Hello Spiritual Warriors!!! And welcome to a week of moving through change!
Are you going through some changes? Do you find yourself resisting? Change is the continuous constant in this kooky swirl of life of ours & we all respond differently to it. Some of us are naturally more flexible than others and handle change pretty smoothly – we easily adjust our mindset when situations or circumstances shift.
[Tweet “How we respond to change becomes the fabric of our life. @davidji_com”]
Sometimes we get upset, angry, disappointed, or defeated when life unfolds differently than we anticipated. And how we respond to this non-stop flow of change that sweeps through us each day becomes the fabric of our life – it can offer us aha! moments, breakthroughs in stuck thinking, acceleration in the direction of our goals, opening of our heart… and it can also lead us to sadness, depression, resentment, regret, and in extreme cases, even shutting down, paralysis, and withdrawing.
JUST ANNOUNCED! “Moving Through Change”
immersion process with davidji
October 14-18, 2015 — Learn more!
Change is a natural part of life, and we all face it at one time or another. Most of us are continually adjusting our behaviors, expectations, and personal desires…making small tweaks that reflect our changing needs or interests – some have even become time honored “change” rituals such as family reunions, seasonal cleanses, cleaning out our closets, or going on retreat.
How you respond to change often depends on the results you think it will bring, such as excitement if you think it will bring a positive flow into your life, or sadness if you perceive that something you were used to is gone or will be gone. You may feel excited about change that involves a gain, such as a new baby or a promotion to a new rank. But you may worry about a change that involves a loss, such as divorce or a move to a new department with new people.
Accepting a sudden, unexpected change — like divorce, a diagnosis, a death, being fired, someone you love being hurt, something you are attached to being taken away or shifted, or being transferred– can be the most jarring. You wake up and your world is different, or when tragedy strikes, our lives can shift in the blink of an eye.
That’s because we paint our world with a brush of consistency – even though we know that life is filled with inconsistencies.
This is why I regularly recite the serenity prayer. And whether you believe in god or not, understanding the serenity prayer can make a huge difference in how we receive existence. The prayer goes like this:
Dear (Lord, God, Universe, Higher power, divine creator, or whatever feels right to you):
Grant me the serenity to ACCEPT THE THINGS I CAN NOT CHANGE.
The courage to CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN.
And the wisdom TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
We are all subtle control freaks (some of us not so subtle)! And when we think we have lost control, then fear, anger, anxiety, stress, and disappointment set in. But if we can accept an uncontrollable change for what it is… accept the reality that we do not have full control over what happens in life, then it becomes easier to be graceful when change visits. If we can make small, incremental shifts towards the new scenario, we may suddenly realize that we are thriving.
[Tweet “If you don’t change…you don’t grow!! @davidji_com”]
The key is to go back to what we can “control” – our thoughts (through meditation); our words (through impeccable & conscious speech); and our actions (through, as the Buddha said, right action…coming from a place of stillness and patience).
Change, even if we don’t want it in the moment, can be beneficial. Change brings us new opportunities to evolve, adapt, and move beyond limiting beliefs. In every change is a lesson. In every change is an opening for something new, letting go of the old, stepping into something fresh, letting go of the stale, being open to the unexpected, stepping beyond limits. In every change we are reminded that we are an integrated thread in the universal fabric of existence – ever changing…ever merging. As one door closes – a new one opens. As one chapter ends…a new one begins. And this wild freight train of existence keeps on moving.
We’ve all heard Gandhi’s quote – and maybe even posted it on Facebook or sent it out in emails : “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
This week, let’s use the mantra I AM THE CHANGE! with all that it brings and with all its scariness, uncertainty, loss of control, and transformational power. So rather than resist and point at the change coming at us… Let’s embrace the mantra I AM THE CHANGE, and let’s implement our own changes. Are you ready to step into this new magnificent wave & ride it? Aham brahmasmi baby. We ARE the universe! Keep meditating & I’ll see you in the gap! With all its kooky change.
Peace. –davidji
