Pushing the envelope

So, you dream of improving yourself. Where would you begin? If you desire to walk through life, you walk. If you feel compelled to race, then you race. If you decide it’s time to rest, then you listen to your body and rest. It's your life, your choice. Why might you think other people should offer you their guidance or curtail your pursuits in ways that don’t permit you to learn to trust yourself? Would assuming that someone is necessarily superior or inferior to you not interfere with your path of inner learning? Maybe it’s time to redefine going to an extreme. If you see the bleeding edge of where you are, you’re ready to take life beyond its normal course.

To build on what you think you know, it requires you learn to think differently. This implies you desire to, as they say, 'push the envelope.' When was the last time you boldly embraced paradox or openly welcomed contradiction in a lively debate? Are you the kind of person who traditionally accepts things at face value? If you research a subject of interest, your opinion may evolve to oppose commonly accepted opinion. You could be building your knowledge and growing to better understand the world yet, hesitate to accept your intuition or discoveries if people don’t believe you. You may evolve to view the absurd as a reality that expresses a possible truth.

Consider Galileo's views on the Earth's motion. Astronomy sparked his curiosity. During his era, he published telescopic observations of Jupiter's moons, and used his interpretations to support the sun-centered, Copernican theory of the universe. This went against the then, dominant earth-centered view. Authorities of his time labeled him a dangerous threat to society. Galileo later went to Rome to defend himself against accusations of heresy. Cardinal Bellarmino handed Galileo an admonition specifying he not advocate or teach Copernican astronomy. Nonetheless, Galileo went on to publish his ideas, which got him into a bit of trouble. What are you willing to do to justify or promote your beliefs?

Although he tried to remain loyal to Church authorities, Galileo's belief in his own experimental science results, and what he interpreted as the truth they revealed, led him to reject blind faith in philosophical and religious authority. His desire to challenge assumed standards and theories helped separate science from control of philosophy and religion. This separation of ideas was a big change to how things had been done before. Galileo’s desire to question assumptions of his own time meant he was flexible and willing to change his own views based on his observation and perception. As he grew himself, he also prompted people to think more critically.