Give yourself a break! /September 13, 2013

One of the great ironies of the 'spiritual' journey is that it encourages a great deal of self reflection. This ironic because the very thing we are trying to escape is self reflection! I have lost count of the times I have I heard people beating themselves up because they are no good at meditation or not disciplined enough in their thoughts, forever adding a "cancel that" to every 'negative' idea.

It is our constant fascination with ourselves and how we are measuring up to our story of ourselves which drives so many nuts. Changing the story to spiritually enlightened being or emotionally intelligent is just another version of the same old game.

We have all experienced a degree of enlightenment, that is to say we have all had moments where we have escaped the spotlight of self reflection. Just think of an activity which you love. Listening to music, sport, art, even going to the cinema. All of these activities are enjoyable because we are able to move our attention point away from ourselves for a moment.

When fully engaged in one of these activities we are able to give ourselves a break from the constant self appraisal which the ego demands. These activities can even move us to a peak state where we move into the'zone', a space where we are quite literally fully absorbed in our activity. We become one with the activity.

Sportsmen talk of the zone as a place where time slows and excellence is effortless. Great art is produced from this state, and I know my dancing is at its best when I am at my least self-conscious (this also involves managing my environment with alcohol and the absence of other people). It is in this state that we become an expression of our underlying consciousness rather than an observer of it.

So why not give yourself a break and fully accept yourself in the moment? Not with any expectation, as achievement is another aspect of self reflection (how did I measure up?). Look neither for your faults nor your magnificence, allow whatever it is you feel without resistance, try not to categorize your thoughts into good and bad piles, and take the enormous risk of not managing your environment (internal or external). 

Who knows what shows up and in that space, who cares?

Give yourself a break, you deserve it!

Love

Bill