Hi Maria, Richard, Open and Megha

These exploration are also connected with Open questions towards me about the need to belong. I have not really inquired about it within but always felt it. I believe I'm a star soul but like it's frequently discussed here I have not felt that I don't belong to this place and elsewhere. This is because I'm empathic and have string diplomatic quality so I have always been good in blending in, fitting in. And most times it has meant compromising my soul. This is a false belonging but serves to find ourselves within it. I also feel some of the issues like beauty, perfection, achievement etc are also connected to this need to belong where I feel that I will only be accepted, belong if I meet this needs within myself. How limiting is this. There is no place for the real me. So I think what has really made a defference is cultivating this space - meditating, solitude, being with nature, animals, playing music etc. So that I progressively touch my soul. And when I go back to the place where Im expected to blend in I can be aware of my uniqueness inside those rigid conditions which can be family, friends or the job I do. I used to teach at this centre only very recently where children were controlled, literally beaten into submission. It was even more sad to know that people involved and the children's their parents just didn't know these were a disharmonious reality and life goes much beyond that securing our place in this world. It was no place for me to raise my voice and blame them for these things because that will have only created more polarity and exploded the connections.. But the universe also gave me the opportunity to connect with them, speak my truth compassionately and openly, even sing from my heart. And I know this has made a huge difference. But the most important thing was that first it required my awareness, inquiry, surrendering and opening up. Because the rigidity outside always connected with the rigidity inside. The conditioning I picked up from my own school days. To give you a funny example,after literally grinding through the institution for some years I came to realise that the head of this insitituons resembled in every way a physical teacher I had at school! I was so afraid of this teacher but also wanted some consideration, belonging from him. Look how the universe bends and wraps reality for mutual evolution and growth!

Love to Connect with you all

Vimal 🙏

Paul - I didnt see your comment. But I trust everything happens in an orchestra in the universe. So no worries! Interesting experiences you had. Keep on exploring brother. Namaste