Competition

©2008 Joan M. Newcomb

I went to see the Dalai Lama in Seattle at the Seeds of Compassion gathering. It interesting, fun and amusing. A woman politician asked him a question about how to drop competition once the election is over so everyone can work together. His holiness didn't get it. Why would politicians, running for election, compete with each other? Why are they not focused on showing the voters what a good job they would do as public servants? I believe he actually said it was silly for there to be competition. He did say that competition, when used to better oneself, or encourage others to better themselves, was good, but when used to best another, not so good.

Imagine any political election where the candidates did not focus on the others that are running, but only on their platform and what they had to offer! Imagine a campaign that was centered only on service!

It was interesting because Oprah and Eckhart had brought up the topic of competition just a week or so ago during their on-line class A New Earth. Oprah related a story about running track in school, and the energy you used to look at the what the others were doing could make you lose the race. It's an example I've used often when talking about the energy of competition.

My early training was that competition was bad, and that it was invasive. Competition is simply an energy, neither good nor bad. If it's outside of one's space, it can be perceived as invasive. If it's outside of one's space, it depletes your energy or misdirects you from where you're intending on going.

I learned a lesson about competition when working in Everett and living on Vashon Island, a long commute. I would close up the building at night and have to make a certain ferry which, if I missed it, meant I wouldn't get home until after midnight. If I got into competition outside myself, every slow car on the freeway would end up in the lane in front of me. If I focused on owning the ferry I wanted to catch, they would magically melt away. Once I actually made it from Everett to the ferry dock in 39 minutes (before they raised the speed limit)!

So ownership is the antidote to competition. If you focus on yourself and where you are going, there's no need to look at what others are doing. There's room in this vast Universe for everyone and there's plenty to go around. Even if it seems that there are many out there doing the same thing or vying for the same position. Although many are saying the same thing, they are each saying in their unique way, in their own language, from their own experience. People will resonate with one person's words but not with another's. Each will attract the right situation for themselves. When your attention is centered in your own energy, you will attract what is beneficial for you.

If you feel you are just fine the way you are but are bothered by all the others who are in competition with you - it's still an indication that you need to up your ownership, strengthen the focus on your own radiance! When you a truly attuned within, no one else will distract you.

It has nothing to do with others, it has only to do with you and your Self and your Path. When you are in full ownership of your energy, then there's plenty of room for everyone!