The Wasteland

One of the recurring moments which always seems to grip our lives as adults is the dilemma of making difficult choices. Whether it be choosing a career path, friends or which person to marry. Our choices, play a significant role in the outcome of our life.

I’ll be exploring the concept of “The Wasteland” and why our work plays a significant role in influencing all aspects of our life.

I will also be looking at what it means to live an authentic life and the idea of a vital person.

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The business sections in bookstores are filled with a plethora of books promising you the secrets to success. With titles such as “How To Find Your Dream Job”, “3 Steps To Discovering The CEO In You”, “How To Make Money In Your Spare Time”.

These best selling books are everywhere, like popcorn scattered on the floor of a movie theatre. But one of the things they will never tell you, is that no one has all of the answers to a fulfilling life or career.

I find it interesting that people who are really successful find it difficult to explain how they do it. They can give us blurry maps of their paths or incongruent footnotes describing their methods. But ultimately the honey or the sweet spot is in the stuff which cannot really be articulated with words.

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The authenticity in someones life isn’t something which can be faked or manufactured, they have to be doing something that deeply resonates with their inner being.

Finding your life’s work is something most people don’t really think about. Our starting point is usually from our parents who suggest a career path which will avoid the pitfalls of failure. This is usually something that is safe and will make you enough money to support yourself. 

In Asian culture most parents usually instruct their kids on the career path they should pursue, the refusal to conform to their wishes comes with dire consequences of being marginalised or labelled as a rebel.

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Living in Asia has opened my eyes to this dilemma. Most University students or young working adults are doing what their parents told them to do; and in some cases even whom to marry.

The idea of choosing your own path seems unimaginable to them. This mindset is incongruent to The Western mindset, which is set on individuality and choosing your own path in life. 

The famous poem by TS Eliot titled “The Wasteland” has many interpretations, but for me it is the tragedy of going through life as a “Man-Child” unable to grow into a self sufficient, responsible adult.

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The Wasteland is going through the motions of life because you were told that’s the way it is. It’s settling for a job just to pay the bills or for security and by doing this you are tuning out the call for growth.

The Wasteland is a spiritual death because essentially you pull yourself away from the vital centre. You lock yourself out from joyfully participating in this wonderful Opera called life.

The specifics of what you do for a living isn't what really matters. It comes down to why you chose it. Deep down we know what we’re supposed to be doing with our valuable time. If you’re confused or paralysed with choice, that thing which scares you the most is the direction you ought to be heading.

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Is your environment stimulating you? Are you present in your daily life? Even when things are tough, is their an inner light that pushes you through because you know this is your path?

It’s easy to deceive the world that you’re happy, but when the lights go off and you’re sitting all alone in the dark it’s impossible to deceive that person.

We’ve all done it, worked aimlessly for money only to spend it on things which we eventually forget about. Only to go back thoughtlessly plowing away the best yours of our life doing something we think is going to make us happy. 

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The modern dilemma is interesting because we’re finally at a period in time whereby the opportunities available for every individual are limitless. You only have to pick a path and bravely pursue it.

There are less wars, fewer diseases, the best medical advancements have been achieved and an abundance of resources. (Don’t listen to what the news tells you) We are living in the greatest of times compared to history.

Life in its elemental nature moves in a perfect circle. There are no problems and there are no mistakes, only lessons. All these principles, rules, methods, theories distract us essentially from just being. I am in no way suggesting a thoughtless, carefree way of living. But rather a more spontaneous way of connecting with our environment.

Photo by lucas Favre on Unsplash

When we play small and turn down the call of adventure which comes with its challenges of fear, confusion and anxiety. We cut ourselves off from the rapture of living an authentic life.

Comfort is the enemy, we need to wrestle with its tension every day. So are you going to go on the creative souls quest or are you going to pursue the life that only gives you security?

Are you going to follow that quiet inner voice which holds the zeal of your own enthusiasm or are you going to submit to the noise that pulls you away from following your bliss?

The world is a wasteland, it is in desperate need of individuals that offer vitality for humankind.

The influence of a vital person vitalises, because in saving yourself you ultimately save the world.