Flow Like a River

The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. And the activity of making them changes both the maker and their destination.
(John Schaar)

I had a Conversation with God the other day. I asked God about impasses, stalemates, conflicts; the time when you are caught between two opposing forces and you are sitting right in the middle of it, suffering, but unable to move in either direction. So I asked God what to do. God’s answer was straightforward. ‘If there is tension in the system, release it by moving. Your immobility comes from asking the question, ‘wrong’ or ‘right’, ask ‘left’ or ‘right’ instead! Think of a river, the river moves. It will not stop until it has released all the tension into the lake or the ocean—move forward!”

What a concept! Many of you know, I live in the US, the country of pragmatists. In contrast to Europe, the cradle of philosophy, there is little time wasted on theory. People look for solutions here. We could use a little pragmatism in the spiritual community as well.  So what if you feel miserable and conflicted, if you could start over on a clean sheet of paper, what is it that you want to have? You want to be well-off without working for any profit-driven organization? Fine, find a way to combine your passion and purpose! You face obstacles? Circumvent them just like the river does!

Spirituality has another popular water analogy, the image of a muddy lake. When we feel confused, all we have to let the water settle until it is crystal-clear again. We don’t have to do a thing to enjoy the magnificence of the moment, just to be ourselves. This is the static view of spirituality and it is true moment by moment. The dynamic perspective, however, is that we are God’s Co-Creator. We accept the essence of our nature and use life as it presents itself to manifest our creation. So sit a moment and meditate on all the stuck energy you face in your life presently? What’s the way out? Move—it is the Way!