Busy Lessons

When life gets busy, it’s the perfect opportunity to really grow.  Similar to how pressure turns carbon to a diamond, pressure can shape us into something more resiliant and beautiful.  It can also break us if we aren’t paying attention.

Life is quite busy right now.  But, rather than stressing out, being constantly in a rush, even when I can’t control a situation, I’m choosing to act differently.  For example, I am taking the time to meditate while riding the bus in the morning.  Tonight I meditated while getting my therapy after my chiropractic adjustments.  A while back I downloaded a Caroline Myss cd, and finally got around to listening to a part of it the other day.  She mentions that, if you can only meditate under perfect conditions, then you are missing the point of the practice.  Instead, try to meditate with annoyances, like music you aren’t fond of, or in a bright room instead of a dark one, etc.  I’m trying to take this lesson to heart, by learning to relax in uncomfortable situation.  In this way, even a visit to the chiropractor is a spiritual experience and a lesson in relaxation.

A similar lesson has been presented through Moses Avalon, when he mentions that it’s important to avoid genre bias.  Learn to appreciate all music, because it will bring more jobs your way.  The way I look at it, there is no genre I completely hate.  How horrible would it be to miss out on an amazing project because people believed I didn’t like the genre?  Thus, I’m trying to complain less when groups like Rascall Flats come on the radio (they sound like hick chipmunks).  In a sense, this is a meditation practice.  It is accepting what is, without adding interpretation or emotional reaction.

Overall, I’m finding it easier to accept my situation, and flow within it, rather than forcing it.  In this way I’m bringing my aikido practice into every aspect of my life.  Today I found how amazing it can feel.  This morning we went to ACC to talk to the ODS people about accomodations, and the math department to do an informal transfer so Carrie will be in the online math class.  While talking to math and waiting for a call from the main math person, I took the initiative to ask the woman if she knew of any adjunct physics positions coming open.  She gave me the number of the person who would know.  Hooray!

Though I had to be to class by 2, I didn’t look at the time while at ACC, just let things take care of themselves.  I arrived home with a few minutes to spare before heading back to school.  While waiting for the bus I didn’t stress, but just sat there, listening to Eckhart Tolle’s Power of Now.  When the bus came I sat there continuing to listen, while trying to just be in the moment.  A few blocks from the stop at school, the bus driver pulled over to wait.  This has happened in the past, but I never knew why.  I decided to ask him, quite nicely.  He was a bit defensive, saying that he had to wait any time he was more than 5 minutes early on the route.  I didn’t react in kind, and tried to be relaxed and friendly.  Now that I knew, I had no reason to be upset, and returned to my seat to wait out the minutes.

When I got off the bus, I was bursting!  I honestly couldn’t hold back the smile, and it felt like my chest was radiating like crazy.  I believe that’s because I was in complete (or strong) alignment with my soul.  It was such a strong feeling of…not a high amount of energy, but clean energy.  Love.

So that was the lesson/experience of the day.