This is where I would like to introduce spirit. My soul has maneuvered events in my life to keep -the book- this writing from happening until now. I believe spirit – aka my soul – wants only happiness for me. I believe my soul has access to far more information and power than I do. I believe that I can disagree with my soul and we can see what happens. Though it does take a fair amount if energy to disagree on a regular basis I think. Nonetheless, my point is that I have the freedom to disagree and spend my energy however I like. Because I am completely safe, on the soul level.
Being lazy in this sense, though, and trusting that my soul has my happiness front and center, I prefer to let the timing work itself out. I think it is useful to note that I could have been so utterly determined to have written a book and sacrificed “everything” – let’s just say, a lot, to publish a book. I could have done that. But I’d rather work less hard and invite clues to come in so I can enjoy the process as it is unfolding.
I may have thought for many years that being a published author would make me happy. Since my life has turned out otherwise, I’d prefer not to think I failed but rather to not believe everything I thought! You could say I was wrong, or you could say I just didn’t have enough information yet. Or I could remember that I have actually published many articles and self-published two books already.
So what we have here is a power grid, whereby the body sits at the bottom and can be easily affected by feelings, thoughts, and the soul’s plan for the day. It s not a victim though by any means! It is more of a receptacle, which by nature cultivates the energy of reception. But as a container, it can shape itself and respond to the influences coming its way. Its position in the hierarchy of things also gives it a unique vantage point, and you can probably think of times like Thanksgiving when your body stands up from the table and says, “I’ve had enough.”
This is why some people like me exercise. I have so much positive experience with it that my brain is trained. Here is my process:
bq. I notice I am feeling stress. I have the feeling of wanting to escape. My body reflects that feeling with agitation. It calls up to my mind and says, “Hey – can you figure out a way to get us to the beach for a swim? Do the math and let me know what time to be in the car.” Mind runs a few calculations, looking at my to do list, the clock, the average amount of time required for a run to the beach, and speaks back. “We can go at 4 pm and still be back in time to pick up dinner. Get as much done as you can before then.”
And before a single stroke in the water, I have already begun to benefit from the thought of exercise. Mind and body and consciousness all working together.
[Follow along with my writings captured on a recent trip to Bali. They are all filed under Writing Practice, and numbered.]