Deep Dive
Often when we are in a period of upheaval and change, we feel we are floundering, that we have lost our way. It is a natural feeling because when we are in a period of profound change, we actually have no idea where we will end up. We are more or less bushwhacking through life because we are no longer on our familiar trail. The new path has yet to appear. The fear is we will stay lost forever.
On the other hand, we feel successful when we are in control. We feel productive when we can measure our output. When we are swimming in a sea of uncertainty, most of us are just trying to keep our heads above water. The criteria by which we and the world have judged ourselves is gone. Without a criteria for success, which by the way, provides us with only a false sense of identity and security, we don't know who we are and we certainly don't feel successful.
It is unfortunate that most of us are never schooled in the ways of the soul. Throughout our lives we find ourselves at various times in dark, sometimes heavy places. Those are usually times when are soul has taken a deep dive into the depths of our being in order to connect with something far more real and fulfilling. Another way of saying it is that these dark places we find ourselves in are actually the search to reconnect with our true self -- the self that has always been there but has been lost due to a multitude of messages and programming that has led us away from our authentic self since birth.
The difficult situations with which life presents us are always an invitation -- an invitation to take the deep dive. Our culture does not value or honor this type of work, and you can be sure it is work, In fact, our busy, achievement-oriented, materialistic way of life is specifically designed to keep us from it. It is messy work. It is beyond the rational, cognitive mind where most of us live in our Western culture. But there is no work that has a greater potential for achieving what we all crave in the deepest part of our being -- a feeling of wholeness and well-being that is not dependent on outside circumstances.
The turbulent times in which we are living are an invitation to all of us to go deeper. Our country and the entire world, in fact, are being asked to go deeper. Our survival as a species depends upon our individual and collective ability to accept the invitation.
So here are some thoughts to guide you and hopefully help ease the pain that so often goes with navigating the dark waters.
It is okay if you feel lost and out of control. Feelings are not failure.
If you have certain compulsions and/or addictions, listen to them. Don't push them away or berate yourself for them. They have important information for you.
Create a new, more realistic set of standards for yourself as to what a successful day looks like for you. Keep it as simple as you can.
Find some time every day to be quiet and engage in whatever activity calms you whether it be meditation, listening to music, dancing -- whatever.
Think of this period as the season of Winter. It may feel barren and empty but there is a lot happening down under. New seeds are germinating. Spring is coming.
Befriend yourself. Listen to your heart. Listen to your thoughts. Listen to your body. Listen to what comes out of your mouth. What inside you needs your attention?
Stay in the present moment as much as possible. It is the only safe place. It is always fresh and new.
Remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is not a train.