The greatness of Life within you

Greatness has nothing to do with status or influence or acquisition or fame or unique talent although greatness is always at the core of these and every other form of human expression. It is our nature. Greatness is that infinite potential that is the very fabric of life and we are all, without exceptions, life-forms.

Too many of us have been conditioned to deny life’s greatness, to misunderstand greatness as a personal attribute and to therefore settle for ‘smallness’ because we feel incapable and unworthy

The sequoia is said to be the largest tree in the world. Is its largeness its greatness? No. It’s largeness is an expression of life’s greatness just as the colours and shape of a dandelion are also an expression of life’s greatness. It is easy to forget that the giant sequoia was originally a tiny, insignificant looking seed.

It is equally easy to overlook the greatness that the dandelion is an expression of, particularly when our mind, conditioned by our senses, places higher value on size and reach and other forms of ‘largeness’. Yet, it is the same infinite potential, the same greatness, within the seed of the mighty sequoia and the modest dandelion that gave rise to both.

So it is with each one of us. The infinite potential of life within us is the greatness that naturally and effortlessly ‘seeks’ expression. It doesn’t ‘seek’ it in some psychological sense. Rather, it is spontaneously impelled to its expression, at least until we get in its way.

When we attribute this greatness, this infinite potential within us, to our personal self, we make the cardinal error of worshipping false gods. Likewise, when we condemn ourselves for lacking greatness, we commit the error of denying truth. Put simply, we would not exist if not for this greatness, this infinite potential upon which our every breath rides.

When we fail to acknowledge this greatness in which we are born and by which life expresses itself, we resort to pettiness, small-mindedness, a craven preoccupation with the personal self. We resort to comparison and competition, the result of which is unfettered greed, whether for power, fame, acquisition or knowledge. It is nothing less than self-enslavement. It is the expression of insecurity – the fear of smallness, not-enoughness – rather than greatness.

On the other hand, when we acknowledge this greatness that is naturally rippling in us, we tend toward freedom, assuredness, openess, co-operation rather than competition. We are unimpressed by wealth and fame and the influence or ‘power’ that they can purchase. We can certainly appreciate the wonderfulness and ease of an abundant life but we know that abundance is life’s gift to all, not just some, of us. And we are unafraid to allow life to express itself uniquely through us. We don’t take personal credit for it for we know that we are life’s creative expression.

Too many of us have been conditioned to deny life’s greatness, to misunderstand greatness as a personal attribute and to therefore settle for ‘smallness’ because we feel incapable and unworthy. Nothing is more painful, more constricting, more suffocating and more prone to exploitation and oppression than our refusal to allow life its full expression in us, in whatever way that may be.

If we do not confuse greatness with fame, wealth, influence and power over others, then we will see that we are each born as greatness, as infinite potential, and it is our right and our nature to express that greatness without comparing or competing. We will not let petty attributes such as ‘race’, religion, socio-economic status, gender, age, nationality or personal history persuade us against the greatness that we are, for life is impartial to all of this. We will open our minds to the infinite potential that life is and allow its full expression in, as and through us.