HUMANITY, DIVINE LIMITATIONDIVINITY, HUMAN PERFECTION

To use the words of the 19th-century philosopher Hazrat Inayat Khan, this is something worth reflecting on. He speaks of recognizing the reality of perceived human limitations.

He conveys the almost universal feeling that we, as human beings, are limited expressions of something that is less than the divinity that is possible. At the same time, he reminds us that by living the truth of our essence, we can elevate ourselves to the realm of divine qualities—qualities that reveal the full richness of what it means to be human.

This raises questions.What is our truth?Who are we really?Who am I?

In the Great Consciousness from which we originate, we are all-knowing and divine—until we descend into the vehicle we call the body. I will not go deeper here into karma or related themes, but rather into our story. For each of us carries a personal story: one we sometimes share, sometimes conceal, and continuously reflect upon.

How we think about ourselves forms an essential part of our lives. It influences how we heal and become whole, how we enter relationships, how we test our spiritual values, and even how we engage in politics. Our learned sense of self-worth shapes our choices. As we think about ourselves, so we act—every moment of the day, often unconsciously.

This shows up in everything: what we eat, how we think about love and death, about health, money, and connection. Our individual story—so familiar to us—determines how we face the challenges of our environment: family, friends, colleagues, and life situations. From early childhood, we are automatically shaped—especially while our brain operates predominantly in theta frequencies until around the age of seven or eight—by our parents, our schools, and our environment. We learn what is good and bad, who is good and bad, which beliefs and religions are considered “right.” We grow up under specific circumstances: rich or poor, in a certain climate, within a particular societal standard. All of this forms our story.

Gradually, we become a product of what we think we are, or of what we have been taught is right. A copy of our ancestors. Over the years, we experience countless emotions and events that are stored both consciously and unconsciously in the body. Emotions generate chemical reactions: neuropeptides that represent experiences such as fear, joy, anger, and love.

Our personal story begins even in the womb. The emotions our mother experiences are also felt by us as a fetus. Her neuropeptides become ours. If a mother lives in a constant fight-or-flight mode, the child often continues this pattern upon entering the world. If she lives in safety and love, the child carries that as well. During this phase, the brain develops at an astonishing pace and is extremely receptive.

But—there is no need to despair. This does not mean we are trapped by what we have “inherited.” We possess the capacity to adapt and to make new choices, independent of a difficult past. This is a fundamental aspect of being human.

Healing trauma—feelings of betrayal, abandonment, or humiliation—is possible. You are not your parents. You are not your upbringing. You are you.

We live in a universe as observers and participants in our creations, often more unconsciously than consciously. Everything exists within this field of possibilities. What we focus on takes form. Focus transforms energy into matter. Focus brings the right people onto our path. Focus turns waves of energy into particles. And when focus is combined with feeling, that which we desire becomes reality—our reality.