During volatile times, it is tempting to become one-sided, creating further division between ourselves and those who don’t see life the same way—even if unintentionally. Recently, I have witnessed friends with admirable openness and intellect become close-minded,judgmental and a bit fanatical. The two issues on my radar are the presidential election and Standing Rock. With the rise of social media, and changes in media in general, we hear much news in sound bites. This often bolsters opinions, while leaving other facts out. That is perhaps even more dangerous to a society than not having any information at all.
No matter who is president or what happens with the pipeline, let us not forget personal responsibility. If the earth is important to you, make actions that honor her. The government make regulations, humans carry out actions. If health is a priority, take care of yourself in body, mind and spirit. The government’s healthcare doesn’t give out health. If human beings are your thing, treat every one of them with kindness. The government has no way of stopping this no matter which side you sit. If you oppose the pipeline, keep in mind the reason they want to build it is supply and demand. It is out of alignment to oppose the transportation of oil, but not consider the gas mileage of your car or to use plastic without thought (plastic starts as crude oil, natural gas or other petrochemical derivatives.) It is wise to remember the earth is 4.2 billion years old and she has an order of her own. We are simply a part of that system. When we tap into natural order, we find peace, belonging and harmony at its root. Government is a construct of humans. If our goverment began with the same root system as nature, and I believe it’s possible that was the Founding Father’s goal, it has swung out of balance. The following is worth meditating on… “While our ancestors have been around for about six million years, the modern form of humans only evolved about 200,000 years ago. Civilization as we know it is only about 6,000 years old, and industrialization started in the earnest only in the 1800s….” Compare that to the planet’s 4.2 BILLION years and consider the intellect of experience.
As a lifelong participant of the personal improvement era and healing community, I have become weary of seeking problems to solve within myself and others. Instead, it feels important to know who we are under all those supposed problems and act in alignment with that essence or soul. Sages and mystics have given guidance on this for mellennia. Still, this morning I contemplated how to know who we are beyond the mind labels in my own way. This is not a linear method; rather a commitment to experiencing self as itself. From there we can make the changes desired with this essence awake. Is self nature or nurture? Both.
Here are my five suggestions to get to know self.
- Spend time alone every day. This is the greatest commitment to you. It can be for as little as 15 minutes, so long as it is intentionally alone quietly focusing on you.
- Do whatever allows you to feel the most intimate with your inner world. Writing, meditating, walking, sitting by a tree, and dancing are a few of my ideas. Additionally, I and others offer personal and group meditations which focus on inner experience. There is no right or wrong, whatever works for you.
- For periods of time drop any sense of improving upon yourself or your skills. If writing, just write. Do not work on creating a final draft. If walking, don’t compare your distance to a different day. Just be in the moment intimately with your self as is.
- Engage all your senses. We spend a lot of time THINKING and analyzing. Take time off from these responses and explore other areas. Sense the energy that animates your body. Do not pay attention in order to find problems (that is the mind), listen with your cells instead.
- Last but not least, continue to come back to this energy. When out and about in the world and around others in everyday life experiences, flash back to your time alone and bring up that same feeling—the one you know as your personal frequency. As human beings we are integrations of a variety of facets; soul, spirit, body, ego, thought, etc…. While we are all Divine, we are also individual expressions of that Divine. The energy you are “dating” during your alone time is your unique recipe of above facets plus more. The “parts” may work harmoniously, or they can go off in a variety of directions—leaving us fragmented. It takes awareness, not willpower, to bring them in to collaboration.
Go forth and express your personal recipe and ALWAYS remember to act in alignment with your deepest beliefs. It is not enough to think them or post about them on social media. Henry Ralph Thoreau said “simplify, simplify.” A profound way to do this is by taking actions in alignment with our souls. Simple, not easy. However, it is a way to find peace inwardly, which will then express outwardly. Exactly what the world needs now.
atreesvoice 