The Maze

Imagine you're in a vast maze.

You have an aim: get to the end.

You can only see 5-10 feet in front of you. There are twists, turns, dead ends, and hazards along the path.

This is challenging and full of drama.

"Which way do I go?! Am I lost?! Will I make it to the end in time?!"

Now, imagine you are able to elevate yourself 50 feet in the air and see the entire maze from above.

Immediately what was tense and uncertain becomes trivial.

Many people approach their growth as if the best they can do is become a master maze runner.

You traverse a particular maze many times and have its layout memorized. Or you are trained in the practice of maze design and have a highly-developed memory and ability to rule out dead ends and keep track of your progress along the way.

This is all useful in getting to the end successfully, but it is of a different order entirely than being able to see the birds eye view of the maze.

Cognitive development over time gives way to these kinds of breakthroughs in consciousness.

This is a fuzzy science. Stress, illness, and exhaustion can lead to a regression into less sophisticated ways of understanding reality.

Have you ever felt trapped in a convoluted, hopeless maze, only to wake up the next day feeling buoyant and at ease?

I'm simplifying things, but this is an example of how our capacity to act skillfully in the world is connected to our level of development.

Psychological and spiritual growth unfolds these new horizons. As we evolve, we experience more ease.

The prisons of our habitual personalities begin to be more porous. The thought-loops and emotional stuckness that we get trapped in can be sidestepped with ease.

What is obvious from one vantage point is obscured from another.

This realization is also a bit daunting because it appears that development is never ending and as soon as we pop out of the maze we’re currently in, we find ourselves in a new one!

The mystery continues, but as we progress there is a trend line towards greater ease, flow, and contentment.