moral label or ego opinion. Inner peace is always just a breath away, available as we shift our attention to the Source of truth and inner peace.
How we change the world
By stepping out of the fray regularly, we can root ourselves in the limitless Self from which truth and authenticity flow. We can take a stand while honoring our inner knowing, and we can engage in outer commitments from that inner place of clarity. We can take external action without losing our connection to our inner truth. We can see beyond superficial differences to honor the unified Field that connects us all. Knowing this field intimately is vital to maintaining our sense of peace, purpose, and direction.
During these times of unprecedented change and challenge, imagine what we can accomplish by discarding labels and living in the unified Field from which everything emerges. This is how we will spread awareness of separation and change our world for the better.