What an amazing time to be alive! In the annals of human history, often thousands of years have passed by without much changing in the human story. We know well that it is completely different in our lifetime, where from one year to the next, change feels like it’s happening at the speed of light.
It can be rather hard to find our centre in the constantly increasing volume of information coming our way. And to remind ourselves that every piece of information produced, serves the creator of that information, an attempt to influence our opinion – whether it’s an article, a podcast or a product.
How then do we find clarity amongst all the noise?
“The glorification of busy will destroy us. Without space for healing, without time for reflection, without an opportunity to surrender, we risk a complete disconnect from the authentic self. We burn out on the fuels of willfulness, and eventually cannot find our way back to centre. And when we lose contact with our core, we are ripe for the picking by the unconscious media and other market forces. After all, consumerism preys on the uncentered. The farther we are from our intuitive knowing, the more easily manipulated we are. The more likely we are to make decisions and affix to goals that don’t serve our healing and transformation. To combat this, we have to form the conscious intention to prioritize our inner life. To notice our breath, our bodies, our feelings. To step back from the fires of overwhelm and remember ourselves. It may feel counter-intuitive in a culture that is speed-addicted, but the slower we move, the faster we return home.” – Jeff Brown
When you are “un-centred” you become prey to anyone with a simple answer whether it’s “here, buy this bling” or “here, go on this holiday” or “here, drink this brand of alcohol”… the products themselves are not “bad” but they are being marketed to our woundedness, our insecurities, which makes us easy targets when we feel overwhelmed. The only way to avoid these traps is to “step back from the fires of overwhelm” and find your centre again.
“It is important to grant yourself permission to wander as part of your spiritual journey. So often mischaracterized as lostness, there is a kind of immersion in the not knowing that is actually quite necessary if we are going to find our way home. So much information can come up when we are looking in no particular direction. By surrendering to the unknown, we create the space for a deeper knowing to emerge. In the heart of the not knowing, the paths that we are here to walk reveal themselves…” – Jeff Brown
When you understand “not-doing”, you’ll discover how silence helps illuminate your path, and so with increased clarity your “doing” will become more sure-footed.
There is a natural balance between doing and not-doing. Our modern culture has made not-doing seem like a sin to the point that most people have no idea who/what they really are, knowing themselves only as constantly needing to be busy.
You have a mountain within you – your immovable centre from where it’s easier to see what needs doing and what needs not-doing. You have to practice walking the path to this mountain because it’s not always immediately obvious. Practice every day, don’t wait for the storm to come before you seek refuge in your mountain. If you don’t become really good at finding the path on the beautiful sunny days, it will be very hard to find when the storms come.
So how do we find this center in a world that glorifies busyness? Here are a few key takeaways:
- Slow Down: Our culture celebrates speed, but Brown reminds us, “the slower we move, the faster we return home.” Take time for activities that bring you peace, whether it’s meditation, spending time in nature, or simply taking a few deep breaths.
- Embrace the Unknown: Sometimes, feeling lost isn’t a bad thing. As Brown says, “there is a kind of immersion in the not knowing that is actually quite necessary if we are going to find our way home.” Allow yourself to explore different paths, even if they seem uncertain. This openness can lead to unexpected discoveries.
- Practice “Not-Doing”: Our modern world equates busyness with productivity. But there’s immense power in stillness. Silence allows us to hear the whispers of our intuition, to connect with our true selves and to take action based in wisdom.
Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and begin your journey inward. Finding your center is a lifelong practice, but the rewards are immeasurable. You are the master of your own path, and the mountain within holds the key to navigating it with grace and purpose.
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: I am the mountain.