Ticking Along

As we continue to navigate the twists and turns of being human, it seems that we have entered a time for taking some big deep breaths and re-affirming our connection to life. We so often take life for granted, ticking along and along until one day we don’t tick anymore. Losing our tick does not necessarily come from the end of life as it also surfaces through illness, dis-ease or trauma. When we tick, we go with the flow of life, never really thinking about the incredible jobs our bodies do every single second of every single day. It is only when the tick shifts out of sync, develops a fault or stops that we realise just how precious and fragile life truly is.

When we gaze within we become aware of the vast universe within each and every one of our millions, if not billions (I’ve never counted all of them!) of cells. We become aware of the processes that keep us alive and the mini-miracles that we are. We step beyond the boundaries that we perceive to be in place in life and realise that we are each vibrant, integral parts of the magnificent whole.

Of course, if the tick shifts out of sync, we can lose our equilibrium and life suddenly feels very real, very precious and very short (we start to fear not making the most of every single moment). We realise that taking anything for granted is foolhardy as nothing is truly permanent. At the same time, we step beyond trying to fix those things that make us miserable and instead start to focus more on those things that bring us joy. We no longer seek to find ‘completion’ in order to live as we realise that we already have all we need to live now. It becomes easier to accept the perfection of imperfection, not because our tick is ‘faulty’ but because we no longer try to live conditionally, striving to achieve a state of being that comes from a state of doing more and achieving more. We realise that ‘being more’ is the state of realisation and acceptance that we are perfect exactly as we are.

Although this does not mean that we have to sit back and accept all that life throws at us (far from it), it does suggest a willingness to stop fighting so much.  As human beings we are very good at thinking we know best and trying to push ahead regardless of what our body, mind and/or soul are telling us. We can spend our whole lives trying to find completion, trying to fix our faults and eradicate the pain but this simply leaves a void: a deep emptiness as there is nothing in its place. Unless we open up to joy and happiness, how can they flow into our lives? It therefore seems important to shift the focus away from fixing, healing and mending towards living, breathing and being at One with ourselves, our bodies and the universe.

When we become truly aware of life, everything changes as we no longer take anything for granted. Every moment becomes precious as we allow ourselves to become aware of every moment. Even during those times when our ticks move out of alignment, it is important to realise that this is a perfect opportunity to re-connect to the true joy of being alive. Even if the tick never fully recovers or returns to its former glory, we can find new glory and new joy in every state of being; it is just perception after all.

Remember that we all have our own unique instruments in the orchestra of life, hearing our own note is important as it keeps us connected and integrated. Just like the ‘tick’, our notes can change over time, but instead of trying to reclaim what ‘once was’ it seems important to be open to creating new melodies and tunes. No one knows what life has in store for them; we can never be sure what lies around the next corner. So, instead of taking it all for granted, we need to live consciously in the moment and treasure the true magnificence of being alive…

Present moment living, breathing and being is not for the faint-hearted as it means leaping into the gap (metaphorically, not literally) but not becoming defined or consumed by it. It also means stepping beyond linear time and embracing the concept of true happiness. Of course, in reality, there is no other way, but until we reach that point in time where we are prepared to wholeheartedly embrace this, we can find ourselves stepping over the cracks in the pavement, minding the gaps and watching out for potholes. In other words, our focus remains not on where we are but on where we were and where we think we need to be and until we realise that neither of these exist in the present moment we can never truly be liberated.

Of course, we will always remain mindful of the gap between here and there, as this is a part of being human, but the more consciously we step into the present moment, the more we can become One with the awe-inspiring universal consciousness. It is in the present moment where we step beyond the edge of the boundaries we perceive to be around us in life and fly free into the realms of joy…

Mind The Gap

As we continue to stand in-betwixt where we once were and where we want to be, there is a growing sense of awareness in connection to where we are now. Such an observation may sound obvious, but relatively few souls ever truly notice the present moment, focusing instead on the journey between ‘here and there’, looking back and looking forward but never really noticing the now.

Living with a linear perspective is something that shapes and defines both our lives and our world as it tends to keep us locked in the past/future mindset and away from true awareness of the present moment. Of course, it is only natural to look ahead towards goals and dreams, and to use the past as a reference point for decision making and for shaping the storylines of our lives, yet, such a path tends to keep us focused on the gap between where we are and where we want to be as opposed to raising our consciousness to the ‘bigger picture’, inspiring us to step beyond linear thought and towards conscious living and being. The gap becomes something to step over, to get from one side to the other rather than a place of learning, wisdom and growth. We ‘mind’ the gap (as in, we are bothered by it), but are rarely mindful of it.

It is part of being human to notice the gap between where we are and where we want to be as this inspires the motivation and determination to strive ahead, to discover, to innovate and to invent. Yet, when we become overly focused on this gap we become stuck in linear time and unable to re-connect to the infinite consciousness that shapes and defines the present moment. This may sound a little perplexing as the nature of infinite consciousness suggests a step beyond shaping and defining anything, but this is the point, as it is only by consciously embracing the present moment that we can make sense of the true nature of infinite consciousness; in other words, we cannot make sense of it until we consciously embrace it and become it.

Life has a habit of repeating patterns and cycles as we walk the treadmill and follow those storylines that play out over and over again. Although we think we have learned our lesson and moved on, we can still find ourselves back in familiar territory as the cycles repeat themselves and we find ourselves looking back for reference and looking forward for even more reference, understanding and wisdom. Yet, there comes a time when we need to realise that there will always be lessons to learn from the past and wisdom to discover and re-discover in the future but neither of these need to keep us away from the present moment.

There is a risk that we create a new cycle of distraction as we try to make sense of life and try to accomplish more in order to ‘get it right’ before we live the lives we know we were born to live. We set conditions: ‘when I lose weight, when I meet my soul mate, when I get that perfect job...’ and each one of these does not take us closer to living the life of our dreams but further away as it highlights the gap between where we are and where we think we need to be in order to be truly happy.

Happiness is a word that is hard to define as it means something very different to every single person. Some define happiness as ‘having it all’ and achieving material success. Many see happiness as having a plethora of external successes and achievements and yet it is only when we realise that no amount of external success can truly make us happy we begin to feel a sense of emptiness that all we once held dear actually doesn’t really matter all that much after all. Such a realisation can leave an after-taste of emptiness for a while as we strip back our souls to the bare bone, but we soon realise that from the emptiness true happiness has room to grow and flourish as we connect to the essence of happiness and embrace this feeling from deep within.

Present moment living, breathing and being is not for the faint-hearted as it means leaping into the gap (metaphorically, not literally) but not becoming defined or consumed by it. It also means stepping beyond linear time and embracing the concept of true happiness. Of course, in reality, there is no other way, but until we reach that point in time where we are prepared to wholeheartedly embrace this, we can find ourselves stepping over the cracks in the pavement, minding the gaps and watching out for potholes. In other words, our focus remains not on where we are but on where we were and where we think we need to be and until we realise that neither of these exist in the present moment we can never truly be liberated.

Of course, we will always remain mindful of the gap between here and there, as this is a part of being human, but the more consciously we step into the present moment, the more we can become One with the awe-inspiring universal consciousness. It is in the present moment where we step beyond the edge of the boundaries we perceive to be around us in life and fly free into the realms of joy...

 

Night Becomes Day

Over the past few weeks there has been a powerful sense of shift and re-emergence. As the inner (and outer!) winds howled and the rain cascaded down in torrents, there has been an undeniable sense of breakthrough as the chrysalis cracked and a new wave of clarity began its slow journey towards the sunlight. For many who walk the earth, such events seem to go unnoticed as life continues to tick along and nothing seems to penetrate the pedestrian-ess of the routine. Yet, there are those of us that seem to feel things far more acutely and intensely, and this most recent storm has been one of fairly monumental size and proportion.   

There have been times of clarity and times of confusion, times of insight and revelation, and times of isolation and disconnection. There have been times of light, times of dark, times of day and times of night. There have even been times when night became day and day became night; when the light and the dark were no longer distinct and separate, but entwined and merged in a kind of spinning mass of energy. Of course, light and dark are not really separate forces, but, as human beings, we tend to see them this way as it helps us to find context, depth and definition to life. 

Yet, during this storm, our very perception of life altered as we no longer see things as we once did. As a result, the merging of polarities and melting of defined boundaries and beliefs no longer feels confusing, but intuitively it feels right and as it should be. Although there are, as yet, few words to describe this new way of being, the vibration of residing in such a space feels life affirming and right.  It is as though the vibration of life has changed and everything is much more itself once again. 

As we open up to this life-affirming vibration, our senses are reaching new levels of sensitivity as we hear every thought and every heartbeat, see sharper colours and feel the true pulse of the universe. In such moments of magic and amazement, we can lose self-definition and clear boundaries to become a fully integrated part of the Whole; it is as though we no longer stand alone and finally feel connected and unified once again. It is in these moments that we feel, see, hear, sense, touch and taste more acutely than ever before. 

It is akin to those few moments once the storm has passed; the stillness feels energised and poised to burst back into action with a single breath that triggers a chain reaction of birdsong, insects humming, and everything taking a big stretch as it comes back into full focus once again. Yet, nothing is the same any more as the whole world feels, and looks, different; the trees are stronger, the colours are brighter, the light is somehow more condensed and the whole vibration of life feels more energised and invigorated. It is as though life was holding its breath, trying to get through the storm, but in the stillness, there is no need to struggle, resist or fight any longer. 

This moment of breakthrough is a collective experience, but, at the same time, it is also deeply personal. Therefore there is no set moment of breakthrough, but a cascading effect as we each get our time in the stillness to break out of the chrysalis that has served us and protected us for so long. Some may choose to remain in the safety of the chrysalis, and there can be no judgement for such a choice, after all, we are all unique. Yet, many will choose to let go and become One with the experience in order to evolve and let go; there is no ‘right’ way to do this, just an acceptance of the process and a willingness to offer gratitude for the experience. 

Although we know that the storm will pass, during its peak, it is hard not to feel disconnected, isolated and alone. Of course, intuitively we know that this is part of the process as it is only by experiencing the disconnection, the isolation and the feelings these states of being invoke, that we can truly appreciate the value of the shifts we are now going through. Like night without day, and light without dark, we need the context in order to truly ‘make sense’ of the experience. Yet, these emotions and experiences do not define us, they are simply a part of us, and once we breathe them in, they re-integrate and become a little part of a much bigger Whole. 

Denial of our imperfections, darkness and nuances no longer serves a positive purpose; we can no more eradicate these from our lives than we can stop the day turning into night, but there is nothing to fear about this process as it is a part of the natural cycle of life. The time for total self-acceptance is upon us as we let go of the storylines and beliefs that have shaped and defined us for so long and instead open up to a brand new way of living and being. 

We are all a mass of complexities, nuances, eccentricities, quirks and imperfections; this is what makes us unique, incredible and perplexing. At the same time, it is this mass of ‘stuff’ that allows us to find true context in life in order to step beyond the dim light and back into the brilliant sunshine once again; in fact, we step beyond the concept of light and dark completely as we take a big deep breath of life and relax. More storms will come, but when we let go, we realise that each one is an opportunity to grow ever closer to living and being free...

It's Time To Dance

Everything has its time in life. There are moments to smile, moments to cry, moments to reflect and moments to stand up and be strong; there have always been such moments and there will always be, as this is a part of life.  Of course, for many of us, such moments often collide together bringing us a collaboration of feelings and experiences in the blink of an eye. Then there are those seemingly endless moments where we feel almost devoid of anything; those gaps or spaces in-between the spaces of life that somehow seem empty and without meaning. No one ever said being human was easy...

In a single moment we can feel as though we are at the epicentre of a whirlwind so strong, we can hardly stand up; we struggle to stay upright, battling to go on. And then, just like those few moments after a storm has passed, we find the stillness and the quiet before the world wakes up and becomes itself once again, and this moment brings us insight, wisdom and clarity, helping us to carry on and inspiring us to live our lives as richly and as fully as possible. Of course, both states of being are a part of the bigger whole as we cannot have one without the other. Like the day that follows the night, storms come and go in life, moments pass and, as Heraclitus once declared, ‘you can never step into the same river; for new waters are always flowing on to you’.

Change is a part of life and the more conscious of change we become, the more aware we are of the millions of moments that come together to make up the whole. Life is not about the number of moments we have but about the quality of those moments. We can never know what lies around the next corner in life, and why would we want to as surely such knowledge will keep us even more acutely focused on the future and away from the present moment? The best gift we have in life is the present, and rather than define ourselves by the past or by aspirations or hope for the future, when we live in the present moment, life becomes richer, fuller and more energised as we stop living conditionally and start getting on with the business of making the most of each and every moment.

When we stand on the edge of the boundaries that we imagine and perceive in life, we realise that those boundaries are only there because we allow them to be. When we take a deep breath and re-align, the boundaries fall away as we once again feel centred and unrestrained as we step consciously towards the true infinity of life. Life is, by and large, what we make of it. Stuff happens, change happens, shift happens (often without the f) and although we are not always in control of this, we are in control of how we perceive and respond to such situations.

Life is a precious gift, and when we begin to truly appreciate this, we realise that there is no room for harbouring anger or bitterness, or clinging on to resentment or pain. When we do, the only person that truly suffers is the one that stares back at us when we gaze in the mirror. Whilst all of our experiences shape and define the paths we walk in life, we do not become them unless we choose to. When we step beyond the boundaries, we begin to feel the freedom of never stepping into the same river twice, not as a way to avoid responsibility or accountability, but the opposite: to consciously and wholeheartedly come alive once again.

The river flows whether we want it to or not. Life happens. Stuff happens. And yes, some of it isn’t nice; some of it is hideous, painful and beyond reason. Yet, at the same time, life is for living, and the more we embrace this, the more we will realise that it’s not just us that suffers and struggles, in fact, we see that suffering, pain and struggle goes beyond social standing, wealth or intelligence; life is difficult for everyone. It’s not about us personally; never has been, never will be. Of course, knowing this doesn’t actually change anything, but it does lift our heads up away from isolation and disconnection towards realising our own strength and acknowledging that we can either remain victims or we can embrace life once again.

Everything has its time in life and we have a choice: embrace each moment (leaning into any discomfort) to become free, or we can keep on keeping on. When we choose to embrace each moment, we fully appreciate the value of life and we become more aware of the preciousness of life. Such a realisation wakes us up and inspires us to dance more consciously with all that life has to offer; we become integral parts of the Whole and feel the life force flowing freely within.

As the river of life continues to flow and the currents chop and change, it is time now to find the strength within to let go and to become One with the flow, opening up to living authentically, joyfully and consciously. In essence, it seems that this is the time to dance...