DROPPING THE STORY

perhaps you’ve played the game which you watch people in a public place, restaurant, or other settings and make up stories about who they are, what they are doling, what their backstory could be. While this game can be amusing, the problem is that most of us live our a real-life version of this almost constantly: We all have an innate need to describe what is happening before us.

When we meet or interact with someone, we project a story onto him or her based on how we look at the world or what our particular belief system is. All of these little stories are ultimately assumptions, and they cloud our ability to see things as they truly are, free from our attachments.

Practice

When you see or interact with people today, become aware of the little assumptions you make about them. Notice how these judgements are habitual. Then try to simply watch people without any judgment or backstory. When a judgement or label comes, notice it for what it is, and remember that you don’t have to believe it.

Living a Life of Awareness

~ Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.