Mind sometimes seeks metaphors for life.
Life is a battle. Life is a school.
Life is a game. Life is divine play.
All of these can be helpful, to a certain extent, and some can also be stressful.
Life is a battle. It can help us find determination and strength, while it’s also clearly stressful.
Life is a school. It can help us look for what we can learn in different situations, while it can be stressful to think I am supposed to learn something. Maybe I am not getting it? Maybe I am learning the wrong lesson? Maybe I won’t pass?
Others are more playful.
Life is divine play.
Another one is life is an experiment.
Life with capital L is an experiment. Life is always experimenting, with the big bang, making itself into…. elements and other particles, stars, light, exploding stars, heavier elements, solar systems, planets, living planets, ecosystems, species, families, emotions, thoughts, culture, civilizations, technology, drama, peace, striving, war, peacemaking, and much more.
This life, my life, is also an experiment. What happens if I do this? Does it bring pain? Peace? Joy?
Life as an experiment is an attractive metaphor for me now. It highlights the curiosity and inquiry aspect of it. And it highlights that there is no one “right” way to do it.
Taking it one step further, I can see if I can find “life” or “my life” as a solid, real object in immediate experience. Can I find it outside of words, images, and sensations? And can I find experiment, or play, or the divine?
P.S. Thanks to KL for reminding me of this metaphor today. I needed it.
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– life as an experiment
– in the big picture, Life experimenting
– and my life too is an experiment, trying out, see what happens, see what’s life serving
– what happens? what’s painful, what’s not
– (a much better analogy than “school” etc., which can feel harsh)
It can be helpful, to a certain extent, to use metaphors for life.
Some of these can be immediately stressful, such as life is a battle. Others can be helpful while also stressful, such as life is a