Happiness Can't Be Found Somewhere Over The Rainbow ⋆ lizinlotus.com

54 Shares

THE AGE-OLD QUEST FOR HAPPINESS HAS US SEARCHING IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES. IT’S RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.

Happiness. We spend our entire lives chasing it and looking for it out in the world. Only to find it exists in the one place we never thought to look.

Actually, you never had to go searching for it in the first place. The treasure you seek is closer than you know.

And the signposts pointing you towards it can be found in the unlikeliest of places — a movie about a girl and her ruby slippers.

We’ve all seen The Wizard of Oz. It’s a childhood classic. A legend. You’d be hard-pressed to find a child or adult who hasn’t seen it.

“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” and “Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!” have become popular catchphrases that are used in our everyday conversations.

But did you know that The Wizard of Oz actually offers us some ancient wisdom? And it goes far deeper than ‘there’s no place like home.’

In this post, we’re going to take a little trip. A journey down the yellow brick road into the land of Oz. Beyond the children’s story.

And even though you’ve seen the movie a million and one times, I’d like to share with you what I see behind the curtain. If you pull back the layers, you may just see this classic tale in a brand new light.

Beyond A Children's Story: Ancient Wisdom Within Wizard of Oz

The Many Theories of The Wizard of Oz

It’s nothing new. For years, people have put The Wizard of Oz under a microscope and dissected every detail looking for hidden messages. There are countless elaborate theories as to the symbolism and deeper meanings found within this story.

Some of the most notable theories range from political to spiritual in nature and everything in between. People have even paralleled the story to Jungian psychology and feminism.

The theories themselves have taken on a life of their own and have sparked many debates. But I’m not here to blow your mind with evidence that one of these theories is the ‘right theory.’

People will always try to connect the dots and find meaning in things where there may or may not be one. And then they’ll try to convince the world that what they see is the right way (the only way) to see it.

But the truth is, we see what we want to see.

What I am here to tell you is that it doesn’t matter if any of those theories are what L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz, had originally intended when he wrote it.

What matters is how YOU interpret it. What do you see?

Because what you see when you look at it, or anything else, reveals what’s true for you.

It’s the journey that you are on in this life and where you are on that journey that colors your perception. And as with anything, there is no right or wrong answer. Just as there are no right or wrong paths.

I only hope to inspire you to think for yourself. To ask questions and seek your own truth.

So, you may not see what I see. And that’s ok. I’m only here to share that wisdom can be found all around us. Even in a popular children’s story.

The Age-Old Quest for Happiness

So, what do I see?

Dorothy is you. And her trip to Oz represents the journey you are already on, whether you know it or not.

When I look at Dorothy, I see someone who has an ache in her heart for something more and longs to escape from a world that appears harsh and bleak.

A world that she doesn’t understand and doesn’t seem to fit into. She longs for freedom and imagines a faraway place where the pastures are greener and dreams really do come true.

Haven’t you ever felt that something was missing in your life? An emptiness you can’t quite put your finger on? Do you ever wish you could be someone else? Live someone else’s life?

Do you long for something more? Something different than what you’ve got?

I see Dorothy making the same mistake we all make. Longing for something out in the world that is going to make us happy.

We’re all looking for that thing, whatever it may be, outside of ourselves that’ll make us feel whole and complete. That thing that will bring us home.

That feeling like we’ve finally made it.

We think the grass is always greener on the other side — anywhere but where we are.

But the truth is there is NOTHING outside of ourselves that will complete us or fill the void inside us. It’s the ungettable get.

We’re All Just Chasing Rainbows

Just look at celebrities. Judging from the world’s standards, they seemingly have it all. And yet they’re not happy. They’re probably some of the least happy people on the planet.

They’ve achieved all that they’ve ever dreamed of. And yet, that ache inside of them that was there before their success is still there after they’ve achieved it.

That’s where the conundrum lies. You want success, or whatever your desire might be, because you think it will make you happy. But once you get it and the newness wears off, so does your newfound happiness.

Now you feel worse than before because you got what you wanted but you’re still not happy. The hole inside you feels a little bigger, so you try to fill it with more ‘stuff’ — new, bigger desires. It’s a vicious cycle.

To be clear, you absolutely deserve all of these things the world has to offer. And you can absolutely have all of these things if you want them. But you have to be happy before you start seeking for treasures out in the external world.

Because they, in and of themselves, will never fill the emptiness you feel inside. Happiness can’t be found in any of your desires.

Not a far away, magical place. Not a person, fame, or any amount of riches. Those are all paths that lead nowhere.

And that’s the journey we’re all on in this life.

So, Where Does the Yellow Brick Road Lead?

Our journey in this life is to wake up from the dream and realize something isn’t quite right. That’s what sets us off on our path down the yellow brick road.

If you’re lucky, it only takes a gentle nudge to open your eyes to the truth that’s right in front of your face.

But for others, like Dorothy, life has to completely rock your world with a tornado and miserable people like Miss Gulch (who want to steal your dog) before you snap out of the spell you’ve been under and realize the truth of why you’re here.

Then you search and search and search endlessly. Only to find that THING you’ve been looking for was inside the one thing you were trying to escape. Yourself.

Somewhere along the way we’ve been taught that we lack something. That’s what creates the hole inside of us. That’s the cause of all our suffering.

We’re programmed to believe we need to fill the emptiness with ‘stuff,’ and that’s how we find happiness. But the emptiness doesn’t come from a lack of something.

The reason you feel an emptiness inside is that you’ve forgotten you are the love and happiness you’ve been searching for.

YOU ARE ALREADY WHOLE AND COMPLETE.

You don’t have to go seeking it. Because you ARE it.

And nothing but the remembering of this one simple truth will ease your pain.

Inspirational Quote | Wizard of Oz Quote | Liz in Lotus

The Wizard is Just a Mirage But Your Power is Real

In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on Earth can give you either the key or the door to open. Except yourself.
– Jiddu Krishnamurti

The Holy Grail you’ve been searching for is within you. It always has been. And no one can tell you how to get there. Not Glinda, the good witch. Not the Wizard. Not any guru or enlightened being in this world.

They can point you in the right direction. But no one can make that journey FOR you.

Dorothy had the power all along to click her heels and manifest whatever she desired. But she had to learn it for herself.

She had to journey along a path where she finds a scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion (a brain, a heart, and courage). She also had to learn to trust her inner Toto, her intuition, to keep her on the path and out of harm’s way.

All of these qualities are instrumental along our path to discovering the Truth.

Wisdom steers us in the right direction and guides us to make mindful decisions along the way.
An open heart is what connects us to one other, to all of life, and ultimately, to the infinite intelligence of the universe.
Our courage allows us to trust our instincts, face our fears, and step into the unknown.
And when we trust our intuition, we tap into our true power. We learn that we don’t need guidance. We don’t need to hold anyone’s hand. Everything we’ve ever needed is within our own being.

Dorothy discovers that she is the great and powerful wizard. We all are.

All Roads Lead Us Back Home

When you realize your true nature, you discover that there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ paths. Some are windier and more treacherous than others. But they all lead to the same place.

They lead us home. Back to ourselves — the one place true happiness can be found.

Home is always calling us. And no matter where we are in our journey or what choices we make along the way, we will all eventually find our way back.

So, that’s what I see. How about you? What do you see?

Raise Your Vibration eBook | Increase Your Frequency Now!

Did you find this post helpful? If so, let me know in the comments below. Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts. Thanks!

And if you’d be oh so kind, be sure to share this post. Sharing is caring!