02
Every human being leaves more undone than they get done. That is the pathos of being human. No other life form worries about, or even thinks of, getting things done. All of them do what needs to be done in each moment as it arises, and let that be that. I'd like to know how many other life forms suffer from self-induced depression. I know none do so from having done so little, when so much needs to be done. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that a large number of humans kill themselves because they cannot do enough, because they cannot change enough of what needs to be changed, because they cannot make enough of a difference in the way things are-- and that others lose themselves in some form of addiction because they cannot live with doing so little. I wonder at what point in the evolutionary development of the species we began to despair because we realized nothing we did mattered in terms of the impact for good it had on the way things are. And started telling ourselves "God is working his purpose out," and "it will all be made up to us in heaven." I do know that dogs don't let it get them down. And cats? When has a cat ever cared about not being enough?
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01
Turning the light around means looking within for What now? What next? Then what? You will likely hear, "One step at a time-- you are two steps over the limit." We hate uncertainty, insecurity, not-knowing. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Then What? We want it to be spelled out. Written down. With all contingencies taken into account and all bases covered. And, with all that considered, not one of us intended to be where we are here and now. How did we wind up here, now? By fortuitous (or not) and unseen turns of events. That got us here, and it will take us from here into the next moment, and the one after that. The best we can do is assist the process by opening ourselves to the nature of the now, listening, looking, for what is being called for and what needs to be done about it, and see where it goes. All of the guidance and direction we need is found in listening: to our body (Listen to your heart-- What makes your little heart sing and dance? How often is your heart in what you do? Listen to your stomach-- What is your gut feeling telling you? Listen to your bones-- What do you know in your bones?), To our nighttime dreams (Our dreams are mirrors reflecting how things currently are in our life, giving us a read-out of what's what and how it is with us. What are they telling you? How do you feel about your dreams during the dream and after? What part do you play in your dreams? What themes run through your dreams? What dreams recur? What message do they deliver?) To our daytime fantasies (Where do we go? What do we do? What solutions do they suggest? What situations do they promise to remedy?) To our recurring advice to ourselves (What are we always telling ourselves? Where did we first hear that? When we listen to ourselves, who are we actually listening to? Who are we living to please? Or to displease? How dependable has our self-guidance proven to be? What guides our boat on its path through the sea?). Experiencing our experience through awareness and reflection leads to new realizations. Knowing what we know is essential knowing. And we don't know what we do not attend. Turn the light around!
