When I mentioned liking and disliking a person I did not mean liking and disliking different aspects of them, I meant liking and disliking all of them at the same time. Yes they do have different aspects which can be liked or disliked but I am not talking about you them, I am talking about you.
In one way we all have a ‘multiple personality disorder.’ There are many aspects to us and we switch our behaviour according to what is convenient in a given circumstance. But this is the point I am attempting to share — our ‘True Self’ is trapped beneath these fixed shells that we use of our personality, character, and behavioural patterns.
I was watching a TV interview with a very well-known interviewer and a very popular entertainer — whom I have met. The interviewer did exactly the same thing they always do in such situations, and so did the entertainer. Both were presenting one of their personalities, characters, behavioural patterns. It was not spontaneous, it was not ‘them.’ Trapped beneath that performance is their unique creativity, their true and unique self. And it is not only us that is not getting the joy of sharing their uniqueness — they are missing out on it themselves as well.
We all do that. We want to avoid trouble and want to be accepted and liked. And we are lazy. We do not want to take the risk of living life spontaneously, moment to moment. So we ‘behave.’ “Who am I.” One of the classical Eastern approaches. Who are you, in this very moment, looking unconditionally beneath the habitual, automatic addicted behaviour? Who is beneath that shell you present as you? Very, very rarely does anyone have the courage to find out.
—
You don’t know who you are do you? — and you never will — because there is not a ‘you.’
You are not a fixed entity — you are a throbbing living response to the this unique moment. Isn’t that wonderful! There are no restrictions to life, and who you are — except the ones you impose on your self — in the attempt to be safe and secure — which never happens — to anyone.
Try this. (In my youth I did it many times.) This weekend go away to another town or country and be someone else. Be anybody. but don’t be you. Make someone up and be them. Dress like them, talk like them, behave like them. The experiment is not to be like someone else, it is an experiment for escaping the fixed entity you have created for yourself. And if you want to be really brave, don’t go away anywhere to do it, do it anywhere you happen to be. Just get out of being that fixed personality you have created in order to feel safe.
Have fun…