Read between the lines.....

"The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances"

Those were the meditative words of wisdom my mobile app presented me with this morning for meditation (yes i have an app for that).

I started meditating on it - and after my meditation - I pull out my journal and I reflect on it and what it means. So after I have engaged my spirit (meditate) I engage my mind (journal) so that I can engage the body through daily action in line with my spirit.

While I was journaling an awareness hit me - I was looking externally to find what these words of wisdom mean - and equally hit by the irony that I had so blatantly missed the idea of journaling....

I was noting down things like -"it means seeing past the appearance of what people you deal with are trying to tell you, to what is underneath" - to this pretentious pearler "hearing the roar of the engine of motivation driving the words out" - all about my engagement with people.

The question that hit me was - what are my own appearances that I need to see through in myself? What are the beliefs and stories I have told myself to get by or to drive a particular action. The story of control or enlightenment or of what makes me happy. And the issue isn't that there is a story - there is always a story - it is whether or not it is conscious. If it is not conscious - I am not aware of the appearance - nor can I control the story.

There are many out there who believe that wearing a mask or putting on an appearance is not authentic - but I believe that portraying a conscious appearance in a given situation - is the key skill and tool in changing yourself. If you want to overcome a fear, or to stop acting on stimulus that leaves you feeling less-than, telling yourself a story and putting forward an appearance is a tool to use.  We often let unconscious appearances and stories drive our lives - and then the story we tell ourselves is that this who we are. As the saying goes - it is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than it is to think yourself into a new way of acting.

The moral of the story is - know your story, pick your story carefully and purposefully and make sure your story tells who you really are - the best stories are always the true ones.

And then when you are dealing with people - listen for their story - its not always in the words....but remember that the purpose of this interpersonal skill is to listen so that you can ask questions that help you understand - and not so that you can answer unasked questions that prove you are clever (an appearance I know I put on).

The purpose of the story is to bring awareness and not to bring distance.

Image credit: EntericDesigns on Etsy

Enlightened Travelling

 I live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. My route to work via a rail train takes me along the coast for part of the way. The only thing between me and the ocean is a window.

Today the view just seemed more spectacular and bright. I see it each day but today seemed different. On further inspection I noticed that the window was cleaner than usual and looked newer. Looking around me I noticed the entire carriage had been refurbished. It all looked brand new and the lights were working and bright!

It got me to thinking how often we perceive things outside the window to be dark and gloomy and less spectacular simply because we our internal space is not well lit (enlightened). I have posted before about dirty windows and how that changes what we see - but this is broader.

Once we clean up and light up our inner carriage - our view of the world outside will be that much brighter and the journey more enjoyable.

Moon Light

Have you ever noticed the moonlight on the ocean water?

The light from the moon creates a pathway from your feet - narrow then widening to the horizon -spreading and opening up the possibilities that lay beyond. It lights the way into the unkown.

Too often all we see is the dark - not the light shining through
Through the dark see the moon shine hue
Lighting up the sea cutting it in two
oceans seperated by the orb of night
one again at dawns first light

Back To The Future

I love this classic series of movies - and I have introduced my kids to it - because the magic of time travel still fascinates all. There was a key lesson in this movie - about how much energy it took to transport yourself to the past - and then the constant battle of trying to "fix" your past and the impact it has on your future.

Have you ever thought about how much energy you invest in your past? In moaning and groaning about it - in making up elaborate new reasons why it happened that way - re-imagining what it could have been if you had done it differently?

It is a common thing for people to visualise their past and call it a memory - and often our minds play with that memory in different ways - playing and replaying it with various scenarios.

Why is it then such a stretch for people to engage in the act of visualising their future? Of using the same mechanism - but focussing the energy on the future.

If energy can be focussed in strength in only one direction at a time - then if the bulk of your energy is being spent looking back - very little is focussed on looking forward. The scene in the rear-view mirror is simply diagnostic - but it cannot be changed - no matter how you re-imagine you could have done it differently. By turning your focus on your past - you place your Back to the Future.

I suffer from the same affliction and it is a daily struggle to let go of the finished yesterday and rather imagine a yet unpublished tomorrow.

Face forward.

Wheels turning toward a destination along a journey
2, 4 more than I can count
Rubber and steel, carrying 1 or 100 all on a journey to a destination
Go there everyday for the same reason for different motivation
Some know why and where is only a stop on the way to why
Others don't care about the why only that there is a where to get to
And on time please - delays and traffic stay away cause I have to get there - even if I don't know where there is or why I am on my way there....gotta get there on time and preferably before anyone else cause then I win, right? Even if didn't intend to be here, here I am - a winner! The irony of the lack of a prize escapes me...I get used to competing to win nothing....of worthy competition.
And the wheel turns again on the way to a destination along a journey.

Talking to yourself

I run for fun. I haven't in a while so when the universe and I got together we found a nice 16km run brought to me by a friend. It was out in the vineyards in Noordhoek and up onto Chapmans Peak and on Noordhoek beach. Lovely scenic run...wait it wasn't so much a run as it was hiking at pace.

I explained to my wife that there are tough parts that you have to talk yourself through, be your own coach. She asked me what I said and it was the first time I had shared with anyone what I say to myself when I have to push myself through a tough part of a run.I realised that some of these pep talks can be used when I have to push myself through anything.

Here are a few:

- Is that all you've got to throw at me? Come on, I know you are tougher than that (usually used when running against wind) -I also tend to open up my arms and visualise myself gliding.

- Let's open this baby up and see what he's really capable of (yes, I really say that)

- I am an eagle flying above all of this

- I am a flow of energy; I am a point of light

- I also try to smile through the toughest part - what I think of as my "Mona Lisa's Smile", a secret only I know.

We all need reminding and pushing because often the loudest voice is what Srikumar Rao calls the VOJ or the Voice Of Judgment. We need words of encouragement and not words of damnation. Which do you use more often with yourself, your kids, your partner or your staff?

Talk yourself and others up and we will push through. Take the age old saying...if you don't have anything good to say....say nothing.

Try it - open your baby up and see what you really can do!

Inner Light

I was told today that I got my walk back.

I've been going through a growing experience where I had started doubting who I was and my ability - and I took some steps to get me back.

The game of aligning your spirit and your daily actions is not about either a physical change or a mental one - but rather about both.

I read somewhere that it is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than to think yourself into a new way of acting. But that is about force of will - I am not refering to a force of will.I am not talking about mind over matter.

I am talking about being spirit-led. I am talking about you feeling your inner light and letting that shine through in your smile, your walk, your talk and your eyes.

All light ahead comes from the light within.

Once I let my inner light shine - I got my walk back.