Once we have identified the causes of our rejection of change and growth, we can move towards accepting it with much more ease. To become more synchronised and harmonious with our environment requires us to move away from fear and combat anxiety in our approach to relationships. This approach is not simply for the benefit of our relationships with others but also our relationships with ourselves. It should be our goal to establish more harmony and peace in every area of our lives.
To achieve this we first need to address the socialisation that has foregrounded fear as a guiding force we should give in to. Fear kills our curiosity and makes us less inclined to open our minds to new information and experiences. This effect of fear is one reason why we end up rejecting growth and change. Its work is to create preconceived ideas which are static. Without changing ideas and beliefs, our lives also remain static. Letting new ways of thinking also allows us to explore ways of being that feel better for us, giving our lives texture.
Once we get beyond the theoretical changes, we have to be open to applying them. It is definitely not easy exploring and interacting with new people in the society we live in, and naturally context matters, but where we can, we must be willing to embark on new relationships that align with us. Again, departing from a place of curiosity and hope opens us up to better possibilities when doing relationships and allowing ourselves to be surprised keeps the relationship growing.
This series has predominantly focused on how we do relationships, but it is also a useful template for experiencing the world in general. It can be said that we are also in relationship with our environment, and that does not always include human beings. Sometimes, it is the natural environment or our home environment. It is also important to understand that our attention should not simply be on the people around us, but all things that surround us. We also need to work towards being in harmony with those things.
Part of achieving that harmony is being open to witnessing the changes and growth of the environment. Fear can close us off to observation and inquiry of our environments, when those changes are actually telling us things. A metaphor for the double-edged nature of growth and change is a tree. It is wonderful to see a tree grow from a seedling to a towering tree that provides shade and shelter, but that growth sometimes has other effects. If we turn our attention to the roots as well, we might realise that the growth of the roots is damaging the paving in our yard or the foundation of our house.
In the absence of a balance between growth and space, change and growth can become destructive. At all times, it is in our interest to remain interested enough in the changes around us to see how they serve or harm us. Remaining open to them is imperative while letting our curiosity and intuition guide us into leaning into them, or turning away from them. Change and growth can always be good things, if we learn how to integrate them.