Without a reason

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We all tend to need a reason to do something. To get started. Some kind of motivation that gets us moving. And so, without an obvious reason, we may find it easy to push things to the back burner; to not have to think about them; let alone do something about them.

For me the reason has finally arrived to re-evaluate anything and everything that I have come to store in the attic of my house over the years. Things I may need; things I don’t know what to do with at that moment; things of value at that point in my life; things I couldn’t release just yet; and yes, the things I really do want to keep. Notice how it is only that last short sentence that is about ‘keeping stuff’?

The reality is that for whatever the reasons, over the years things have stacked up. And now that my home is changing, it seems to be a good time to see if what is in my home needs changing too. After all, I am not the same person I was ten years ago, or twenty years ago ~ so it seems silly to just assume that I still value the same things I used to value way back then…
So there is my reason!

Now, this doesn’t mean necessarily that I will discard of a lot of things ~ all it means is that it is time to re-evaluate.

Having said that, often when we set out to do something, hints come our way unbidden as to what to do next; or, in this case what to do with stuff stored in the attic.
Today my neighbor put up a sign in the window asking for a single sized mattress. It is something I have and don’t want to keep anymore. I was wondering what to do with it as it is still a good mattress ~ it would be a shame to just toss it out. On the other hand, I hadn’t planned on digging it up from the attic just yet… But given the fact that she needed that which I wanted to get rid off created too good an opportunity to pass up!
And so, with the mattress as a reason, the attic is already quite a bit more empty.

At the same time this also provided me with a reason to not start doing other things…

Having a reason to do something ~ or not do something, as the case may be ~ really does help us to get started. Where as without a reason, chances are we won’t…
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Where do I start?

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Have you ever felt there was so much to do ~ whether they are chores, projects, or just plain things you want to do ~ that you have no idea where to start? The sensation that you are staring this big ‘thing’ in the face that seems to be more than can be handled in one day ~ or by one person for that matter?

It is where I find myself this morning.
And it being a beautiful Spring day, the temptation is to not get started at all. To just walk away from it for yet another day in a row, and to go out and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts… The perfect excuse!
But an excuse nonetheless, and one that will surely put me in a similar position tomorrow as the project does still have a lot to be taken care of before the chaos dissolves and ~ in all likelihood ~ order suddenly reappears in my life.

Right now, that sense of order and everything being in its place is the argument to get going on whatever is left to be done. Which brings me back to the question; where do I start?
A long journey starts with a single step. The implication being that it really doesn’t matter which direction one takes that first step; as long as you take it. So perhaps that is how I should look at the mountain of little things that still is waiting to get done. To just start, and to take it from there. To stop analyzing and planning and thinking about it ~ to pick any one little thing and just handle it.

It is often the best way to go.
As long as we are thinking, planning etc., chances are that whatever needs to get done seems to become bigger and bigger in our minds ~ in turn making it harder and harder to get started. On the other hand, once we get started that big mountain seems to divide itself pretty seamlessly into a series of molehills that each are easy to handle ~ even by just one person.

The other thing is that certainly on a big project, it doesn’t need to be done all in one day either. There is nothing wrong with taking the time we need to handle each aspect of it properly and in its own time.

So I guess I will open the doors and windows to let the Spring weather enter into the room, and start tackling that first little molehill…
And go from there.
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Painting

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When I am thinking about ‘painting’, two entirely different things come to mind. First and foremost I am thinking of creating a painting; the art form that creates paintings ~ images, either realistic or springing from one’s fantasy that are expressed through painting, drawing etc. Then there is also painting in the sense of painting the walls; bringing a different color ~ and with that a different energy ~ into our homes.

Where the first brand of painting seems to be oozing creativity, the second option is more like a chore that needs to be done every once in a while. And as either result can be pleasing to the eyes, often the first type of ‘painting’ is given a higher value ~ at least as long as we like the image that is expressed.

After all, painting our house is totally different than painting a picture…
Or is it?

One could say that in either case we are painting a picture; it is just the canvas that is different.
In creating a painting ~ no matter how big the canvas ~ an object is created that brings out emotions from those who experience it. Those who see it. In painting the walls of our homes, the canvas is ~ at least part of ~ our lives. And when all is finished, the new colors ~ perhaps more specifically the new energy brought on by the chosen colors ~ paint a picture of this point in our lives that can bring out an emotional response from ourselves, as well as from those who come to visit.
Just like with a painting some may like what they see, while others may not care for it at all.

In a sense, rather than painting an ‘object d’art’, what can be more satisfying than painting on the canvas of our lives? Adding color where none may have been before; finding the tones in color that we sing our songs in. Creating an image of how we perceive our lives to be right now; or if we are not entirely satisfied with that, we bring out the colors of what we would desire our lives to be…

Painting on the canvas of our lives then becomes an act of manifestation. An image of what we would like to see when we look at our lives. An expression of who we truly are when all the masks drop away in the comfort of our homes.

And perhaps we will then find a painting; an image that is pleasing to us, that suits our colors, our space, that we will hang on the newly painted wall to enhance what we ‘have done with the place’…
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Taking life as it comes

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It is one of those things that sounds much easier than it appears to be as soon as you try doing it ~ taking life as it comes. To truly not be perturbed by whatever chaotic event is waiting around the corner; to not worry about what might be next; and to handle things as they come up.
However, sometimes it is the only way to go!

There are situations that are so complex that they may give rise to chaos at complex levels ~ and to even start thinking about it is stressful. On the other hand, the situation with all its complexities needs to get handled. Decisions need to be made.
When we find ourselves in a situation like that, any planning seems to become futile. Even our best plans can get entangled in the complexities and as such become part of the chaos rather than providing us with a way out.

What we can do is imagining what we feel is the very best outcome ~ without paying any attention to chaotic complexities. Just envisioning the outcome that would be best for us ~ even if what is best for us seems ‘far out’, unlikely, or just a dream…
Based then on what we are imagining to be the desired outcome, we start to make decisions one by one.

It is like we make a decision on some aspect of the situation ~ and then we wait to see what will happen. Then we make the next decision; and again we give it some time to allow it to play out…
And pretty soon we are taking each step as it comes. Making choices as they come up ~ guided by the image of the perfect outcome we envisioned.

The thing to watch out for is that we don’t fill in the blanks of what ought to happen; or what is likely (or unlikely) to happen. That we don’t start dictating how things should play out.

In order to take life as it comes, we should be totally open to all possibilities ~ whether we consider them probably or fantasy ~ and allow for the very best outcome.
Not just the very best outcome from our perspective, but also the very best outcome from a universal point of view. And when we get ourselves in a position where we can actually do this; where we permit ourselves to just focus on what is before us, rather than trying to keep everything under control ~ we may be surprised at what the outcome is going to be…

When we take life as it comes and are open to all possibilities ~ we may get more out of it than we ever dared dream about!
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Suddenly it is quiet

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When we experience a period of great activity, there is usually a time leading up to it, a phase when it is all happening, and finally the moment when it is all finished. Especially when other people are involved these three intervals are clearly marked.

At first, the planning stage, is all done by ourselves. We envision what we want to achieve; imagine what our lives will look like when our plans have come true. It is a fun stage with lots of research, looking around for other options, and discovering new and wonderful solutions to challenges we may not even have known we had!
Then, as everything is put into motion, help arrives. Depending on the kind of activity we are working on, the people who can male it happen walk in the door ~ and in a sense take over. They start doing the things they do best; all in order to help us create the best outcome possible. And especially with a larger project, at some point there is so much activity that there seems to be movement wherever we look ~ even in unexpected manners, in unanticipated ways, at unannounced times things are happening.
Up to the point when all seems to be finished. As if someone waved their wand, all activity subsides, all helpers disappear.

Suddenly it is quiet.

And even though we may have seen how our plans were brought into manifestation in the step by step process ~ in this new found quiet we can start seeing what we have created. We can personalize our new space; our new perspective; our new point in life. We can claim that which we had envisioned, and (hopefully) discover that it is even better than we ever imagined.

The abrupt quiet does also bring a sense of “What happened?”. “Where is everybody?”
It is like we need to get used to our own energy, our own space, and yes, maybe even our own company again. At first perhaps feeling a bit like a stranger in this newly created place…

Imagining it, planning it, envisioning it is one thing. When it is brought into manifestation may sometimes feel like an explosion of activity. Yet when the time comes that we start living in that which was created at our direction ~ it may feel like we have not only reinvented our space, but also have reinvented ourselves, our lives, our perspectives…

As all of this has just happened to me, I think I will just sit back and enjoy this sudden quiet for a little bit.
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Thoughts

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At this point in our evolution humanity seems a mental species. Even those who are more ‘touchy feely’ in nature will use their minds to ‘think things through’. As such, our thought are an important part of us. After all, we are ‘Mind, Body, and Spirit’. And ‘Mind’, our thinking, directs our actions, instigates our manifestations.

What we think about and how we think about it is important as it has the power to shape our lives. Through thinking we direct our energy into a certain direction, and from that perspective we better make sure that we choose wisely! Having positive thoughts that are going into that direction we desire is a good thing. Even when we are not entirely certain as to how to get where we want to go ~ even when it seems that obstacles are blocking our way to get there ~ it is important to permit ourselves to think positive, pro-active, solution oriented thoughts.
Thoughts are energy, and when we poor positive, ‘can-do’ energy into our project, into what we want to achieve ~ even when we encounter a roadblock here or there; chances are that we are on the right track and will get where we want to be eventually.

Looking at thoughts as energy, they are not just any energy. They are a directed, concise energy that as such can help us. This also means that the energy of our thoughts has boundaries. While we can think about anything and everything ~ while we can dream our wildest dreams ~ our thoughts themselves are succinct.

When I observe my thoughts, they look like soap bubbles.

Sometimes they are singular, big, beautiful bubbles like a child may be blowing using soapy water. Other times they are like a cluster of smaller soap bubbles, for instance like we may see while washing our hands. And every once in a while they seem like an ever growing cluster of bubbles that just keep coming and coming; like when you poor some liquid soap in a sink and then keep running water on it for a period of time…
In other words, there are single thoughts that are profound in their simplicity and beauty. There are ‘trains of thought’, where one thought leads to the next, and the next, until the concept we are thinking about is clearly defined. And there are thoughts that without direction, without control, just keep coming and coming.

This last variety may not work for us as well as the others do.
Pretty soon, as they take on a life of their own, they move into all directions ~ positive and negative. They may have the energy to bring things into our lives, without us being aware where they came from. And when we find ourselves at that point, it may be a good idea to wipe the slate clean ~ to rinse the bubbles away ~ and to start thinking new thoughts.
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Adaptation or creation? II

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So, perhaps the first question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are meant to just survive in this world, or whether there is a chance we are meant to live it. Fully and with abandon.  Because if that is the case, an attitude that says that all we are here to do is to adapt to changes we are faced with, may not be in our best interest…

We may be better served in the energy of this point in time to take a more active interest in the circumstances of our lives, and the situations we find ourselves in. A perspective that says that we are at least co-creators of our own lives.

Of course we cannot control every situation we may find ourselves in.
And sometimes there is no doubt that our best option is to adapt to changing circumstances.

But on the whole, creating the changes that we feel are beneficial to us is going to work better in the long run.
Those can be changes around us ~ like a change in job, where we live; or even the color of the walls in our residence. Ultimately though, it is all about changes in ourselves; in our attitudes, in the way we perceive ourselves ~ because it is through these inner changes and the results they will have in our lives, that we learn our life lessons.

Taking this perspective a step further, one could say that the (difficult) situations we may find ourselves in, the ever changing circumstances we live in, are only there to get us started at taking the next step as we are moving forward on our paths.
And as it is our innate ~ perhaps even karmic ~ desire to learn our lessons and to for our soul to grow; we may even say that these difficulties we find ourselves faced with are things we ourselves have manifested in our lives in order to do exactly that: Learn our life lessons such that our soul may gain in growth.

It would mean that we are living in an intricate web of directed energies that place us in situations of our own creation that permit us to learn our life lessons, and for our soul to grow. So in essence, we really do create everything that we encounter on our life’s paths ~ and for a reason!
From this perspective ~ even though we sometimes have to adapt to become better suited to a changing environment ~ working on creating our lives just the way we want it; manifesting into our lives all the things we would desire to have in it, would most definitely be the way to go!
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Adaptation or creation?

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Not too long ago a friend argued that the best strategy for life was to adapt to whatever comes our way. He obviously has a Darwinian perspective on life. Survival of the fittest. And the fittest, the survivors, are those best at adapting to changing circumstances.

It is a mechanism we do see in nature. The species best suited for the environment will flourish. And as things change; the individuals that are quickest to adapt come out on top.

Looking at our lives this way, it assumes that we have no influence over the circumstances we live in. The things we experience are just changes within our environment and the best we can do is to adapt  to them.
In a sense it is also a fairly fatalistic perspective. If all we can do to handle what life throws at us is to adapt to whatever it is, there is not a whole lot of impetus to improve our situation or circumstances. It is like we would live our lives from a starting point of say when we were about twenty years old, on a foundation of everything we have learned from our parents and teachers. We do what they have taught us to do ~ and if it works; great! If it doesn’t work we adapt. Worst case is that we may not do anything different; we just adapt to the failing results of our actions. If money gets tight, we spend less.

After all, ‘good things come to those who wait’.

So we just keep doing what we are doing, adapting to our circumstances, while we wait for good things to come our way…

From a spiritual perspective this Darwinian viewpoint begs the question what it is we are doing that invite circumstances and situations into our lives that make our efforts unsuccessful. In other words; the spiritual perspective would be focused on a more proactive change inside of ourselves; instigating us to do things differently ~ or even start doing different things ~ in order for our efforts to be (more) successful. Or perhaps even to start manifesting the things we desire in our lives.
At a minimum, rather than adapting ourselves and our lifestyles toward the results of our efforts; adapting something within ourselves so we may be better equipped to handle changes in our lives, and changes in the world around us.

And yet, the whole philosophy behind the survival of the fittest is, well, survival…
No matter how well adapted we are; how good we are at suiting ourselves to a changing environment ~ the best we can accomplish is that we are surviving yet another day.

Is that really what life is all about?

To be continued…
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