KALA: There are no limits
“"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
~ TS Elliot
KALA encourages us to adopt an expansive mindset, reshaping our lives based on infinite potential rather than remaining captive to the self-imposed barriers and limitations that often restrict us. By embracing and practicing this principle, we open ourselves to unexpected opportunities, unlocking new possibilities and catalyzing transformation both personally and within our communities. Steeped in Hawaiian spirituality and wisdom, KALA reflects a profound appreciation for the boundless nature of human capability and deep belief in its power to elevate us toward our higher selves when we allow it to guide us. KALA reminds us that we are the only ones who stand in the way of realizing our potential and pursuing our greatest aspirations.
A'ohe pau ka 'ike i ka hālau ho'okahi
(All knowledge is not taught in the same school)
Hawaiian Proverb
Deeply ingrained in Hawaiian spirituality and wisdom, KALA exemplifies the explorative spirit of the Hawaiian people, for whom the concepts of vastness and limitlessness were both philosophically embraced and practiced as essential aspects of daily life and survival. Ancient Hawaiians, embodying KALA, embarked on daring journeys to discover new islands, guided by the stars, the sun, and the ocean currents. Their fearless exploration, driven by the profound belief in 'A'ohe pau ka 'ike i ka hālau ho'okahi (All knowledge is not taught in the same school), affirmed that learning and discovery are boundless, and boundaries are meant to be challenged and overcome.
These voyagers possessed quiet confidence that pressing beyond known limits would yield profound learnings and unveil new worlds and ideas for exploration. They were continually reminded that their journey was, in itself, limitless. The historical intertwining of the physical and spiritual worlds as boundless and the enduring perspective of the world as endlessly open to exploration deepens our appreciation for KALA, linking us to a heritage that saw no horizon as too far and no journey as too great. The principle of KALA, therefore, is based on four key elements:
Boundless Potential: KALA teaches that our true potential is unrestricted. It challenges us to live beyond conventional boundaries and to see opportunities where others might see obstacles. The principle asserts that our greatest achievements arise from the willingness to venture beyond familiar limits, encouraging a life lived to its fullest extent.
Breaking Mental Barriers: Our self-imposed limits often reside in our minds, manifesting as doubts or fears. KALA inspires us to identify, question, and overcome these mental barriers. By breaking these constraints, we open ourselves to a spectrum of possibilities previously deemed unattainable, fostering personal liberation and empowerment.
Cultivating a Limitless Mindset: This aspect of KALA emphasizes the importance of nurturing a mindset that views life as a landscape of endless opportunities. It involves training ourselves to think expansively, fostering creativity, and being open to innovation. Cultivating such a mindset not only enhances our personal growth but also encourages us to contribute positively to the world around us.
Influence and Expansion: Just as our beliefs can limit us, they can also propel us and those around us toward greater heights. KALA recognizes that our actions and beliefs have a ripple effect, influencing our environment and social circles. By adopting a philosophy of no limits, we encourage others to explore their potential, thereby expanding the collective capacity for achievement and progress.
By internalizing and practicing the principles of KALA, we challenge the very notion of limitation. It inspires us to explore life’s endless possibilities and to use our inherent creativity as a means of personal and universal growth, leading to a more fulfilled and expansive existence.
Reflective Exercise:
This exercise is broken into two parts. The prompt questions allow you to explore and expand your awareness of limiting beliefs. It’s intended to provide an introspective opportunity to develop a broader sense of how we often are the only ones that get in the way of what we want in life. It’s intended to help you better practice and imagine a future without boundaries. The second exercise builds on the first aspect - offering you a series of journaling prompts where the challenge is to transcend any presence of limit as you open to endless possibilities.
NOTE: I’ve created a Google form for the prompt questions for those who prefer that approach to capture their thoughts and ideas. The exercise asks you to create your own space for exploration. Many find that a journal is particularly supportive of this exercise as it allows them to slow down their thoughts and consider the deeper essence of KALA and its limitless potential.
PROMPT QUESTIONS
Prompt 1: Recognizing our Limiting Beliefs. Reflect on the past year, the past five years, and the past ten years. During these times, identify one or more limiting beliefs or self-imposed barriers that you feel may have held you back. Consider the following…
When did you first become aware of these limiting beliefs? Can you pinpoint specific events or moments that brought these to light?
How have these perceptions shaped or influenced your experiences and decisions during these periods?
What strategies or actions have you taken to address or challenge these limiting beliefs?
How have you worked to push past these barriers? Do you still feel their presence today, or have they somehow changed/evolved over time?
Envision what might be possible if these beliefs no longer held sway over your choices and behaviors. What does this liberated future look like, and how does it differ from your current path?
Prompt 2: Pushing Through Perceived Limits. Think of a time when you successfully pushed past a limitation or fear that once seemed insurmountable. What did you learn from this experience? How has this success shaped your views on personal potential and boundaries?
Prompt 3: Envisioning a Future through the KALA practice. What would you like to achieve in the next phase of your life if there were no barriers to success? Outline some ambitious goals and the first steps you might take toward reaching them.
Prompt 4: KALA in Practice. Identify an area of your life where you’ve stayed within a comfort zone due to fear or self-doubt. What are one or two things you could do to expand this zone and embrace more of your potential? Then more broadly, how can you integrate the principle of KALA into your daily life? Consider specific practices or affirmations that remind you of your limitless potential.
EXERCISE: “What If…”
This exercise is designed to help you expand your sense of awareness, possibility, and limitlessness in your thoughts, heart and daily life. The following prompts can be used as journaling prompts and the goal is for you to approach each prompt with the sense that there are no boundaries, there are no limits, and there is no negative outcome/impact from what you envision. These prompts are designed to push the boundaries of typical thinking and encourage individuals to envision scenarios that they might not have considered possible. By exploring these "What if" scenarios, individuals can begin to dismantle the mental barriers that confine their aspirations and discover new, exciting possibilities for their lives.
Step One: Select the prompt. The following prompts begin with “What if I could…” Select the one you’d like to explore. NOTE: You don’t have to complete all of these before our next session - select one or two that you’d like to explore and then save the others for future journaling.
Step Two: Set the space. Open a blank page in your journal (or whatever mode you like to journal). Close your eyes and imagine you are sitting on a beach on a perfectly clear day. It’s a warm day - not too hot - with a gentle cool breeze to make it the perfect moment to sit and be. The waves are moving softly and creating a steady rhythm, and you find yourself matching your breaths to the slow roll of the waves.
Take a deep breath in and smell the freshness of a summer day. As you exhale, say, “Release my mind and heart of any limiting beliefs”. As the breath leaves you imagine a space deep inside you opening. As you take your next breath in, take in the smell of the salty ocean air. As you exhale, say, “Allow my heart to open to the possibility of anything. As the breath leaves you, imagine the warm sunshine of the day filling your heart with a confident energy. In the third breath, envision yourself walking on this beach with each footstep nestling into the sand, enveloping and supporting you with each step.
Step Three: Imagine & Explore. The goal is to write whatever comes to you as you work on the prompt. Any time you find yourself trying to limit or edit your ideas… stop and make a note of what came up for you at that moment. Then… take a breath and recenter on the image of you walking toward your goals. As you exhale, it may be helpful to say, “As I continue to breathe and walk along this shore, I am free from limitations; my path is clear and open."
Prompt Selection: Each prompt begins with, “What if I could…”
Relive any moment in my life; which one would it be, and what would I appreciate most about it?
Achieve my biggest dream within the next year, what steps would I start taking right now to make it happen?
Live somewhere else for a year, where would I choose to live and what would I hope to gain from the experience?
Have the perfect day; what would it look like from start to finish?
Change my career without any risk of failure, what would I choose to do?
Have dinner with a fictional character, who would it be and what would we talk about?
Travel anywhere in the world right now; where would I go and why?
Speak with anyone (living or dead) ; who would it be, and what would I ask them?
Acquire any skill overnight; what skill would I choose, and how would I use it?
Live in any era of history, which one would it be, and what would I want to experience or change?
Solve one major world problem, which one would it be and how would I approach it?
Write a book; what would it be about, and who would be my target audience?
Master a new language instantly, which language would I choose and how would it benefit my life?
Invent something that could change the world, what would it be and how would it work?
Tools & Practices
Here are some ideas of how you can bring the principles of KALA into your daily life.
Additional Resources
Here are a few additional resources to support your exploration of the constructs of IKE.
