Monday, March 4, 2013

Are you living the way of the Ouroboros?

A hobby of mine is creating jewelery. I designed and co-created the ring below recently.
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The Ouroboros is an ancient mystical symbol, which depicts a dragon or serpent eating its own tail. It is symbol that has been represented by one or more of the following: self-reflectivity, reincarnation, the Milky Way, cyclicality, mercury, harmony of opposites, dual nature, infinity, and immortality.
To me, the Ouroboros is a symbol of: Continuous Self Improvement. It is a way of living, thinking, and acting. It is choosing to continuously audit your thoughts and actions, to identify and filter that which is enabling and disenabling. It is devoting yourself to lifelong learning. It is auditing and upgrading your circle of influence.
I believe every interaction you have, every second of your life - be it from a friend, stranger, book, something on the tv, or some internal thought, has some measure of influence on you. What that measure is, depends on your thought ‘filters’.  We are highly adapted at filtering information, that which is of value, and that which is not. It is important to continuously evaluate that which you give attention to. Choosing to live the way of the Ouroboros means you are constantly upgrading - the quality of your life, the books you read, the company you keep, the movies you watch. You are the pilot of your character, actions, thoughts, and life choices. You are not a ship lost at sea, being blown in the direction of the prevailing wind.