Today I had lunch with my brother. We started talking about some of past years when we were in places where we feared losing our jobs. At that time we both initially had the image that being unemployed immediately translated into a starving homeless person. The truth for both of us was during those times the more immediate threat were things like identity and loss of the routine and conveniences of modern life. The truth was that the most immediate threat was the feeling of shame.
We then both started talking about increasing longing for spirituality and purpose when things in this world seem more materialistic and chaotic. The one concept I put forth was that in the journey to seek purpose in life you will eventually come to a realization that there is nothing you ever needed to do in life. You only needed to be in the moment, nothing more.
So simple. Yet we all as humans have a sense of something missing in us. The missing part is the experience of unconditional love and in that absence there is insecurity and the fear that the reason we feel some part is lacking love must be because that part of us is “unloveable” and “bad”. And so we search on the outside to do things to fill that void. That can be working harder, achieving status, impressing others, competing against others, and accumulating material wealth.
In my second book “Spirituality for REAL: Deep Healing. Finding Strength when Reality Seems Unkind”, I take you into this territory of authentic humanity. And where this has translated over time is this concept we call “civilization”. The idea is that “civilized” people rise above the brutish toil of manual labor. Civilization affords us more leisure time to do things to fill this void we feel inside. Most of us, most of the time are numb to this void, because we are busy doing things to distract us from feeling this void. Things like a loss of job, breakup in intimate relationships are examples of things that interrupt things and allow us to feel the void we so much do not want to feel.
Civilization and it’s growth always creates this need for more and more. How much income is enough? For most the usual answer is “just a little bit more and then I’m set and it will be enough” But it never does quite stop. And in this cycle this all translates into a push for greater efficiency and increased productivity life seems to become increasingly automated and technological. Anything that is unique and non-repeatable is considered wasteful. Efficiency experts try to eliminate this waste and replace it with that which is easily replicated and repeated over and over and over again. Those who don’t manage to stay on top of this technological pressure and demand can get forgotten. And those who do join the technological swirl of rapid change and chaos still also get forgotten. Those of us who make a living within this world feel the urgency to multi-task, try harder, compete harder and speed up.
Consider that it could make sense to back away from efficiency, automation and productivity? For those who have already read book one “Spirituality for REAL: Beyond the Incense and Meditation” I offer you this proposal to consider and ponder on. I have recently gotten glimpses of what it feels to be fully awakened in spirituality. What surprised me was how when I was in this state it became so obvious and clear that in many cases increased efficiency is contrary to purpose. It’s like someone telling a chef about the virtues of automated food preparation to relief the chef of the burden of cooking. Such thinking would almost then consider it crazy that someone might find the preparation of food the whole purpose and joy in their lives.
In this video I am somewhat rebelling against this trend. This video is about returning the flow back into a life that seems more and more lacking purpose with the increased efficiency and productivity. In this video I am trying to surrender to the natural course of life, Nature, the Universe, that which is Divine.
Surrender to the Eyes of Nature, the Universe and the Divine. Let that move you with Freedom, life, passion, uniqueness and creativity.