03
We are never far away from, "Here we are. Now what?" But, we are rarely there long enough. We rush past "Now what?" to "Anywhere But THIS!" It's the not-knowing we despise. Or fear. Or despise because we fear. Not-knowing is the worst imaginable torture. We are here, now because we could not bear the pain of all of the "Now what's?" in our past, and we jumped for the first possible (The worst possible) way out of there, to where we did not care-- it had to be better than there. Not-knowing what. Not-knowing anything. In in all of the places like those remaining in the time left for living, we have to wait, bearing the pain of not-knowing, for the mud to settle and the water to clear. We have to wait to get a feel for the flow, for the drift of the current of life, for the movement of pace and timing, here at the transition point-- "the still point of the turning world" (T. S. Eliot). What is leading us, calling us, asking us to listen, to feel in our body the shift happening, meeting circumstances, looking for the door to open, waiting for the door? How long can we wait for the door to open? Before we have to do something, door or no door, even if it is wrong? How long do we have? How long can we wait? We owe it to ourselves to find out.
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02
The inner guides are easily dismissed, discounted, disregarded, denied, rejected, ignored, forsaken, abandoned, castaway. Their essential strength is their refusal to quit or withdraw. They are forever calling us to wake up, grow up, stand up, face up, square up and meet the moment every day. Regardless of how we have treated them in every moment prior to this one, they are right there, right here, now, offering what they have to give in terms of wisdom and courage, direction and hope. If we are breathing there is still a chance of doing the right thing in the right place at the right time in the right way-- redeeming and atoning for all the other moments we met with less than the best we had to offer. Here is another now needing what we have to give. The guides are ready and willing. We only have to sit still and be quiet and listen and look and wait for the mud to settle and the water to clear-- for all of the noise of the 10,000 things to shift to the background, and the whispers of the still, small, persistent voices to be felt, heard, sensed and seen. Our place is to clear a space for the guides to speak with feelings, sensing, realizing, knowing, beckoning, urging, calling, compelling... and then to follow in a "thy will, not mine be done" kind of way. Moment-by-moment in each situation as it arises, seeking the rhythm, finding the flow, of balance and harmony, day-by-day.
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01
Doing the right thing in the right place at the right time in the right way requires us to be present with what is present with us, to know what's what and what is called for in the unrelenting service to Freedom! Justice! Equality! Truth! in light of the true good of the whole in each situation as it arises. This is where our focus needs to be, where our attention needs to be, where our concentration needs to be, where our devotion, allegiance, duty and utmost concern need to be. Moment-by-moment the questions are, "What is happening? What is called for? What needs to be done about it? How can I help the sitution for the good of the situation?" Do you have any sense that this is being done anywhere? At any time? How about we letting it start with us, right here, right now?
