Aliyah Marr: Remember the Carrot

How many of us unconsciously live a conditional life? We think: I'll be happy when I get that new job, when I find my perfect mate, when we are finally moved into our new house, when the kitchen is finished, etc.

I have a very good friend who has a great life: she has achieved many of her dreams. However, the victory celebration for each goal seemed to last only a few days, before she was considering what was still lacking from her life. No matter how hard she chases her last ambition, it seems to flee from her like a vanishing animal from a hunter's sight.

I tell her to remember the carrot.

Do you remember the story of how the farmer made the horse continue to go around in its tracks so that the grain would be ground? A carrot was hung from a stick attached to the horse's bridle. No matter how far the horse went (and don't forget it was a circle), it never got the carrot.

We are that horse with our conditional response to life. Because we live in our heads, we cannot even enjoy what we have for wanting something else. However, the worse thing of all is that we base our well-being upon a future condition.

In computer programming there is such a thing as a conditional statement. If x is true then take this route, if y is true then take the other route. This is alternatively called a branching path; like a path in the forest, if we go one way we will have a totally different experience than if we go the other way.

So most of us wait to be happy, because our happiness is based upon a condition. It is like saying, "I'll love you if you love me". Well, real love is unconditional: we love regardless of any condition, including the return of that love.

The universe responds to unconditional living, unconditional love from us. That is how a person with passion will always succeed, because they are undeterred by "external" conditions. They love because they love: regardless.

I love the word "impassioned"; only I spell it a bit differently: "In-passioned". To be in one's passion is to be in the channel of one's love, flowing freely. The external and internal are in complete harmony and flow.

I liken it to surfing: when you surf well, it feels thoughtless, carefree and exciting. When you are in the channel of the wave you know things that are not thoughts; inner wisdom informs your every action. Minute judgments and muscle adjustments are executed at a speed beyond our normal ability.

We can be that everyday, but it takes a certain discipline to remember that we don't have to follow the carrot: instead of dragging around a cart in a circle, we can surf the sea of awareness, live "in-passion" and remember the fullness of joy.

-- copyright 2006 Aliyah Marr

Aliyah Marr is a multimedia artist, interactive designer, published author, teacher, transformative coach, personal trainer, and motivational speaker. She is the author / artist of the Transformational Tarot.

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