Landmark Forum Leader Insights

The emergence of self—having access to the state of affairs

By Cathy Elliott

Access to extraordinary living is available to each of us. It requires a willingness to explore what’s at the heart of being human. We relate to ourselves from different roles, experiences, cultures, and locations. Transformation is a departure from those familiar notions of selfhood. The emergence of self isn’t predicated on something—it’s simply a place where we can stand, where we have a say in creating the context for our lives. We’ve got enormous dominion in the world of language–of who we are in the matter of saying. When we recognize that, our access to ourselves shifts from “reporting” on the state of affairs of our lives, to the state of affairs themselves. Power is to have access to the state of affairs.

It is up to us to create a meaningful life. Ultimately, this is about courage. When we take a stand we don’t have to take the stand out into the world of success and failure, accomplished or did not accomplish. The only thing which can be at stake is what we say, what we declare—a stand we’ve taken. When we are consistent with and aligned with our stand, we have access to the state of affairs—to the emergence of self.