One thing is certain. Things are not as they were. Normal is taking on a new definition, and life is moving in ways we barely recognize. Fear can still be felt in the air, but also hope and the blossoming of the earth.
Here, in this new normal, we are given a choice. Stay the same…or change, and GROW.
What are you cultivating in the garden of your life?
Are you filling your garden with extra busy-ness, or are you allowing this “new normal” to open even more spaciousness? Are you breathing more deeply, moving more slowly, sitting more quietly…or are you more busy than ever keeping up on all the news, opening all the extra emails, catching up on projects, and creating new ways to work and serve?
I have been doing all of these. There is much to DO when we are growing a new life, and the world needs our love, compassion, and positive leadership more than ever.
Which is also why I am ALSO making a conscious choice to focus on being empty, as much as possible. And I mean that in the best possible way…as I wrote in this excerpt from my new book, Simply Enough, Create Space for What Matters.
To many, the word empty brings images of lack.
To me, it means spacious possibility.
When a cup is empty, it is open to receive fresh liquid. When a page is empty, it is open to receive fresh words.
When a mind is empty, it has room to listen.
When a heart is empty, it has room to receive.
When your day is empty of have-to-do’s,
there is plenty of space for anything you want to do.
To open completely to anything new,
you must first be empty of everything old.
Let yourself get comfortable with empty.
If you love to stay busy & engaged, or even if you’re already comfortable with empty space…try stretching your comfort level by doing nothing for longer periods of time.
Turn everything off. Play with empty space in a way you’ve never done before. Let yourself feel a bit lazy. Quiet your mind. Listen to your heart. Pay attention to what rises, then lift that higher by following whatever guidance comes.
This is your Soul speaking to you, over the finally-quiet-noise of the computer, radio, tv, and your busy mind…over the escalating noise of the outer world.
Shhhhh. Be still and know. Love is here.
Empty.
Let Love overflow through you…
I can’t say if this Covid-19 experience will change us and if it will, in what and in what way it is difficult to predict.
I would say that we could reflect on the fact that we have long learned to live on rights; now the time has come for duties.
Just as, especially for young people, we should have learned to really focus on the important things in life. It is essential to understand what we want to do, what kind of person we want to be, what kind of contribution we want to give, what role we want to play in life. Applies to everyone, and to all situations.
Here, perhaps this is already an important step forward and I really wish it was one of the teachings of this epidemic. Learning something new is positive, even if it matures in an emergency context like this that we are experiencing. It is a matter of responsibility that we will have to learn to assume. If we do it, the consequence will be a beneficial effect not only in the event of a new epidemic but in the thousands of other things in everyday life.
thank you for the reflection Aldo … so much to learn from this, and the biggest thing (for me) is to continue to open space for that learning. sometimes we have to stop to hear the underlying messages. I appreciate you stopping & making time to read my reflection. S