WELCOMING THE OBSTACLES
Image Source: Aaron Burden (Unsplash)
"Welcome to the present moment, here now the only moment there ever is." - Eckhart Tolle.
The other day, I ran into a gentleman whom I see occasionally. I asked him how life was treating him. He responded, "I am doing good. I would have had a good last month if it weren't for the car repair issue I had." He continued, "There is always something in front of you; you just have to be ready for it." I thought, "What a brilliant way to welcome in the obstacles on our journey through this lifetime."
Often, when we encounter an obstacle, such as a heavy traffic day, irritation arises. I take pride in arriving promptly for appointments. However, when I am stuck in traffic, I bypass the subtle cue of irritation and move straight into full-blown anger. I place myself in this scenario every time we travel for vacation. One time, Judy reminded me, "What's your hurry? The State of Michigan is still going to be there no matter how long it takes to move through this traffic." She continued, "Hey buddy, not everything you drive is big, red, and has lights and sirens (an ode to my days on the fire department). It is not easy and takes a lot of practice to reconcile that I cannot control every obstacle or thing that happens from moment to moment. I do the best I can.
What if, instead of fighting our emotions, we invite them in to observe and listen to the messages they carry? What do they feel like as a sensation, and where do they reside in the body? For instance, I am beginning to learn that minor irritations (for me) present as a warm feeling in my gut and, if not welcomed, manifest as a fire in my belly under the guise of anger. One way to drop into the felt sense of awareness is to invite opposites and stay in the moment.
Every emotion co-presents with its opposite (i.e., anger versus calm/peace). To move from the thinking mind into the heart, I invite in both rage and calm. I explore the felt sense of anger, then calm. I inquired what each feels like separately and then together. The thinking mind cannot do both at the same time because the mind resides in separateness. Allowing the opposites of emotions to co-exist as this felt sense will quiet the thinking mind - something that takes a lot of practice, practice, practice.
I am currently working through a course called iRest (Integrative Restoration) Meditation, and I will share my progress with you all. Just know that welcoming opposites of emotions and feelings is only one aspect of this practice. As I learn more, so will you.
To paraphrase the gentleman at the gym, "You just have to be ready for whatever life throws in front of you.” There will always be things in life that we cannot control, and this is the reality of human experience. Dr. Richard Miller, the creator of iRest, offers the following sage advice about navigating life: "When you fight with reality, you are going to lose 100% of the time." Until next time-
Namaste,
Tim
Image Source: Bernd 📷 Dittrich (Unsplash)