Let Down, Let Be, Be Still

Today’s simple thought was inspired by the guided meditation, Let Down and Let Be, offered by the sacred teacher, Mukti. You can read about her at Adyashanti.org.

Still

Let down, let be, be still.

The energy, the substance, the source of all life simply is. It is ever-present, ever-available and is that from which all visible life manifests. Stilling ourselves – body, will, mind, thought, emotion – and resting in pure awareness of substance, of life, is gentle power. Here , when we let down our defenses, let be all else, and be still, all is well. There is nowhere to go, nothing to do, no need to figure anything out. Just be. Just notice any forms of energy, block, holding on and allow each to pass through as you return to stillness.

If you have never allowed yourself the gift of deep stillness, perhaps now is your moment. The only way to know how it will impact you, personally, is to experience it.

What do you notice in the stillness?
What do you notice on the way to stillness?
What does this gentle power offer you?

Beware the advice you give!

telling-off

Okay … as a life coach I VERY rarely give advice. But in the course of coaching someone, the two of us seek to discover practices, commitments, exercises which will deepen their learning between coaching sessions. And it no longer surprises me how pertinent their practices are for my well-being!

Do you listen to what you tell others, what you advise for them?
Do you pay attention to the advice in your thoughts even when it wisely goes unspoken? 

If not, try listening to yourself. Often we are only subconsciously aware of what we most need to hear. These subconscious thoughts come out more readily when they are for someone else! The next time you give advice, listen up! And the next time you need some and no one is around, try this:

What would I tell someone else?

Do you practice self-judgment?

Really, how well have you perfected the skill of self-judgment? What are the areas in  your life where your inner judge is particularly active?  What is the difference between judging and:

  • noticing
  • acknowledging
  • discerning

Next time you find your harsh, inner judge all too active, pause. Give the judge a rest and try being with yourself in a gentler, softer way. Take a deep breath. Notice. Acknowledge what is present. Discern what, if anything, you would like to shift and accept the rest for now. Take a step.

How does your being respond to gentle?

Beyond the fresh coat of paint …

There is something about the chaos of painting that invites a deeper cleaning, rearranging, and clearing out! As I put the room back together, careful not to mar the freshly painted walls, I couldn’t help but move some things around and view the space from different perspectives. And before restoring all the knickknacks, I had to open the drawers and the doors and clean and discard and make the hidden areas fresh and lighter as well.

What about our insides, our thoughts, beliefs, ideas and practices?
What needs rearranging?
What needs to be released?

What will lighten our inner load?

Fresh coat of paint

paintwall

I’m looking at empty walls this morning … empty but freshly painted and alive with possibility! At this stage, I get to reconsider everything about these walls – what to hang, what not to hang, where to hang and in what configuration! What is the purpose for hanging anything? What happens when I decorate with purpose?

Of course I wonder what the parallel is for our personal beings:

  • What needs to come down– permanently?
  • What is a fresh coat of paint when it comes to our selves?
  • What purpose will guide the redecorating?

What I know about both the walls in this room and about my personal being is this: less is more. Simplicity is freedom.

What about you… what is ready for a fresh coat of paint?