I read and study a variety of authors and material throughout the week as I prepare for my students. What I am writing about today is a topic that comes up again and again and it bears repeating.
It seems to be a part of our human nature to want what we do not have. To long for that thing that is out of our reach. To go to the past and remember what was grand then or jump to the future to think about how grand it will be when this, that or the other thing comes into my life and THEN I will be happy and content. Really??
I see this in myself.
The only way to freedom is to be in love with the moment and the life that we have now. Exactly now. In this moment. Nothing more and nothing less.
This is what we are called to embrace. Life as it is.
I remember the first time that I was given this teaching from my teacher, Deb Schubert. I wanted to punch her in the face. What? Be happy NOW? But I want this and that and I feel this and that!!! Let go of everything and just choose happiness?? I don’t think so.
I am getting closer. I am making progress.
I don’t know anyone who does not “suffer” from this illusion. “I will be happy when I have this thing, this experience, this person.” Yes, we may have fleeting happiness but that is not joy. Joy does not need external experiences to be felt or expressed. Joy is waking up to the day and feeling the gratitude of being alive to whatever the day will bring.
It is a tall order…….but if you want emotional freedom it is the only way.
So many people were talking about the “hard” winter. About how “awful” it was. Winter was jut being winter. The cold was just being cold. Every time we label something “hard” we are sure to experience it in that way.
We do it all day long. We label this thing good and this thing bad and then we put it into our conditioned minds to gain more evidence about it. How painful!!
What if you could choose this week to begin practicing to meet your life with an open heart and mind. That does not mean that you will not feel pain, but can you stay open to even that without shutting your heart or mind down. Can you stay aware, curious. “I surrender to this moment.” “I surrender to my life as it has unfolded in front of me.” “I release the past and the future and choose to be open and curious to the moment.”
Easy? I have not found it to be that way but it is getting easier and it is definitely less painful when I can find that place.
Remember that we experience life through our conditioned minds. As you can investigate your thoughts, find new attitudes and perceptions, everything changes. What may have looked like hell could become your heaven. We all have something right in front of us that we can apply this to. We have probably been doing it all our lives.
If we choose to keep clinging and wanting what we do not have now we will suffer………..but only 100% of the time.
So we get to choose. Do I want to keep suffering or do I want to learn to surrender and accept and trust what has been placed in front of me.
It is your choice.
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