by Otto Bathurst, UK
I have a partner. I met her before starting my study of the Esoteric Teachings. And so we have been on this journey together. Like all relationships, we have had huge ups and downs. It’s really hard at times, but that’s the same for all of us. There is no magic pill, potion or switch to flick. But what is beautiful about what is happening now is that, as we both… in fact, I shall only speak for myself… as I begin to get to know who I truly am and start to shed some of the masks, costumes and suits of armour that I had been wearing, that relationship becomes more and more honest and more and more true. I’m not there yet. Not by a long way. I still have much to learn. But that’s cool. And what is even cooler is that I can honestly say that the love I have for my partner is way more honest than the love I had for her when I met her. What’s more, it’s darn sexy. Honestly, some days I look at her and I fancy her more than ever.
I have three kids. All young. Boy, oh boy, it’s full-on! Same as everyone, I find it pretty much the most challenging thing in my life. And same as everyone I am sometimes a terrific father… sometimes I’m a car-crash. I lose my rag. I get exhausted and I stuff it up. But since studying the Esoteric Teachings, this too has changed. Again, in the most simple of ways. I know that the only thing that matters is that I do everything I can to enable, encourage, show and nurture them to remain everything that they already are, to be themselves. Nothing else matters. And, as with all parenting, the key is to lead by example. They are them, and I am me. Sounds simple!? To be honest, I find it blooming hard with three big mirrors running round the house pushing my buttons! But I am doing good. They are beautiful kids and together we are learning.
I have a job. I am a Television Director. I’m good at it. And I enjoy it. But, like everyone, it sweeps me up sometimes and I can get lost in it. There is a thin line between committing to what you do and getting lost in what you do, using it to escape. I have played both sides of that line. And continue to do so. Still, much to learn. But again the Esoteric has helped me enormously, both on a practical level of how to juggle the balance of work and home lives, and on a creative level. I now endeavour to bring the truth of who I am to my work and, without any question whatsoever, the quality of the work has improved immeasurably and the quality of me in my work has improved immeasurably. My colleagues see and feel that and are inspired by that, though very few of them know about the Esoteric – why should they? – I’m just an ordinary man.
Like my colleagues at work, I have many friends outside of the Esoteric Community. Some of them know about it, some of them haven’t got a clue. It makes no difference either way. But all of them can see and feel that I have changed, that my life has become more simple, that I am more open, honest, loving and truthful, that I have shed many of the masks and costumes that I used to wear. That I am more… me. Some are challenged by that, because of what it reflects in them. Some are inspired by that. Either works for me! Because, in truth, we are all the same and none of us are perfect.
And that includes Serge Benhayon. He isn’t ‘the one’. There isn’t ‘a one’, because we are all the same. All of us. But what Serge Benhayon is, is a super beautiful, super cool, super loving, super inspiring man who has nailed all of the above (well, almost all of it – perfection isn’t possible!). He is a living, breathing example of what life could be like for all of us. And here’s the most important thing: he does life. Totally. Family, job, bills, emails, movies, stuff, rubbish, life… all of it… yet amongst all of that… his commitment to being his true self is total… his commitment to true love is total… his commitment to humanity is total… I could go on and on… He is an inspiration.
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
What a beautiful testament this is Otto, to Serge Benhayon, to your beautiful wife and children, and not forgetting the awesome man that you are. It really is quite remarkable what is possible when we choose honesty and truth over and above anything and everything else, as the layers of protection we can hang on to for so many years and even lifetimes simply start to fall away revealing the divine beings that we all innately are.
Beautifully said Otto, that the more you have shed all those protections, masks and the like, the more you have felt yourself, the richer your relationship with your wife, your children, work colleagues. It just becomes endless and hugely supportive at all times.
We are all the same in essence. So, that makes us super-innate love beings. Serge represents and lives this fact. I look at Serge Benhayon and go wow! “I want his life” and sometimes get caught in comparing instead of accepting I can have that too. I suppose feeling and knowing I can have that is better than ‘thinking’ I cannot.
Thank you Otto for sharing .. proving that you can have it too.
It’s so true Rik and something we all do, we “sometimes get caught in comparing instead of accepting I can have that too.” We can feel inspired to live more love instead of compare and make ourselves smaller.
Really gorgeous Otto.I love how you have described the absolute ordinariness of living as an esoteric student. There is nothing unusual about being who you are, what is strange is that most people believe that they are the masks they put on.
Thank you Otto, Serge Benhayon is indeed committed to true love, to his true self and to humanity – and in this he is a constant inspiration to many.
As too are you an inspiration Otto – for wearing your heart on your sleeve here and being so disarmingly real. How our world can, and will change, as we are so willing to reflect upon the quality of our life – yes, all of it – our relationships and more, and explore all that it can be to make love the bottom line.
Standing with you in glorious imperfection dear brother!
That’s right Otto… Same stuff, same life, we are all the same. What is different is how we deal with and observe life. The Esoteric and reconnecting back to this place is continually educating me on the finer, more simple details of life that makes living the extraordinary very ordinary.
What comes across so clearly in your blog Otto is that you are simply learning and expressing you to the best of your ability in each particular moment, without the need for anyone else to be other than who they are and where they’re at. It’s a beautiful feeling to be accepted for being yourself, warts and all.
Very true Lucy and it easy to see that the relationship Otto has with himself extends to everyone else in his life. It is wonderful to be met by someone that accepts you as you are and sees the best in you.
“I find it blooming hard with three big mirrors running round the house pushing my buttons.” I burst out laughing at this picture Otto. As my kids are now adults, I can easily substitute my grandkids as being my mirrors. I love their honesty and effervescent joy, although as you say, it can be challenging, but if we are willing to be open to the reflection from these delightful mirrors we can learn so much.
You make ordinariness so gorgeous and inspiring…. there is such beauty to the simplicity and appreciation you bring to every aspect of your life whether that be at home or at work…. You are a testament to the power of living the principles of the esoteric.
I find that reconnecting to that innermost (esoteric) part of me transforms my relationship with myself and therefore with all others – whatever role they play in my life – mother, wife, colleague, friend. It all begins with how I am with myself first and this has been a real revelation.
“…the quality of the work has improved immeasurably and the quality of me in my work has improved immeasurably.” In my experience this is one of those things that sneaks up on you without being realised, until one day, a moment of reflection shows us clearly how much we have changed. This is the power of the Livingness. It’s ordinary, everyday stuff being done and lived in extraordinarily ordinary ways but with a quality that brings love and integrity to all.
I totally agree with you Otto, it is absolutely inspiring to have such an awesome reflection from Serge Benhayon, a man who lives and breathes truth, integrity and pure love for all. He is a constant reminder of the immense power we can all walk with if we so choose. Thank you!
What a beautiful gift any relationship can be, to open up and shed all the layers we thought we need to survive in this world, to stand every day more in our naked truth where no covering up is needed.
To embrace the challenges of life is a blessing, because they are there to support us – how we take them is key and I just can say how much I am appreciating you Otto, Serge Benhayon and everyone who is leading here into a new way of living. Inspirational.
“What if, in truth, All of us are “The coming one”?” – SB – A humbling quote that your blog is testament to
We are this and in fact it is all about to get out of the way what is in the way (put by us) to live this again.
Thanks for this honest snapshot of your life Otto, its really inspiring to see how you lead a very full life with work, family, fiends, etc, but are living in a way that brings a quality, that feels uplifting and whole. I can see that if we try to live a full life like this without first re-connecting, our bodies would quickly feel exhausted and would be looking for a stimulant to keep going as we see so much in our world today.
So beautiful to read Otto of the changes that have come in your life and the acceptance of where others are at. Serge’s commitment to life is extraordinary ordinary, an example and an inspiration of how we can live life too with no perfection needed.
Otto that sentence got me: “And here’s the most important thing: he (Serge Benhayon) does life. Totally.” And that is for me too the absolute inspiration as he is living what he is talking about – he is so to speak the living example of what he is presenting and that is something I have not seen so far.
It’s true Otto – there is no perfection – just an ongoing commitment to living an ever deepening more truly loving way of being with ourselves and everybody else.
Thank you Otto. The way you express here is absolutely beautiful. I especially loved reading about your relationship with your wife, it is extraordinary that your relationship has continued to deepen while life goes on, I haven’t really seen this happen outside the esoteric student body.
Like you Otto, I also am an ordinary man, yet feel connected to something extraordinary. ‘Because, in truth, we are all the same and none of us are perfect’ Yet now I have found something divine to inspire me and best of all… that lives inside each and every one of us.
What you share here is very beautiful and inspiring, the humbleness you share is very touching. We are all just ordinary people, and can choose to live in a way that is continually making us question it, and get to live our true self more and more. Serge Benhayon is an enormous inspiration, living this in all of his life, fully committed.
a complete inspiration…Loved hearing about your life Otto, and how the esoteric is our normal. Loved this part – “What’s more, it’s darn sexy. Honestly, some days I look at her and I fancy her more than ever.” how gorgeous is that ?
Thanks Otto for the totally honest account of the way you live.
When the ordinary man and the ordinary way of living life with the Way of The Livingness is no longer perceived as extraordinary we will all be on our way to returning to the truth of who we are. Thank you Serge Benhayon for showing us The Way.
Simply beautiful blog Otto, thank you.
Super inspiring story. You are real, and just an ordinary man which, when I am honest, sometimes forget and think I am different than others, but there is nothing truly different. I only make choices to be more aware of life and making it simpler and simpler. Living a life committed to everything is what truly inspires me. It is about making this constant choice that life is important, and not something to run away from.
” as I begin to get to know who I truly am and start to shed some of the masks, costumes and suits of armour that I had been wearing, that relationship becomes more and more honest and more and more true” – So true; as we shed our armour of protection and become transparent we are more open to everyone around us, giving the opportunity for relationships to deepen and strengthen.
Love the three mirrors routine! It reminds me that there is no escape from how we are and that everyone I meet is a mirror back to me of how I am and what I’m bringing.
Great story on ones experience of The Ageless Wisdom and how beneficial and true the teachings are
I also have children and I love how you’ve reminded me that our children are like constant mirrors for us. They are always reflecting back to us who we are, the buttons they press are a way for us to learn and evolve. My children have taught me so much about myself that I am forever deeply grateful for your consistent love and ability to simply shine and reflect truth. Parenting is the best experience ever and I feel that our children are one of our greatest teachers.
I absolutely love your blog Otto. It is super honest, super relatable and super inspirational. Thank you!
Live our way, because whether we want to admit it or not, we know it inside and out.
Thanks Otto, this is perfect! Loved your honesty. Also loved how you mentioned you fancy your wife even more every day, that’s the power of the Esoteric, and taking away the masks that we live with as you have so beautifully described. A lot of us can get lost in what we do but it is always supportive to recognise that which inspires us around us, and to be humble and commit to a simple loving life.
That’s what stood out for me to, it is about committing to all that we are, and all that life is. Connected in every way.
You may be an ordinary man Otto but I feel to add – an extraordinary ordinary man. Thank you for sharing in such an open and honest way it is beautiful to read so refreshing and deeply inspiring.
I just love what and how you express here Otto. I cant forget the one exercise at the Universal Medicine Retreat in the UK this May and the one group exercise together such a marker for me and such an inspiration. Thank You. Also this blog shows me this amazing commitment and how I experienced You. Just an ordinary man AND so inspiring.
Thank you Otto for this frank, open and honest account of being a Universal Medicine Student. We are just ordinary, everyday people and in that Serge Benhayon is no different. What we all have in common is a commitment to love – to forever deepen our love with ourselves and others equally.
Thank you Otto for your very humble and beautiful blog. The way you describe your life is deeply insightful but what really stands out to me is the lack of complication. It is simple. You love yourself, your partner, your children, your job and your friends. You are deeply inspired by one of your friends, namely Serge Benhayon and you are man enough to admit it and claim it. The simplicity of all this touches my heart.
Beautifully expressed Elizabeth – I totally agree. Otto’s humbleness, honesty and integrity is truly inspiring, and I too love the simplicity of his expression in every way, whether its writing or speaking. And his children are beautiful young people who are brilliantly shining reflections of their gorgeous mum and dad.
Otto, I love what you have shared as it feels like “you” sharing and that is gorgeous. Perfection is not possible but self reflection, self love and self responsibility are definitely on the right path and with children you will be definitely doing all three! My boys (young men now) are my best practitioners and are constantly reflecting back to me as I am to them. Such a beautiful, healing and indeed at times a challenging way to live but I would not have it any other way.
And thank you Otto for sharing your perspective of life, that life is truly about love, love of self and love of each other, an accepting love that holds self and all others in love exactly where they are at.
Otto, thank you for your inspiring words of ordinariness wrapped up in love. Reading your article today has reminded me to be gentle with myself, that we are all amazing yet totally ordinary at the same time, just like those who inspire us and show us that it has never been about perfection just love.
Thank you Otto for writing. Serge Benhayon is full of life, actually every part in his life get’s his full attention: from people standing in line at a course to meet him, for picking up a chair, sitting down or even closing his eyes to feel into something… all is full of him, him being present with himself, that is him. I find this absolute inspiring as I know how I have checked out in many, many areas in my life, not being the full of me, not being present with myself and I can feel the amount of willingness and dedication it requires. I found that the more I feel myself and all of my power, the more I have to accept that I am power and no less. Then automatically I am full of me, present with myself, just like Serge shows us all, all of the time. I am learning how to stay with myself, feeling everything that I feel, without checking out. Staying in my body and with myself is inspired by Serge Benhayon, and I have been able to do so with the support of the Gentle Breath Meditation and Esoteric Yoga and many other Esoteric Modalities.
I love what you have expressed here Danna, that is really key to understanding Serge Benhayon and how he does what he does. To bring all of who I am into the body, filling this vehicle of expression to the brim with me, then my presence can be felt and there is a solidness to what I do, say and think.
Yes Dannah and yes Judith. Aside from his profound wisdom it is actually this 24/7 presence that is the most inspiring lesson that Serge teaches through his livingness. Everything is everything (all of the time).
So true OttoBathurst, offering wisdom without the solid livingness in ones body holds no inspiration and becomes empty words.
And thus is no longer ‘wisdom’
The two things I most like (apart from the fact that you fancy your wife more than ever) is that you are very honest with daily life and that you do not hold back. Great combination.
Such an inspiration you are Otto. I love your humour, lightness and simplicity. Nobody is perfect, not you nor me and we all have moments where we lose the plot! But like you, I have made the commitment to make life about love and truth, again without perfection, and I am a forever student of this love and this truth.
I just came across this beautiful sharing from you Otto again. I love the direct, honest and light way you express how you are an ordinary man finding your way back to living who you truely are so lovingly and with deep appreciation of Serge as a dear friend, awesome role model and still an ordinary man too. Your expression is a joy to receive. Very uplifting and inspiring.
I feel speechless Otto, so steady, strong and committed. I loved reading this, it brings the normality back to Universal Medicine. Normal in the sense, that it isn’t magic or for the chosen few but for the all equally so.
For me too, such a breath of fresh air it was to read an article that encapsulates normality and amazingness at the same time.
Well said. For me it is also a reminder to keep it light, when new, deeper layers come up and not sigh and become serious. We are forever Students of Life. It just shows we are ready for yet another layer.
Yes, the deeper the love we have for ourselves the more we can embrace and accept the process of letting go of what is not who we are and not make it about reaching some perfected ideal.
Well said Caroline. We can so easily get serious about things, but if we remember to keep it light whenever there is a new layer to look at, we can start to appreciate how far we have become because the new layer wouldn’t be there if we hadn’t cleared so much out of the way for it to be revealed. Huge appreciation is due when this happens ; )
We are extraordinary ordinary people!
I do not have kids yet Otto, but I endeavour to live and breath what you have said about being there for them – ‘I know that the only thing that matters is that I do everything I can to enable, encourage, show and nurture them to remain everything that they already are, to be themselves.’ So cool! There is no need to mess or mold our children into picture perfect ideals as it just creates layers of stuff they will have to clear later down the track! They are already it.
Just reading our comment Rachael Evans has made me re-consider what I wrote three years ago. I would add to that sentence that… by allowing them to be everything that they are reflects to me everything that I am and therefore the areas where I am not living truthfully. The more and more that I open myself up and the more and more that I see them as utter equals then the more they reveal to me (and to themselves). It is an ever evolving dynamic. And amazing to become aware of how so many of the dynamics and ideals of a ‘traditional’ parent/child relationship completely close the door on any of these reflections. Both parties being isolated into a box of pre-imposed roles and expectations whilst the magic of God is left outside both boxes, where no-one can see it.
Well said Otto. Ideals or beliefs we bring to the table definitely knock out any chance of true relationship. Allowing ourselves to be present with the love that we are allows for the magic of god to be seen and felt. Something I am learning everyday.
Me too elainearthey. Big time! If I am being really honest, new stuff is revealed to me daily. It is kinda shocking in fact the layers and layers of this stuff that I have brought with me, chosen to align to, had imposed on me and picked up along the way. Some days this gets me down, whilst other days I marvel at what I have left behind and the courage that I have in peeling off these layers.
I love this blog Otto, and the additions here Elaine and Rachael, it’s those layers you speak of, the more honest we get with ourselves, the more we can allow with others and yes at times it can be shocking to understand that there’s greater depths of understanding to do to, and often with people you’ve known for aeons (almost like you don’t really know them at all), but reading all this today, reminds me to keep it light, to be curious and to allow that greater deepening with me and with them. I hear the words forever student and yet at times forget that is what it means in life, more love to see and live, always.
Beautiful expansion Otto, this is Gold and breaks down everything we have believed parenting to be.
Indeed it is. And it just keeps on happening. Only yesterday I had another classic example of it. My son lied to me about something. Not cool and not accepted in this house. BUT – here’s the thing. Why was he lying? And I got to feel that actually he was just saying no to the energy that I was in. Amazing (and horrible!) to see that what I was bringing to him was what was making him lie. Being open to that allowed me to learn to change my movements and then we talked about it, evolved, done, onwards (kids don’t hold grudges or beat anyone up – they just get on with it – LOTS to learn there too!!)
I totally agree Otto, the way Serge does life is inspiring. Total commitment and purpose lived with simplicity and love. He shows how life can be, how family can be, how work places can be, how a man can be, how a business man can be. In observing Serge in his life, I have been able to see more of what I have come to accept as ‘normal’ in life and how it is not this. For example, I took it as normal that all families fight and have dynamics, yet when I observe Serge’s family it has shown me this isn’t true – that there is a way of living that can be harmonious and consistently loving- who wouldn’t want that?
What a beautiful simple story thank you Otto for the sharing , I am also a father and I love your lines- Sounds simple!? To be honest, I find it blooming hard with three big mirrors running round the house pushing my buttons! But I am doing good. They are beautiful kids and together we are learning.– It is a lovely work in progress and the journey is worth every moment , us ordinary men are rewriting the meaning of that word with all the tender loving being we are.
Yes Paul. Men like you and Otto are definitely re-writing the definition of what it looks like to be a man going about life doing everyday things. Nothing special in many ways, but ‘standouts’ in what you are reflecting to other men who haven’t got a clue that there is a different way to live when all they have known is being competitive, check out and hard. Powerful stuff!
Otto, you are an extra-ordinary ordinary man. It is amazing but true that simply being ourselves requires a moment by moment commitment. Nothing ordinary about that!
As a Student of the Livingness I feel to say that your ordinary blog about an ordinary man is just a little bit of an understatement, a beautiful understatement. Thank you Otto
Yes! very much an understatement, Otto you feel like so loving and deeply caring but the ordinariness of you makes you all the more beautiful..
One day ‘ordinary’ won’t have the slightly negative connotations that it currently has. And humanity will see the illusion of striving for ‘extraordinary’. And illusions that keeps us separate from the brotherhood that we desperately crave.
Ah yes, I have been there been there, sweep up with the job it was too easy to loose myself in the job at the cost of everything else. The people I have known for a long period of time have asked where the me they use to know has gone? I just reply, that was me hiding and this is the real me. Serge Benhayon is the closest we have to see that it is possible to live a life committed to humanity. You are spot on Otto “he is an inspiration’.
I can relate to what you say here Steve about getting swept up and loosing yourslelf in your job, however for me it was more a case of being swept up by being a wife, mother, daughter, friend. It was the perfect place to hide and coast along making sure everyone was ok, putting up with things that didn’t feel right, at not only my expense but theirs also. And it has been Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine that have shown me and countless others that yes, ‘it is possible to live a life committed to humanity’ which is consistently, full, joyful and stress free, and one where you most definatley do not get lost in.
It’s fascinating when friends ask me that same question. “Where has the Otto I used to know gone?” I have been studying the Way of the Livingness for over ten years now and it is true that I and my life have changed dramatically. So their question is very valid. The point is that the Otto they used to know was a fake, a veneer covering a fortress of protection, a master mask-wearer, a perfectly constructed puppet that reflected back everything they needed me to be and kept us all in the comfort of the deeply un-loving choices we were making – which, if you think about it, is certainly not the friend we truly need.
Absolutely true! For the world to miss out on your loveliness is surely a tragedy in the truest sense of the word.
This is so true Otto. We have all been masters of this, “a fake, a veneer covering a fortress of protection, a master mask-wearer, a perfectly constructed puppet that reflected back everything they needed me to be and kept us all in the comfort of the deeply un-loving choices we were making” and it supported no one. But now, as all these protective layers fall away, it is without doubt and with thanks and deep gratitude to Serge Benhayon, that you, me and countless others now know what it means to be in a true relationship, and this doesn’t just mean with a partner, but with every single person that we meet. And I know for sure that I now have truer and more deeply loving relationships with many others than I have ever had in my life.
Otto I am impressed that you have shared your journey so far with us warts and all. There is much for me to learn from your refreshing honesty, just expressing how it is. There is always something to learn from each other , as each of us travel down a slightly different road to the same destination.
Being an ordinary man means a lot, Otto, if that is truly understood. It means that there is nothing special about me, that I don’t identify with something, that distinguishes or separates me from another. It means I am simply me without masks meeting others beyond their masks. Whoo!
I would rephrase this a little. I wouldn’t say that there “is nothing special about me”. I would say “there is everything special about me, as there is with everyone else.” I know what you mean and I know I’m kinda playing semantics, but I feel it is very important as we accept and embrace the equality of us all, to also celebrate each amazing individual version of the all that we each are. Ordinary maybe, but actually extra-ordinary.
Otto, this is such a great blog to read ‘ I’m just an ordinary man’. You may be an ordinary man in the same way that Serge Benhayon is an ordinary man, however you are equally amazing in how you have changed your life to be an extraordinary ordinary guy.
So beautifully you Otto, and becoming more so everyday. Your way is so real and inspiring. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your expression, your true expression Otto. A simple life, an ‘ordinary life’ but, oh so amazing when its you being you in all that you do!
This is a great blog Otto, clearly representing the learning that you go through and that there is no perfection in the way you live, there is always something more to learn and discover.
So spot on when you say in regards to raising your children to “nurture them to remain everything that they already are, to be themselves”.
There is so much that parents often think they have to do and get their children to also do, rather than support them as you say to simply be who they are and support them to bring this out.
The latter choice is so much more simple and exhausting and means that you as the parent also get to just be who you are.
Otto this is brilliant, so honest and real, just like you. It’s commitment that stand out here as I read your blog. I am only just starting to realise what commitment really does mean. Yes it’s about working, paying our bills, but it’s actually about committing to our whole life, being true and honest with ourselves and not holding back. Committing to knowing that we are love and living from their. This is what Serge Benhayon lives everyday and yes he is totally inspiring and he shares this in full so that we too can learn to accept and live who we are too.
Just an ordinary man? I would say it is more accurate to say that you are a beautifully ordinary man Otto. Simple, honest, expressive. What else could one ask for in life? Such qualities are all one needs if one really understands what life is truly about.
There will come a time when the true power and glory of ‘ordinary’ is understood and lived by many. Come that time, no further superlatives or adjectives will be needed. Until that time, I’ll happily take your beautiful compliments!
I love your commitment to making the Esoteric your everyday livingness. Truly inspirational to those around you.
Simple, down to earth and absolutely beautiful sharing Otto which shows how the ordinary becomes extraordinary when lived with commitment to life and expressing. You have summed up the incredible changes I have also gone through since coming to the Esoteric work which have immeasurably transformed my life for the better: ‘my life has become more simple, that I am more open, honest, loving and truthful, that I have shed many of the masks and costumes that I used to wear. That I am more… me.’ Thank you Otto for shining your light and being such an inspiration.
Otto I like the description of the ups and downs in your life yet with the ever present commitment to an esoteric life towards yourself, your partner, children and friends. I can feel the esoteric energy you bring into your life.
super honest blog Otto, lovely to read. I like the way you have said that there is no perfection, but learning is a great thing to have in life.
Beautiful Otto. I totally loved and appreciated the honesty of how you shared the imperfections of your own life… imperfections that we all have and struggle with in our own various flavours and patterns. Imperfections that we are all work in progress on. You are clearly extraordinarily ordinary and thus very inspiring. Awesome blog.
I love what and how you are sharing here as it brings us together and holds us all, all of humanity, equally. ‘Because, in truth, we are all the same and none of us are perfect.’
I never tire of this blog because i love the super simple practicality of what you live Otto, with family, work and friends. Not with perfection as you say but with a great level of commitment and dedication to living true to you in all areas of your life. You are super cool.
Super cool indeed Marcia, Otto’s blog is really inspiring and cracks the illusion of perfect, something that is totally not needed. Inspires us to put perfect aside and start being completely honest and loving towards ourselves and others.
Love your honesty Otto. We are not perfect, none of us but being an esoteric student has made a huge difference to my life and how I am in it … Like you say, people notice, some people are challenged and some people can see you in all your glory … That’s their choice but am I joyful to be living with this way of being that I can have in my everyday!
Just re-read your blog Otto. You have changed so much again since that blog was written……that is in only 3 years…… your commitment to yourself, humanity and God is so inspiring.
Your comment impulsed me to re-read the blog. The words are still as 100% relevant and foreground then as they are now and I wouldn’t necessarily change anything if I were to re-write it now. BUT what I can feel that is so radically different is the momentum and accumulative power of the commitment of the last three years – as you quote. It’s as if the whole blog should now be written in bold, because the foundations on which it stands are now that much stronger and more claimed, thus the words feel chunkier. That is really cool for me to feel and it is with deep appreciation of the love and support of Serge Benhayon, Simone Benhayon and many, many others (including yourself), and with deep appreciation of myself for my continued and deepening commitment, strength, courage and extraordinary ordinary. Thank you Mary-louise for sending me on that mini journey.
Like fresh air bursting through my window! Thanks Otto for telling it like it is and being honest about how even when you choose to be more love it can still at times be challenging as there are reflections of ourselves at every turning point. Life can be simple, no doubt about it…but it’s also a journey that has many potholes, they just get shallower the more we step up and accept we’re already killing it just being ourselves!
A beautiful description of Serge Benhayon in the last paragraph, thank you Otto.
Some wonderful reminders here in this super honest, matter of fact, blog. I am raising three children too and I especially loved reading ”I know that the only thing that matters is that I do everything I can to enable, encourage, show and nurture them to remain everything that they already are, to be themselves”. This is beautiful and it begins with me…”And, as with all parenting, the key is to lead by example”. I couldn’t agree more. Thank you Otto for sharing.
What a wonderful blueprint for parenting – supporting children to be themselves rather than trying to mould them to someone else’s template.
I really love what you said about allowing your kids to be themselves. I have watched you with your children and noticed the effect of this. It’s like you are treating them as an equal to you. In great contrast, I often see crazy scenes of parents trying to control their children. It is pretty messy and really doesn’t work. I can see this in my relationships with adults too. In the past I have tried to control people and situations but realise that bringing understanding and allowing another to be themselves is the key. It makes a huge difference to the quality of relationships.
Thanks for sharing such great examples of what Serge Benhayon presents and how it makes such a tangible difference to real life and how much joy we get from it.
I agree Laura the 3 kids are an absolute delight to hang out with. What a difference it makes to kids if they are given permission to be themselves and not expected to live up to something their parents want them to be.
That reminds me of how common it is for parents to want their kids to excel at some thing and how they can push them into hobbies if they see them enjoying an activity. I sometimes come across parents whose entire life is taken up by various kids clubs. You can see how life easily becomes all about the doing and not the being.
I like what you say Laura…if we were to ‘control’ the way we talk with adults as much as the way we talk with kids…oh, but hang on! We do! In fact it is worse, because in an adult relationship there are TWO experienced manipulators and self-protectors playing the game.
Thank you for sharing the steadiness of your commitment to yourself in the midst of all the imperfections and craziness of life we can get caught up in. We experience the magnificence of our divinity when we are connected but its lovely to talk about the other stuff too, to not expect perfection of ourselves or anyone else.
Thank you Otto your sharing is inspiring. It inspired me to ponder on my own life, how everything changed when I chose to get more honest with my life and how I was living it. In making my first move towards living in a way that was more honouring to who I am, the support felt from those living this way was enormous and yet nothing to the magnitude of how it feels today. So thank you for reflecting this, for the extraordinary to be ordinary is truly celebratory.
I agree with you Doug. I really like the line “There is a thin line between committing to what you do and getting lost in what you do, using it to escape” too. Thanks for pointing it out.
I loved reading your blog Otto. What a unique slant to introduce you and your family, Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon to the world. I feel inspired.
I just loved your blog Otto , very inspiring and down to earth, your last paragraph was so beautiful. We are inspired by the Man who walks the talk , a man just like us.
Wow, this is so beautiful with such a lot of inspirational reminders. The main one I will take away with me today is what you say about your children: “…..the only thing that matters is that I do everything I can to enable, encourage, show and nurture them to remain everything that they already are, to be themselves. Nothing else matters”. A great reminder to let go of all the ‘stuff’ we get caught up in that truly doesn’t matter, thank you.
Beautiful blog. I love how you keep it real and practical. No one is perfect, yet that’s what most seek, but it is truly inspiring that even the most loving, amazing and truly inspirational people in our lives are actually just like us – no one is more special than anyone else.
Very well said Joshua. Life is so much simpler if we choose to just be ourselves without perfect but an openness, loving way and honesty.
Dear Otto, beautiful to read and reflect on how very practical and applicable to everyday life living esotericly is. It is for every man and woman should they choose – and every child. It’s innate to all of us and we have the same love and power equally. All we need to do is choose to come home to our hearts.
Awesome Otto! I love the simplicity of your sharing and the cozy-ness of it. I laugh at loud at your three mirrors running around the house pushing your buttons. I have two and it is exactly like that. As for Serge, your words are mine too.
I agree Otto, to live life in full with everything it entails but not get swept up by it too much is the key ingredient to an esoteric life. Serge Benhayon is an outstanding example for this, but so are you Otto and many others.
Very real and very true post Otto, love how you make it all so ordinary and normal. And that it is.
Otto I love this blog as it is so down to earth and ordinary!!! Simply saying what is going on and putting it into our daily context, thats what the esoteric is about, nothing special, just being ordinarily loving…..
Its been a couple of years Otto, and what is beautiful is to see the changes in you… sharing the same commitment to life that you express here and have been inspired to live. And it is this example, of an ordinary man living his life with total commitment, that inspires me.
What a beautiful reflection you are to those around you especially to the “..three big mirrors…” you have at home. They will benefit enormously from being exposed to the esoteric at such a young age. Thanks for the inspirational blog Otto.
Peter, that is gorgeous. My omission, in my blog, of the fact that I too am a huge big mirror reflecting back to them is an indication of my ability to lack appreciation of the amazing power, grace, glory and inspiration that I am to them and to the whole family. I am deeply grateful to you for bringing that back to me supporting me in feeling that. Thank you.
Your humbleness is remarkable as you and the way you live is extra-ordinary. The wisdom you impart is gorgeous to read and you are undoubtedly an inspiration to all. Thank you for sharing you.
Great reminder Otto Bathurst, that we are all just ordinary men, nothing special, just the same as everybody else. That is good to be reminded of in all that we do, since when we disconnect from this and start to feel ourselves special because we try to live ‘esoteric’ and from that we value our lives to be more that that of others, we are loosing the connection and can not be the inspiration to other people we could have been. Thank you for sharing your lived wisdom with this clarity and honesty Otto.
Dear ordinary man. Thank you so much for your honest blog. It is an absolute joy to read your words and also so inspiring . . . your commitment is huge and that is why it is amazing to read what you had just shared so easily.
Brilliant Otto as you tell it like it is, you’re an ordinary man living you and it is deeply inspiring.
I love how you have brought in here just how normal you are and just how normal Serge Benhayon is. We are students of Universal Medicine but we are everyday people that are living normal lives, experiencing the same challenges in our work life, family life and friendships and being Esoteric, we don’t get a ‘get out of life free card’ we just learn how to be more loving, support ourselves, observe more and react less and life does become more fulfilling and more joyful.
Yes Ariel, we are still living normal lives, the big difference is the quality we live our lives in. this is reflected out for all to feel.
Fabulous blog Otto – Throughout reading this I could feel your journey and how in your everyday from family, friends colleagues and most importantly yourself you have committed to developing a way of living that is open, honest and loving. What joy this brings to all who come along your pathway. An amazing inspiration – thank you.
Otto, I enjoyed reading your blog enormously. It is so true what you say – people who are studying esoteric teachings are ordinary people who have made a commitment to transfer the teachings into their normal, everyday lives. It isn’t something mysterious; it is simply getting on with life but with more depth and breadth of understanding of ourselves and humanity in the process. Thank you!
“Two lives in one body”. Taking it further, there are times when I reflect back on my ‘previous’ life and am so flabbergasted at what I put my body through, at what it has lived, consumed, be made to do…The gap between then and now, isn’t just a few changes or tweaks….it is, as you say, a totally different life. That is what I love. I am often asked “how long have you not been drinking” or “how long have you been going to bed that early” or “have you always eaten like this”…as if they are just fads or as if I may revert to the old ways at some point, or as if I am counting the days like some kind of dogmatic diet, or New Year’s resolution. But it is not like that. That was then and this is now. And there is no way in a million years that I will ever go back to that way of living. Never, ever, ever. I couldn’t because it was a separate life – even if it was lived in the same body.
Mary I can so relate to what you say as “I feel as though I have lived two lives in one body.” My life before Universal Medicine also was so very different to the life I live now and I shudder at the way I used to treat my body. But like you, Otto and so many others, this is it now, this is how I live and I will never go back to my old ways. When you feel so vibrant, alive, gorgeous and sparkly, why would you choose anything else?!
What a super-ordinary man you are Otto! Thanks for keeping it so real, your story is super inspiring as well.
Otto, I love this. So simply and eloquently expressed in how you live and your approach to it is so open and enquiring – that’s inspiring. That distinction you make between commitment and getting lost in it, I particularly know work, as I read this today I can feel recently I’ve been on the lost side of that line but as you say no perfection, ultimately it’s about the willingness to see that and come back, to review and do it differently. And that most of all is what inspires me in what you write the willing to allow the imperfection, yet not give up and keep coming back to the commitment to us.
This is such an important message that you share with us Otto, through your life experience. Being your loving self in all that you do. Yes, agreed, it is not always easy to do with work, family, friends and life in general but it is always the truth of who we are and what is truly important. And that feels a whole lot better being honest about who we are and how we feel than pretending to be something or someone that you are not. For me too Serge Benhayon has been an immense and continual inspiration on how to live life being me through, as you say, – ‘his commitment to being his true self is total… his commitment to true love is total… his commitment to humanity is total… I could go on and on… He is an inspiration.’