Low Wave

A work colleague said to me the other day, 'You lead a stress-free life, don't you?' as if in contrast to her 'stress-full' life.

'Yes,' I said, smiling. But regrettably I left it at that. Later, when thinking about it, I wanted to add, 'Because I choose to.'

I admit I don't get stressed that often. I don't entertain anger that much either. But these are choices I consciously make, and occasionally an unconscious reaction will slide through and I will catch myself getting angry at something or another.

And also on occasion I find myself feeling low, so low that I don't want to do anything or see anyone.

But all this is fine and completely normal.

I don't know of anybody who is upbeat all of the time. I know a lot of people who are into personal development and self-help, practise meditation, do yoga and have a high degree of self-awareness - but yet they still find themselves occasionally feeling like crap.

It's called being human and owning that which we call the mind.

We have forces coming at us from every angle, both positive and negative, from the media and from people we come into contact with on a daily basis. Not to mention our constant stream of thoughts. I'm one who believes that the planets have an impact on how we feel too - whether science has proof or not.

I've used the following analogy with a number of people who have said they feel low, I've even used it with people who are feeling great: 'Ride the wave with the knowledge that every wave reaches the shore.'

If you're feeling good, then great. Revel in it! But know that what goes up must come down. If you're feeling low, then accept it. The same rule applies; what goes down must come up.

Acceptance is a huge factor here.

Accepting a low vibe doesn't strengthen it, it merely allows it to be there, to do its thing. You only strengthen it when you add a story to it. And this story usually starts with, 'I feel like crap because . . .' Sometimes we blame others for how we feel, even though on every single occasion the feeling is within us.

The same can be said of a good, upbeat vibe.

A feeling is a feeling. A frequency (whether low or high) of energy that flows through our being. How you translate that energy is up to you.

A few people have said to me in the passed few weeks, 'You're one of the happiest people I know.' Now, although that's a very nice thing to hear, I don't think about happiness that often. I prefer to dwell in joy and contentment. There's a difference. I personally see joy as deeper than happiness. Joy isn't affected, or discouraged, as easily as happiness is.

Joy presents itself to me as a warm, fuzzy feeling deep within.

And this warm, fuzzy feeling tells me it is fed by the simplest of things; the sound of a bird, a tree blowing in the wind, seeing someone smile, the feel of my next breath - and by nourishing joy, this warm, fuzzy feeling, I end up expressing gratitude, and on the surface I look to be happy because I can't help but smile.

And with this deep joy comes the feeling (of a high frequency) that everything is OK, and is going to be OK. And that everything that happens is happening the way it's supposed to happen, if it wasn't, then it wouldn't be happening.

I write this as therapy because I've been riding a low wave today.

That said, I'm nearly at the shore.

. . . thinking out loud . . .
  

Playing Hide and Seek with Ourselves

This moment, right now, is truly magical. It's absolutely blissful - full of bliss.

This moment is all there is - we know that, right? There is no past or future. We could say that yesterday was in the past, but we only experienced it in the here and now. The future is fictitious; tomorrow never comes, but yet we live in fear of it or can't wait to get to 'that place', and when it does it soon passes. And it passes because this moment is in a constant state of flux.

I was at my local Buddhist centre last night and the following words were said, 'The mind is a contiuum', Which I interpreted as the experience of mind is a continuum. Now I know that the great Bodhidharma said that 'everything is mind and that there is nothing that is not mind'. But what if there is? I'm talking at the very core of existence where you and I cease to be. Where we have merged with the One; that consciousness that pervades all forms. Where there is no need for an identity. When we have become One with God. So therefore mind, as in a separate entity (i.e. I'm losing my mind...) would no longer exist, because my mind would no longer be my mind because there would be no mind to have! And if there was, who would own it?!?

I'm always a bit reluctant to use the G word (God). Many people are put off by it, and that's understandable. But I think the more you look deeper into yourself, your very nature and start asking some questions then you just might get a glimpse of this moment where You cease to be, and you become the moment. You become Love. And you can't help but realise that Love and God are inseparable. They are one and the same.

The Beatles had it: "All you need is Love".

Love resides in the present moment, and that's why this moment is blissful.

The present moment is God's hiding place.

I like to think we're all getting warmer.

...thinking out loud...

Trust

Trust is something I've been grappling with lately. Trust and Patience.

I become impatient when I lack the trust in the Divine plan of how my life is unfolding. I end up wanting to speed up the process. But you can't force a rose to bloom. As my good friend Andy Brown said, you can't force a snake to shed its skin, and if you try it'll bite. If you try to force a rose to bloom you will no doubt spoil the natural beauty that unfolds when the process occurs naturally.

When trust is absent my plans become the driving force of my existence, whereas when I trust, my plans are still there, but they're more in line with the Divine plan and therefore it feels like I don't have to do anything - for everything is being done through me. Only then, when I trust, do I see and understand that whatever is happening is happening the way it's supposed to be happening - everything that is is because it can't be any other way.

And when I do trust, everything feels so perfect that I often question myself as to how I could ever mistrust the process?

All the struggles I have been through have always lead to spiritual growth (learning something about who I really am). In life, you really can't fail. It isn't an option. At least, that's how I see it. Things might not work out the way you had planned, but that's my point - the way you planned. This is not a indication of failure. It means that the ever unfolding happening didn't match up to your plans, but it was always in the Divine plan, if it wasn't, then it wouldn't be.

All you have to do is trust and allow this plan to work through you, as it always has your best interests at heart. I'm aware this sounds very generic but maybe that's material for another post.

If you find yourself being impatient with the path that you're on, if you think that life isn't changing fast enough for you, if you find yourself hating your present situation so much that you scream into a pillow (I've been there - it didn't help) - then sit back, know that it's part of the 'bigger' plan, and trust that everything is happening the way it's supposed to be happening.

Every leaf falls in exactly the right place, at exactly the right pace.

When you become impatient, you're likely (and this is from my own personal experience) to make the ride a tad bumpy, when it can be smooth, if only you wish to trust.

You are the rose that's blooming - right now you're beautiful and perfect and exactly in the place you're supposed to be in. Don't spoil the process by forcing yourself to bloom prematurely.

Smiley Happy People : )

(All of the above are instructions for myself.) 

Re-Railed

I can't believe it has been five months since my last post. I was contemplating getting rid of the blog altogether, but something told me not to.

A lot has happened since my last post in September '11. I'm going to use the cliche of a starting a new chapter, because that's exactly what it feels like.

I'm more myself now, and from friends and family, it's quite obvious, both from my attitude and appearance. 'Gav is back!' seems to be a popular phrase uttered in the few months that have passed.

Sometimes we have to travel far from the track of our true Self to be given the contrast of what it feels like when we get back in line with who we are. A lot of the time it's the moment of contrast, the moment of return, that's the hardest part for us. We're being re-railed - and this can feel treacherous and unnatural as if we're swimming against the tide, but it's important that we welcome whatever comes our way and see it as part of our journey. Only when we welcome what is, and ultimately accept what is, can we deal with the change most effectively and efficiently.

The following quote is taken from the fantastic book by Henry Thomas Hamblin called My Search for Truth. It was written in 1951.

'We are all tested and tried, but never beyond our strength. We may be bent and strained, but God never breaks us; relief always comes just at the right time.'

I can vouch for that. Everything seems to work itself out and it's when we get caught up in our dramas (fuelled by ferocious emotions and feelings) that we lose ourselves and our faith in Life. We think we're being treated unfairly, when really it's exactly what had to happen, if only we could see it.

Another quote from the book mentioned is: 'All difficulties, if met in the right way, are turned into stepping-stones to higher things. And we go from strength to strength and from victory to victory.' (I've used this quote as my current facebook status.)

It's that 'if met in the right way' that stands out for me. We either accept a happening and see it as part of the process that is Life OR we resist the happening (that which already is) and see ourselves as a victim of a process that, at its very core, is impersonal.

Happy travelling!

Peace and Love, people!