I was working with the client recently who had just returned from a vacation in Belize. She talked about sitting in her room looking out at the palm trees and the ocean and becoming entranced with the different flow of each entity. All things in nature including us have our own inherent flow.
The flow feels like we’re in sync what is happening in our lives and being supported by the energies, people, and choices that we are making. It feels rich, exciting, and onward leading. It’s when we’re living from our highest selves.
There are times when we are not in the flow and it can be painful. Especially if we are resisting what is happening and craving to be back in the flow. Whenever we are in resistance to the way things are, we will increase our own pain. We are adding to our challenge by having our own resistance.
When we can be with our difficulties without resistance or be aware that there is resistance, there we are in the grow. When we are able to be in this space it creates the flow that we can rest in afterwards until our next period of growth shows up. The more we practice this the more we seem to spend time in the flow. But we often forget and resist our challenges. It is human nature to avoid what is painful but if we can reframe this as an opportunity rather than a burden it’s like taking a step back and being able to breathe a little more freely.
The practice of being more at ease when things are difficult is to accept these challenges and know that they are there to help us evolve, free ourselves from habit patterns where we are normally unconscious. It is not what’s happening but how we react or respond to what’s happening that makes all the difference. We have a lot more choices than we realize. If there is resistance there then be curious about that. What is the resistance about?
When we get into storytelling about what our challenges mean, for example “I should’ve done that better”, “I’ve made a mistake”, “I was foolish to think that”, “I shouldn’t have said that”, “if only”, We also add to our pain.
There is a sweet spot in the middle where we can be with our pain and not add or diminish what’s happening. We can meet it with curiosity and compassion and learn from it. Things are not always as bad as we think they are. When we can work with these things directly we suffer much less. There is even a poignancy that happens when we’re able to be with what’s happening without story or resistance. The more we practice this the more beautiful it will become overtime and the less we suffer. Working with it in this way also creates longer periods of flow.
This is a vibrant, authentic way to live. It may take some practice and guidance but it is precious to be able to abide as best you are able within these two mind and heart states.