Waking Up Really Does Matter

by Norb Yates

As children, we learn certain masteries by applying our attention and energy. Through these masteries, we accumulate knowledge and possessions.
At first, only food, comfort, new words and new toys are important. And then we learn how to get along with others. We master relationships. We decide who we like and don’t like and we learn to interact with people and be accepted. We have relationships with parents, siblings, pets, extended family and peers. As adults, our mastery of relationships expands to lovers, spouses, co-workers and our own children. Knowledge and relationships are among the many skills we master by applying our time, attention and energy.

The most important skill we can learn as adults is one that usually escapes our notice: uncovering our hidden agreements, boundaries, and beliefs. This is the mastery of having a relationship with self. This is the skill that truly matters. It is the key to our happiness that we have kept safely hidden simply by not expending the energy and attention to look for it.

My list of hidden agreements was long. Here are just a few examples:

• Without personal importance, I will be nobody.
• I need more knowledge before I can act.
• True awareness is not possible for me.
• Unconditional love is not possible.
• Life is serious and not safe.
• I need to be in a relationship to be complete.

Today, these hidden agreements seem pretty tame to me, but the task of uncovering, modifying, and taking back personal power from hidden agreements is anything but easy. It means we must wake up and see. The
more aware we are the better we are able to see all our agreements, and to transform them with truth, respect and acceptance. This is a mastery that requires breaking through all the useless contracts we’ve made with ourselves and opening up to new possibilities. It requires a willingness to change and to be happy. It requires our time, attention and energy.

Discovering the relationship we have with ourselves makes so many new agreements possible. It makes real love possible, and we find the acceptance and trust in ourselves that we had as children. With that kind of trust and self respect, we can live in heaven, with total respect for all life – in the midst of the dream of the planet.

It’s a mastery that’s worth our time and attention. Waking up really does matter!