The Meaning of Beginnings
“In the beginning…” is how the Bible starts, because the way humans have always recognized the start of a story is by defining its beginning. Choosing a belief or non-belief in God is not necessary in order to discuss the definition of a beginning. We begin our story by orienting ourselves to where we are in relation to something else.
Why is this important? It’s because psychologically we have the feeling of moving forward through our lives. Most often, our stories consist of a journey through some series of challenges, like a difficult relationship or a difficult physical challenge like a mountain, a ferocious animal, or some mental or physical disability. These challenges are often framed as being antagonistic, meaning they stand in opposition to what someone is trying to accomplish.
We’ve all seen movies that dramatize the challenge of some “good” guy or girl that we care about and hope that they are successful toward the goal they are hoping to accomplish. We then think of the person or thing that is preventing them from achieving that goal as being “bad.” Some stories are complex in that they describe complicated relationships and characters with motivations that are not clearly good or bad, but we naturally have a tendency to form an opinion about who is right in such matters.
Therefore, our tendency to assign judgment to people, things or situations affects us emotionally and psychologically. When we are challenged by something, we often feel tension, a tightening that a relationship or a situation is unpleasant or will require some strength, exertion, or stamina to overcome. Likewise, when we are able to resolve that tension, we feel a relief or a release of that mental and sometimes physical pressure.
RealitySeeker tries to understand these natural forces that shape the way we relate to our lives, and how the beliefs that we form impact how successful we are in reaching our goals. We seek to understand why we are motivated to accomplish certain goals, and what assists us or stands in the way of us reaching those goals. Sometimes, it’s just the way we think about the projects that we choose that determine our outcomes. Sometimes, it’s our intense focus on achieving outcomes that itself is a barrier to good health and thriving.
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