Are You Flowing With Life or Against It?

There have been a couple of times in my life when I have felt like a caged bird.

Not knowing what to do. However, wanting to have all of my ducks in a row before I took the first step.

What I have now realised is that if I think I know all of the steps in front of me, I am not on my own path, I am more than likely on someone else’s.

 

Joseph Campbell – The Hero’s Journey

Joseph Campbell said it so well in his book, The Hero’s Journey (and I would add Shero’s):

“You enter the forest
at the darkest point,
where there is no path.

Where there is a way or path,
it is someone else’s path.

You are not on your own path.

If you follow someone else’s way,
you are not going to realize
your potential.”

 

Are You Flowing With Life or Against It?

When I was struggling with stress and burnout, I needed space and time. However, I loved my work and what I did, however I needed to look after myself. I started to realise life was happening here and now, not in the future and something deeper was calling me. I needed to start look at what was going on with my mind, body, emotions and spirit and because I was so tired and run down, maybe in some ways I was forced to look (life has a funny way of forcing me to take notice).

Over time I have re-learnt to continually check-in with what is happening in my mind, body, emotions and spirit. When I spent too much time in my head and got hooked by thinking, I ended up on auto-pilot. When I felt like I couldn’t cope with the pain or the strong emotions, I turned to chocolate and work. Little by little, I became conscious of these habits of mine. I began to embrace my courage and self-compassion and began again to bring myself back to the present and reconnect with my natural flow of life.

A few years ago, when this question came to me whilst meditating – are you flowing with life or against it? I decided to journal and sit with it some more. What I discovered was that I was still resisting some aspects of life to how it was and continued to untangle the knots.

Little by little or maybe thought by thought and emotion by emotion, I continued to untangle from draining habits to become present to life as it is happening now. This hasn’t been simple or easy, however thanks to the support of my inner circle, I am feeling more calm and centred than I have in years, the space is opening up and I am accepting and flowing with life more and more. Eckhart Tolle refers to this as surrender –

“Surrender is the simple but profound wisdom of yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life.”

 

Over to You…

Are you flowing with life or against it? As you are going through your day, you may life to remember the wisdom from Joseph Campbell above – “…If you follow someone else’s way, you are not going to realize your potential.”

Any questions, please leave them below or on our Facebook page. If you are ready to reclaim your courage and take the next step towards your freedom and opening your heart, why not join our Toolkit?

 

Reference –

Tolle, E. (1997). Practicing the Power of Now. California, USA: New World Library.

Leave A Response

* Denotes Required Field