August 2, 2009: Moving upstream, moving downstream (Coaching teleclass)
In the last teleclass we took a good look at how each desire generates two perspectives -- negative and positive. Similarly, each situation we encounter in life can be approached in two different ways: one that opens up our energy to flowing more freely and the one that tends to block its flow. A teacher who I admire calls it moving upstream or downstream. We are a river of energy that can flow freely or not -- this depends on the size and quantity of stones we keep in the stream.
What are these stones? They are our thoughts. They come in many forms: conscious, habitual, based on chance beliefs -- and those based on our deeply held convictions.
For example, if you were raised to strongly believe that "life is hard and then you die" you will expect and appreciate obstacles in your way. You will be good at confronting these problems and dealing with them. But it might not occur to you that your ideological stance makes you prone to having problems. Another way, another ideology -- where life is joyful, abundant and easy -- does not occur to you. You believe that paddling upstream, being at war with "difficult and dangerous" currents is the normal way -- and letting go and moving downstream with the current is wrong. You complain, why is my life is always such a struggle?
As a counterexample, let's say you believe that your life should be a comfortable, well-oiled machine. You continue moving along even when challenges arise -- you ignore them and they rarely bother you because you rarely notice them. Your life is just too big, healthy, and full of joy to spend any time on these negative things. And your self-talk tends to be cheerful.
But these are a "big stroke" views. Here are smaller, more localized questions.
What do you say to yourself everyday while walking/driving to work? Do you imagine difficult encounters or an easy day ahead? Do you cringe at the thought of meeting your office fiend or are you excited at meeting the rest of your colleagues who are nice?
When talking to your kids or your partner, do you criticize them in your mind or do you imagine an idealized, best version of them? Do you pay attention to what they do right or to what they do wrong?
When cooking and eating food, do you complain that you have no time to cook good food and stuff fast food into your stomach? Or do you figure out a way to make a quick but healthy and tasty meal? And if you do decide to eat out to save time, do make a point to enjoy the food rather than imagine all the medical problems that you will develop in the future from eating the "fast food, fast life, fast death" type of meal?
When driving from work do you anticipate a joyful reunion with your children and your partner or a messy house that you will need to clean before you can walk in?
How do you deal with situations in your life? There is always a constructive way or in a destructive way. Which one do your thoughts tend to choose? Do you throw stones into or out of your stream? And their size?
Copyright (c) Dr. Anatole Ruslanov
