Monsters of Your Own Making

Why do you go to work to make a living? It is to support yourself and your loved ones, isn't it?So you may feel like you don't have a choice in this and you may wish you were somewhere else instead. In fact, many spiritual travelers at the beginning of their journey feel like they are wasting their lives in some mundane activities. Well, this might well be true. Yet, will things really be that different when you have your dream job, your dream partner, or whatever else it is you aspire to manifest? Perhaps some of the little personal dramas, the ups and downs of life and the fears will follow you even as you upgrade yourself a more meaningful life. The passions and tragedies of life follow you because they are part of you; they are monsters of your own making, waiting to be slain and put to rest once and for all.

Never wish yourself away from what is here and now. The here and now is present for a reason. In fact, the word "present" says it all, The here and now is a present especially designed for you. To get this present you have to be 100 percent committed to the here and now; when you are, the mundane things suddenly become exiting, annoying people suddenly hold a personal message for you in store and creativity abounds. 

Just imagine you got what you dream of today, the bank account that finally gives you security, the house that reflects who you think you are, the dream partner who totally gets you, or the dream job that allows you to help others or that gives you the creative expression you are longing for. What would you do then if you suddenly discovered that you still feel restless inside? That would be an ugly awakening, wouldn't it? Where would you turn then? The here and now is designed to let go of the stuff that lies beneath and that has to be brought to the surface; the fears, the resentments, the naïveté. Just like in Frank Sinatra's New York song, if you can make it here - in the here and now - you can make it everywhere!

As I wrote this note my son reminded me that Odysseus needed twenty years to return home from the Trojan War. He spent ten years fighting and ten years on his journey home. I had to smile because I have now spent 20 years in what some would call a dream job. Twenty years, that is almost three biological lifetimes given that every single cell in our body gets replaced every seven years. I could relate to Odysseus' story since on many occasions I felt alienated at my job and wished to be somewhere else instead, no matter how prestigious and fun others perceived it to be.  Know that you don't have to wait 20 years to go Home. You can slay the monsters of your own making in three months instead, or in three weeks. Face the here and now and be Home. This is the secret of the Way.

The Best Present Ever

This year, I will remember that people are more important than things.

(Dr. Wayne W. Dyer)

During this holiday season, when you think about getting presents for your loved ones, do you feel stressed or are you filled with joy and love?  Do you consider it necessary to buy them presents? It is actually a good habit to buy presents for your loved ones, especially when you pay attention to what they like and feel the joy and love for them as you select the gifts. It is a habit that we can cultivate, not just for the holidays. You can literally anticipate how joyful and touched they are when the people we care for open their presents full with surprise. 

While we are developing our habit to select thoughtful presents for our loved ones, we can develop the ability to pay attention to the people around us. It turns out that our attention is what is important, not what we end up buying. Too often we zoom into the things that fancy our attention while we don't spend enough time on what it is actually is our loved ones want. What we think will be good for them may in fact be just our fancy.

How often do we find ourselves simply too busy to spend time with the people around us and really listen. We are spending time together but our minds are worlds apart. We are thinking about our to-do lists and are out of touch with what is going on in their lives. We are together yet we feel alienated and lonely. So what a nice opportunity it is to drop everything and spend a while to tune into their needs and aspirations. The holidays are the season to remind us what really matters to us; the preparation we make for our get-together and the presents we select are expressions of our love for others.

The holidays should be just a reminder of our resolution for the upcoming year. How can we be really with our loved ones all year around? The trick is that when we manage to live in the here and now, we cannot help but to be with our loved ones 100 percent. When we are able to sense our body, observe our thoughts, be with our breath, and be present with our environment, we are totally connected with everyone. Often it is our loved ones who help us snap out of a train of thought or a lack of attention. This presence creates the communication and energy exchange between each other. This presence is love!  When we are able to be with others, listen to them and feel loved.  

Why don’t you try it today?  Try to be here and now no matter who you are talking to today.  Let’s hand out the present of truly being with each other. If you can manage to live in the now today it will not be hard to make it a daily routine!  Let’s light up each other’s heart with care and love in this holiday season!

By Christian and Su Zhen