Exposition

Wei Wu Wei from Fingers Pointing At the Moon
Detachment is a state, it is not a totalisation of achieved indifferences.

I remember studying Classical mythology in High School. I was quite fascinated with the stories of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. I remember the stories of the heroes and the mighty kings. I remember reading about the Trojan War. I remember noticing how very emotional and passionate the gods and goddesses were. They were worse than people. They had no inhibition and their power made them fearsome, for if they wanted something, they would get it.

In fact, it got to me that these gods and goddesses were like human beings exaggerated and with powers. They were flighty and emotional and quick to their feelings.

Because of this I was more drawn to reading about Egyptian mythology and Indian mythology and even Norse mythology were the dieties were divine and powerful. They had their whims and their faults but they acted like gods. No fooling around with mortals or silly little arguments amongst themselves. There were, of course, but it was with their nemesis gods. Loki and Thor, Osiris, Horus and Set, the Indian gods versus the demons. Somehow, there was a flair, a dignity to them that the Greek and Roman gods did not have. I was fascinated by these great beings with so much power and holding over so much responsibilities. If one should falter, something inevitable would be lost.

I had a conversation with a friend back in college. I had called us all modern, everyday gods. Always at this state where we are about to realise our divinity, almost ready to ascend into some imagined heavens, a part of some faux celestial order. At the time, I think I was talking about the in crowd, the "high society." You realise your full potential, dress well and talk the part and you'd be up there. Yeah, I admit there was a time I wanted to be there, to be a part of that circle.

Later on, I realised to embrace that part of me would be to shun the other parts of me -- artist, bohemian, recluse, eclectic. To be fully myself, to reach my actual full potential, I would not always be in that world. I would not always be in any world, for that matter. There are too many sides of me to just fully involve myself in one world. I walk the pathways from world to world -- professional, family man, in crowd, geek and nerd, athletic, mature and immature. When I realised I could be all of that, all being true to my nature and who I am as a person, I realised, this is it. This is me and there's nothing wrong with it.

That's when I made my ascension. That's when I truly became a modern, everyday god. You take me out of the equation, any of the equations and something would be lost. Something would be missing. Maybe that's arrogant for me to say. But I've become whole. Now, what I can contribute would be meaningful. It is no longer contributing to discover who I am; I'm contributing because I know who I am.

I haven't been so happy about being me in a very long time. Once you've reached that point, when you realise there is nothing wrong with you and you can accept everything that you are -- all the good parts and the bad parts; then you're ready to ascend.

We're all modern, everyday gods. Some are still finding their divinity, others are basking in it but no matter what state you are still in, remember: you are divine.