Can you accept everything in your life exactly as it is right now?

If you answered yes, consider this: What if everything in your life would always be this way? Could you accept it still?

***

There’s an incessant drive that exists in each of us, in one form or another: it is the drive for more.

When I think about the drive for more, the energy of not being worthy, or not enough, or flawed or broken, or needing accomplishment or acquisition or reaching my potential (and therefore not whole right now) comes up.

This drive for more at the root is a drive towards control. And as such, it is a source of pain and suffering.

How are we to resolve this? What are we to do to get out from under this harness that holds us in suffering?

I had lunch with my good friend Scott earlier this afternoon. I was telling him about how I’ve been turning inward to work on myself for the last month or two. I put all my projects on hold. It was clear my desire to build something new – to do more – serve more, etc. – was getting in the way of doing the inner work. It was holding me back from the real opportunity for growth that was entirely within.

I shared with Scott that I’m getting antsy about getting back to my projects. As powerful as the opportunity to turn inward has been, I’m ready for something different – I want to get back to actually doing something!

As we were talking I started recognizing this pattern that comes up over and over again in my life. I have an opportunity to be fully present and explore inward. To become more aware of my personality or motivation, or the truth (to do the inner work that is up for attention right now). Instead I distract myself from the work, by focusing my attention on “more important things.” I drape these more important things with the agenda of sharing my gifts and serving others. Yet these more important things keep me from doing the inner work – work that is up so I may more fully and completely remember and experience myself for who I really am.

I clearly saw an opportunity for me to release control – to surrender. The control that I’ve been exerting in the form of projected importance and pursuit of more – versus being fully present to what is: the inner work of getting to know myself and my motivations more fully.

What if – I wondered out loud – the rest of my life is spent on this inner work … and there is literally nothing more for me to create or do? What if my inspiration and guidance to serve Spiritual Messengers in all phases of awareness and development is really a projection designed to keep me from doing this inner work?

What a radical and challenging idea for me to accept! And there it is: the point of control upon which I’m currently negotiating and trying to avoid releasing.

Here’s one of the things I know about myself: these points of control have ultimately always been the gateway to liberation. Sometimes I hold onto them for months or years. And sometimes I’m able to release them fully very quickly. One way or the other, I always come to the point of releasing control because (and this is supposed to be my little secret) I think I know better! But eventually I learn, not only don’t I know better, I don’t know at all!!!

And with this admission, comes the only next step: to release control to the Divine AKA surrender. And with surrender comes liberation.

Think about it: if I give up my pursuit of more – of projects, creation serving a larger audience, etc. – then I can be fully present to what is. I can accept it exactly as it is. Now I can work with it and learn fully what is here to be gifted to my awareness and spiritual growth. And lest I get caught up thinking about what might come as a result of this, I focus on accepting that this will be my practice for the rest of my life. And with this, I relax. There’s nothing to accomplish, no place to go, nothing to acquire – nothing more.

And isn’t this the truth anyway? There really is nothing more. The projections and expectations are nothing more than distractions keeping me from what is right here, right now. Whatever else is, what is always with me? I am. My constant opportunity is to turn inward and begin exploring, fully present to whatever is revealed.

And with this I return to the question I have learned to pose to myself over and over again: Can you accept everything in your life exactly as it is right now? Could you accept this if it continued forward this way for the balance of your life?

When the answer is yes I have experienced inner peace and resonance that I can’t put into words.

When the answer is no, I am in some degree of pain and suffering and the funny thing is that it’s all my creation. My choice to let go of control is mine alone. I make that choice and no one else can ever make it for me. I can create my experience of heaven or hell with the simple choice to let go of control … or exert control.

This same choice is available to you right now as well. The pathway to heaven lies within – and when tension between your expectations and goals and what is pops up, it’s showing you where you have an opportunity to let go of control.

I invite you to turn inward and see what comes up. Write it down in your journal, or spend some time in reflection and meditation – or do both!

What comes up for you? Can you see the pathway forward? Does it include accepting everything exactly as it is right now and being fully present? Or are you still drawn to a different vision of what more might be available for you to experience?

The choice is always yours!

That’s it for this week … From My Heart.

Peace,

Ken

Ken W. Stone
The Soul Archaeologist
Experience the Divine Within
www.KenWStone.com