To Thine Own Self, Be True

One of my favorite movies is “The Matrix.” In it, the main protagonist Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, visits an oracle who is supposed to tell him what his purpose is. All those around him believe that he is “The One,” he who will bring an end to the war with the machines; the savior of humanity. Neo visits the oracle to supposedly find out his fate, and while there, he views writing on the wall above an entrance to the kitchen. The writing displays two Latin words, which translate to “Know Thyself.” Through the interaction, the oracle more or less tells Neo that he is, in fact, not “The One,” and he leaves with a surreal sense of peace. 

When we each step into who we are and authentically live our lives, we all become The One.

You see, up until this point, Neo is not really in the driver’s seat. Sure, he takes the red pill, but he doesn’t really understand what that means. He’s basically going with the flow, letting all those around him tell him who he is and what he is capable of. After all, he’s The One! So he can do some really cool stuff like jump from buildings, dodge bullets, and fight with super-fast hands. But he’s doing all this simply as a gifted student, not as one who is truly responsible for how they show up in the world. 

So when the oracle tells Neo he’s not The One, initially he is surprised, but actually he finds himself quite relieved. The reason is because he finally feels free. Free from the pressure of living someone else’s idea of who he is, however well-meaning that person may be. He can finally begin living his life and not the life predetermined for him. In doing so, he ironically becomes The One. But to get there, he had to let go of all the outside chatter that was confidently believing him to be something other than who he truly was. It had to come from within. 

And really, when we each step into who we are and authentically live our lives, we all become The One. Maybe not The One who can dodge bullets and jump from buildings, but certainly The One who is a shining example to humankind of what self-actualization really looks like. That’s what The Matrix is all about; it’s a story of self-actualization. The war with the machines is the war with the artificial, contrived, outside-in ideas about who we are and what we are capable of; about how we are supposed to behave, how to act, what is right and wrong, what is and is not acceptable. 

So how do you know if you’re on the right path? For me, it’s a feeling. It’s a feeling in the moment that I am expressing the fullest and most genuine version of myself possible, not because anyone said so but because this is who I choose to be, from the very depths of my soul. That’s where the magic is, and that’s where life is lived to the fullest. That doesn’t always make it comfortable, and at the start, it can actually feel quite uncomfortable! That doesn’t always make it fun, although it frequently is. But that does make it authentic, and that’s what life is all about. 

In this moment right now, in fact, in every moment, we have the choice of awareness. We have the choice to listen to that voice within, to become it entirely and let it fully wash over us, to permeate every cell in our being, to trust in ourselves, and to step into who we were really meant to be, which is our own unique version of The One. Can you feel it?