WITH MEANING & FULFILMENT
Viewing entries tagged
self improvement
Most of us are living in fear of our darker emotions. And why wouldn’t we, when our culture and media are telling us that our ideal state is one of constantly being happy and productive? And if we aren’t, then hey, here’s a solution to help you BECOME constantly happy and productive.
We are being called towards progress. Our own progress, individual and societal. Will we answer the call? Will you?
Perfectionism is an artificially created disease of constant doing. A delusion that we as humans have a godlike purpose to create a world that doesn’t already exist. An obsessive belief that we are here to fix something that isn’t broken.
Today, as I was scratching my cat behind his ears, I realised that the expression of love is simply care — offering care in a way that helps, nurtures or pleasures someone. Which means that if I do things that don't help, nurture or pleasure my own self, then I am not acting out of love for myself.
The first time I gave myself the gift of 10 days silent meditation, I came undone. I went in to simply test my own self discipline — but while there, I experienced the dissolution of everything that I believed to be real. The very physical reality of my own body, but also my sense of my own identity, all revealed itself to be a very convincing illusion.
It's not an easy thing to admit to people who care about you, even though you realise at some point that you had better tell them before it's too late and they find themselves wishing they had done something.
It's not the first time I've felt this way. And somehow I don't think it will be the last.
"Keep 20% of your stomach empty at all times." Imagine getting this advice at a 10-day silent meditation course, during which you can eat all you want during breakfast and lunch, but there is no dinner. (And no, there is no snacking either.)
