When We Stop Being Naïve

When we stop being naïve,
we can start being naïve.

There are two meanings to the word naïve;
“showing a lack of wisdom” and “being natural and unaffected”.

When we stop regarding the news as being selective truth, and start to read between the lines, asking such questions as, “Why did they write this article?” and “Are they just wanting us to react?”, we start to see what is taking place. If we then don’t react but see the reaction in our mind, we become wise and natural, and remain unaffected.

We have to do the same when it comes to spiritual teachers. Teachers think of us as being naïve – lacking in wisdom – while they see themselves as naïve – natural and unaffected. If we can realise the essence of truth, we stop being naïve – lacking in wisdom – and become natural and unaffected: life is richer, and less expensive!

The essence of truth is very, very simple.
Whatever is seen is seen by consciousness. Not a consciousness that judges, but a pure consciousness that just sees. As we cannot be what we see, we realise that we are that pure consciousness that cannot be seen, but only realised. This is self-realisation. Wisdom has always remained natural and unaffected.

All the world is a stage, and we are players in it, being captured by the words that cast spells. At any moment, we can change our part and break that spell, realising emptiness – sans any thing!

From “As You Like It”
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide;
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Once we understand the essence of everything,
everything is without – sans – true existence.