I’ve come to realize that we’re on a pathless journey.
How so?
Given history and environment acting on us, guided by our best sense of knowing, and hopefully accompanied by feelings of security, support and rightness, we make intentions and plans.
And then some obstacle appears. Or the apparent path has shifted or disappeared altogether into foggy nothingness. We can look about for sure answers, authority outside ourselves, Eventually we face a situation when all of that falls apart.
I find myself again and again best served by grounding into the present moment while reconnecting with Source that permeates and surrounds this congealed energy I call “me”. In fact, I find each moment beckons me to recognize all as embodied, divinely-dancing Mystery.
The journey doesn’t have a predetermined path. Knowingly or unknowingly, we participate in the great unfolding moment by moment. Our part is to attune to all that is and make harmonious choice right here, right now.
Permanent link to this article: https://yoginsight.com/sometimes-a-path-appears/
Most people will face at least one time when everything they depend upon either falls short or is irreversibly altered.
Consider for a moment the assumptions we have about institutions, social mores, job, family, beliefs, and varied personal capabilities. Is it not the case that we rely on these seemingly steadfast constructs to guide our way, to help us make decisions, and to provide a sense of ground and security?
While some of us may have been attuned to the inconstant nature of life, this time of COVID has forced virtually everyone to question what previously was taken for granted.
I am reminded of the end of my father’s life. Dad was known to be agile, powerful, and bright, an avid puzzle-solver who was a champion Scrabble player, crossword afficionado and Sudoko wizard. He especially loved to play golf, often venturing out in bad weather to play 36 holes by himself.
We knew something had gone awry when, at age 70, Dad suddenly started to take wrong turns, drop items for no reason, and struggle with signing his name. The medical people thought he had dementia. That he was having intense headaches made them examine further, leading to an eventual diagnosis of extensive cancer that had metastasized to his brain. His prognosis was grim.
In the short term, heavy-duty steroids and painkillers miraculously restored some of Dad’s previous abilities. But over a couple short months, everything by which my father could be defined was taken away from him. He was reduced to a barely-functioning mind in a failing body.
Dad had always been a jovial and caring fellow who worried but kept his concerns to himself. Despite his rigorous Catholic upbringing, most would not have considered him to be a spiritual person. I was taken aback, therefore, by his answer when asked what advice he had now that he was at the end of his life. He responded, “Be kind to everyone,” and with an arresting look in his eyes, he emphasized, “and I mean EVERYONE.” I couldn’t help but feel that he had tapped into the unity of the universe. His simple response restored my faith in the goodness of the Essence from which we all arise, in which we all live and to which we all return.
“Be kind to everyone,” and with an arresting look in his eyes, he emphasized, “and I mean EVERYONE.”
Yoga often brings to mind pretzel-like poses performed by lithe and serene-looking people. But, in my estimation, it really is about remembering who we truly are and to more and more rest in this truth . Formal practices and spontaneous life events can precipitate and encourage abiding in such recognition. Grace lands and enlightens even, and sometimes especially, in the darkest and most dire circumstances.
What do you know to be true when all has been stripped away, when you drop agenda and simply rest in BE-ing? Might you ask yourself this at every possible moment?
Permanent link to this article: https://yoginsight.com/coming-to-trust-your-inner-wisdom/
Do you live by slogans? I tried these popular words of wisdom on for awhile, a few times. I still catch slogans landing in my thoughts, as if by rote. I suspect we all depend upon these catchy sayings to a certain extent. They can get us through difficulties, help us to maintain focus on something-other-than-default way of being.
Those of you who are members of Twelve-Step groups may recognize that slogans are significant tools in those programs. Over time, through involvement in one such group, I discovered that I had to switch from one slogan to another to another as circumstances shifted. In the final analysis, I realized that, individually, slogans do not stand the test of change. Even used together, they are too simplistic to serve as reliable guides through the complexity of life.
Essentially, slogans are encapsulated beliefs.
Essentially, slogans are encapsulated beliefs. Beliefs are enduring “statements of ‘fact'” that we take to be true. When we believe something is stable, we cling to it as foundation, as reliable.
Then there are times in life when everything falls out from under us, times that are especially challenging occur when our beloved beliefs related to how life should be, how events should unfold, are called into direct question.
. . . there are times in life when everything falls out from under us.
We are facing, collectively, such a time, precisely and to a degree not likely to be seen again in our lifetime. What are we to do?
Transformation
When we perceive everything we encounter as grace, as gift, all beliefs are potentially true. The paradigm gets turned on its head, and beliefs become pointers or messengers that remind us of the Great Mystery – the one truth on which we can rely.
How do we shift our perception to “see” this way? Some call this pure perceiving the contemplative stance, others, “Interior Freedom,” yet others, “Presence.”
. . . an almost-childlike willingness to experience life first-hand . . .
Integrative Restoration (iRest)(R) provides an empirically-validated, modern, Westernized framework for nourishing this way of approaching all of life, including welcoming challenging material. You might consider the first step to be an almost-childlike willingness to experience life first-hand, fresh in each moment.
From time to time I offer experiential sessions, teaching sessions, and one-on-one co-meditation employing iRest principles. Join my mailing list to find out when these events are happening.
