The freedom to look at myself

09/19/1995, Dhaka, Bangladesh

In the past few weeks I have been reflecting on whether I have a fixed way of being, or whether what I have learned from the Ontological Design workshops in the past have enabled me to be more flexible and allowing. In the process of exploring this I came up with a list of questions I needed to answer in order to make this judgment.

1. Am I open to learning and being a light to myself?
2. Do I believe that my self worth is my declaration of what I am about and what I stand for?
3. Do I believe that my self esteem is about the contribution that I am in other people's lives and in society?
4. Am I aware that my opinions, emotions, moods, and beliefs all contribute to my interpretation of the world and that my judgments could be based on my ungrounded assessments?
5. Do I know that life is uncertain and therefore I should be less upset and less controlling?
6. Do I make sure that my relationship with others is out of commitment and not attachment?
7. Do I know that my commitment to results is more empowering than my attachment to results
8. Do I know that my freedom, in the context of no fear, means that there is nothing to be afraid of and nothing to protect?
9. Do I know that everyone I meet is my mirror and when I judge them I am also looking at myself?
10. Do I know that most of the time I am not conscious of the choices I make, and as a result, I keep making other people wrong for what happens to me?
11. Do I know that when I feel resigned it is because I have failed to recognize my choice in the matter?
12. Am I able to make requests instead of having expectations, and am I convinced that if my request is declined  I am not necessarily rejected?
13. Do I know that when I keep complaining about life and things that don't work out, by focusing on the negative,  I am creating more of it,  and I am determining my future from the past?

Life is a conversation and I encourage you to have one of this nature with yourself.