Doors are a feature of many traditions, mythology and religions. Doors can quite often conjure up curiosity and thoughts of the mysterious. What lies behind this or that door? Doors open up to new futures as well as close to the past. In Shikodo, Doors represent new spaces that open up to us for possibility and transformation, a space that calls on the seeming impossible to become possible. A young orphan woman in a poor rural village once told me that her dream of becoming a teacher could never be realized because it’s not what poor orphan girls do. She was stuck in a communally inherited closed mindset. As she learnt to change her mindset the same young woman went on to complete her education and is now a high school teacher.
There is an old story of the young man who sought his dream. He went to the village magician to ask him how he could attain his dream. The magician told him he needed to go to a certain cave in the mountains and there he would find a long underground corridor with many doors on both sides of the hallway. If he chose the right door, he would find the magic to realize his dream. On entering the deep cavern his heart sank when with the light of his lantern revealed so many doors. Which one would he choose? Finally, he made a decision and chose a door. It opened as he pushed against it. On a table he noticed a silver lantern. As he touched the lantern a genie appeared. His wish would be granted.
I believe that the entire purpose of human evolution is a movement toward realizing and living our own genius and creativity. That which enhances this evolution is that which matters most. Your own genie – genius- is right there within you. You only have to open the right doors.