Deep
Listening
“I trust
the mystery. I trust what comes in silence and what comes in nature
where there's no diversion. I think the lack of stimulation allows us
to hear and experience a deeper river that's constant, still,
vibrant, and real. And the process of deep listening with attention
and intention catalyzes and mobilizes exactly what's needed at the
time.”
Angeles
Arrien
We're back in the
deep-freeze here in Dixie. Winter is well and truly being had, and
most of us aren't happy about it. It has brought with it the worst
flu season in decades. Alerts went out yesterday from UAB, our
teaching hospital, asking folks to reduce their exposure by not
visiting the hospital, and making suggestions as to how to manage
seasonal illnesses on our own. All elective surgeries have been
canceled to free up beds, and the governor has activated a state of
emergency. Some schools are closed because of illness in the staff
and student body. Ah, spring, where are you?
Being home-bound has its
advantages, however, especially since this is the season for it. We
can spend a little time with ourselves. When I write that, I hear a
collective gasp. Most of us fear time alone more than almost
anything. We build in everything we possibly can, dive deeply into
our phones and laptops—anything to keep from confronting our inner
landscape. I wonder what we are afraid of finding there.
At least once a year, we
should make ourselves a nice cup of tea, and sit down alone to
silently contemplate where we've been and where we are headed.
Consider it the business model for personal living. No successful
business would dare skip this process—in fact, projections are made
for three, five and ten years out. Why not us? Oh, yes, I know there
are unforeseen possibilities that may get in the way of
implementation, but that's not a good reason not to do it. Especially
since we have an inner guide who knows exactly what comes next—who
will take us by the hand and lead us if we ask and trust the
answer.
“But,” you say, “what
if it doesn't lead where I want to go?” Ah, well, there's the rub.
That's where the trust comes in. If we ask with attention and
intention, and truly listen for the answers, there's yet another
step—we have to take the plunge, trusting that our inner guidance
is correct. Consider that that guidance comes from the deep river
within—the river of your ancestors, your spirit guides, your inner
physician—whose knowledge of the world is far greater than your one
lifetime can imagine. It's all about trust, my friend. Our job is to trust the mystery—and make
the leap.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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