Spiritual gymnastics
People who get drawn to the spiritual world, can sometimes lose their "lightness". That is, they become serious and "heavy" - they can't relax. They use it as a distraction, a way to busy themselves - 'book that course', 'read that book', 'do that healing!' No judgement - I was one of those people. The truth is, all of these things can make you learn more about yourself, which usually makes you feel good/better for sure - but I believe you really need to be careful and not become too rigid with your practices.
I have been one of those spiritual junkies. I’ve read the books, attended the seminars and workshops. Believe me, I’ve done my spiritual push-ups. But in the process I allowed it to almost overwhelm me. I got to a point where I couldn't start my day without chakra cleansing, meditating, yoga, Reiki and breath-work. I’d wake up at 430am just to “get it all done” before my young children woke. I had effectively made it into another “to-do” list without even realising it and it ended up causing rather than eliminating stress.
I was so focused on the fact that I HAD to complete these (now) “tasks” every morning, that I wasn't even "present" whilst doing them - completely defeating the purpose! When I had finished everything, I was immediately on the back foot chasing my tail for the rest of the day. I felt rushed; panicked even. I felt like I was losing it!
It wasn’t until I read Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power Of Now”, that I started to wake up to what I was doing.
The present moment is undoubtedly the greatest gift we have, and ever will have. Each moment is an opportunity. We miss so much because we are continually thinking about the past, or plan for our future. We are never actually in the present, and this was a game-changer for me.
You can do all the spiritual push-ups and gymnastics in the world, but if you aren’t present - you have nothing. You are essentially asleep; you haven’t woken up yet.
Presence has not come easily to me. It requires practice and it remains a practice for me each and every day.
From presence comes new ideas, new opportunities, better choices. Life can really open up for you. Things become naturally easier, because now you’re fully 'awake' to it all - you’re no longer on auto-pilot.
My meditation practice certainly helped lead me into this place of presence. It’s great if you can sit down in the morning and regularly meditate - but if you leave that meditation to venture out into your day - and forget about the power of being present in everyday life, you miss the point entirely.
Sit in your silence.
Feel your presence.
Carry that with you throughout the day.
Calm your mind.
Create some space up there!
Lighten up. Smile.
Help someone. Crack a joke. Be kind.
Life will still unfold whether or not you are awake for it - but it's so much better if you are!
And if you want a little help, the Calm Mind Trio won't hurt either.