There is an interesting space that we can all get into. Our busy space. Rushing about and getting things done. It’s a space that has a lot to do with movement and accomplishment. Not usually major accomplishment. The space I’m referring to is not one that is moving you to your target, but the space the clears the decks, or finishes all the details, or gets things organized.
There is nothing wrong with these activities, but in the busy space, we don’t do them because they need to be done, we do them to avoid something. We Avoid being alone, we avoid feeling, we avoid taking that next step on our path, we avoid being who we rightly should be.
We all know someone. They are intensely busy. They are not that intensity of living life and sucking the marrow from existence. They are the busy at task after task after activity until they fall into bed exhausted – only to rise on the next day and do it again.
You’ll notice that there is a difference. Chasing experience in life to a level of enjoyment will include quiet time to recharge that is intensely quiet and intensely awake to our own needs, while chasing activities to avoid reality is exhausting and won’t contain those moments and times that allow recharge. There are exceptions. Exceptions where people will take that quiet moment out to “recharge”, but their avoidance mechanisms are so strong that they will organize a quiet meal with friends, bundle themselves off to a movie, or drink a couple of glasses of wine.
Again, there is nothing wrong with these activities, except when they are built to avoid feeling. To avoid that feeling that we are missing something, or that we could be doing something else.
Ask yourself. Do a little practice. Sit silently and comfortable on a couch or chair, in an upright position. Sit somewhere where you will not be disturbed, but also in a way that is not conducive to sleep. Sit and do nothing. Are you comfortable? Do you sit and feel comfortable? Does your mind whirl or are you able to be contemplative?
If you feel a sense of rising panic, or a super strong urge to get up and do something – anything. If you feel that you are idle and you feel an urge to find a task, then you are in avoidance mode. You are avoiding an aspect of your life that needs focus and change. You are avoiding an aspect of who you are that is not meeting your needs.
Once you know that there is something you are avoiding, sitting quietly and allowing your mind to slowly drift to its’ topic of focus will allow you to see.
Actually, we are usually so blind that we need to find someone intuitive or trained to help us discover what we have hidden so deeply.
