Who's Charting Your Course?

August 22, 2010

Dear Friends,

Last week I was looking for something to watch on television, and I came across a program about researchers who were investigating the sinking of the Titanic. They weren’t trying to discover why the Titanic sank—that’s known. Instead, they were trying to find out why the Titanic broke in half as it sank.

The researchers expected to find flaws in the design of the Titanic, or some mistakes in its construction. As it turned out, however, they found little to suggest that there was anything wrong with the integrity of the ship. So the investigation was inconclusive.

What was confirmed during this program was something that the evidence has long suggested . . . that before the Titanic ran into an iceberg, the captain of the ship made a decision that proved to be disastrous for his passengers and crew.

Hearing that, I was reminded of something that came up when I was writing the first chapter of my book. To stay with the boating metaphor, I described the body as “the physical vessel itself.” But I just couldn’t bring myself to refer to the mind as “the captain” of that vessel. I settled for “the brains of the boat,” instead.

Why? Because for many people the word “captain” evokes an image of a wise decision-maker in a crisp, white suit—a figure entirely worthy of our complete and total trust. But is the mind really that trustworthy?

In the case of the Titanic, it seems that the captain was greatly influenced by someone else on board during that fateful trip . . . Mr. Bruce Ismay. Ismay was the chairman of the White Star Shipping Line—the Line that had the Titanic built, and touted it as both the biggest and the fastest vessel on the seas.

When the Titanic received news that icebergs were drifting toward their latitude, it appears that Ismay convinced the captain to speed up to avoid the approaching icebergs, rather than slow down or change course altogether. The reason? So the Titanic would arrive in New York in record-setting time, living up to its highly publicized reputation for speed.

Do you see the parallel here? Just like the captain of a ship, your mind does have the final responsibility for deciding where you want to go, and how you want to get there. But sometimes your mind can be influenced by the “Bruce Ismay” that resides within your consciousness—that is, your self-serving ego.

Disconnected from the One True Spirit that unites us all, your ego will encourage you to make decisions that may benefit you in the short run, but are not in everyone’s best interest in the long run.

Don’t let your ego—which can be just as fearful as it can be grandiose—chart your course for you! That could be a Titanic mistake! Always make sure that your mind remains open enough to receive divine direction. It’s the kind of direction that comes through intuitive nudges, divine signs and synchronicities, and the wisdom of others. And it’s the kind of direction that you can always trust to be in your best interest, as well as the best interests of all.

Instead of listening to your ego’s advice, spend some time in prayer and meditation, and seek the Guidance Of the Divine (G.O.D.). That way, you will not only reach your chosen destination safely and effortlessly, but all involved will benefit from the journey.

Steven

© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com