Each person starts life in a state of purity and natural innocence, but as we mature, external influences lead us astray from our inherent essence. This divergence causes our minds and personalities to undergo conditioning or contamination. A conditioned mind, filled with erroneous beliefs and biased viewpoints, obstructs our ability to fully realize our potential. To unlock our capabilities, we must liberate our minds from these preconceptions and prejudices. Engaging in self-criticism and introspection enables us to identify and eliminate undesirable traits from our character. This process not only fosters creativity but also sharpens our discernment, allowing us to distinguish truth from falsehood rather than passively accepting everything.
Imagine conditioning as living in a cave, shrouded in darkness, while de-conditioning is like stepping out into the golden light of day. By shedding these mental constraints, you can return to your true nature.
Moreover, our original state resembles a pristine river flowing freely. However, external influences serve as contaminants, muddying the water and diverting its natural course. Over time, these pollutants accumulate, diminishing the river’s clarity and purity, resulting in a constrained and murky flow. This polluted river symbolizes our conditioned minds, weighed down by mistaken notions and biased perspectives, often leading us to make erroneous decisions.
To restore the river to its original state, we must cleanse it of these impurities. This process of de-conditioning is akin to filtering out the pollutants, allowing the river to flow clear and unrestrained once more. Through self-criticism and introspection, we become like skilled caretakers, diligently removing debris and ensuring the water remains pure.
As the river regains its clarity, it mirrors the transformation of our minds. Freed from the constraints of conditioning, our thoughts become more fluid and creative, capable of discerning true nourishment from harmful contaminants. No longer weighed down by prejudice and bias, our minds can explore new ideas and possibilities, much like a river that, unblocked, can carve new paths and nourish the land around it.
In this state of clarity and freedom, we return to our true nature, experiencing life with the freshness and vitality of the unpolluted river. This is the journey from the darkness of conditioning to the illuminating light of de-conditioning, where we can once again thrive and grow, true to our original essence.