What If It’s All A Game?

What if this thing we call life is a giant virtual reality game?

And the point of the game is that you come in not knowing the rules, not even being able to do basic stuff like feed yourself or go to the bathroom and then you have to figure out the how the whole thing works.

What if you start out tiny and weak and vulnerable and totally dependent on a bunch of more experienced players (your parents and older siblings, teachers, other kids etc.) to tell you what the rules are?

But what if if they aren’t actually clear on what the rules are either?

And, what if their rules are really limiting and begin to hold you back and cause you to start being really frustrated and wanting to quit the game?

What if, the more you start to learn and the more you pay attention to subtle stuff like what everybody else is doing isn’t really working? What if you stop and realize that they have no clue even though most of them THINK they know what the rules are? What if you became aware that most of them are going through the motions thinking they were following the rules but the rules are bogus?

They’re not the real rules they are just blindly following the “apparaent” rules in the Game WITHIN the Game…. Not in the bigger Game.

So you start playing with new ideas like this:

“You get what you focus on.”

So you start focusing on what you actually want and desire.And SURPRISE! you actually start getting the stuff that you consicously focus on. And then you realize “aha!” some of the stuff you were focusing on getting doesn’t actually make you happy when you do get it. “Oh!”

Or ideas other ideas like these:

“Let go of your self-importance”

The more you start to lose your self importance and concern about winning the game the more fun it gets.

And the more fun you have the more you begin to sense what the true rules are…

Letting go of self importance is not false modesty though. It is letting go of the  self pity and narcissism that is always being “offended” or “hurt” by something someone did or did not do. The more you let shit go the more points you get and the easier and more fun the game continues to get.
Focus on the experience, the process, the journey, not on goals achieved.

Goals reached are ultimately disappointing. It’s the process that is the true treasure.
Stop believing your old stories. Stop telling them over and over again to anyone who will listen.

Notice how often people reveal their “victim” mentality through their hard luck stories. Stop rehashing old wounds or glory days. Live in the present moment and tell wonderful stories that are richly metaphorical and perfectly tailored to the listener. Stories only for her or him. Stories that are really and truly about them in a metaphorical way.
Remember that none of this is real. It is a game. You just are enjoying the privilege of actually being in the character you are playing.
Expand your horizons, check out new areas on the virtual playing field that you haven’t explored yet. Be curious. Look for glitches in the program where the deeper reality blinks through a little bit. You get extra points for noticing.
Find other players of the Game who also “get” that the obvious rules,

• Be a good boy or girl
• Do what you are told
• Don’t interrupt
• Use your manners
• Get good grades.
• Get a good educational degree
•   Get a good job.
• Save up for your children’s college education and retirement.
• Struggle to “get ahead”, “get a promotion”, get a raise, get laid, get married, get a nicer car, get a bigger house, get a “something”….

Are NOT the real rules… and together you can start to have a lot of fun on the outskirts of the proverbial “town”.
BTW, You get extra points when the game engine senses you have totally and completely forgotten to keep track of the score… but you’ll never know because you’re not in it for the points anymore. You are in it for the love of the game…
Are you in?

Cuz I’m all in and looking for cool folks like you to play with.

Let me know your thoughts!

 

– Mark
Photo/Illustration Credit – Copyright: nexusplexus / 123RF Stock Photo