How Disconnection Relates to Connection

I am sick today and having trouble writing the post I'd like to write, so instead I'm tweaking this one from 2013.

This week my lifecoach tasked me with contacting a handful of people everyday about my book, speaking engagements, etc. At first, I balked because I told him I didn't want to be "the weird girl." More than being afraid of rejection, I didn't want that familiar sensation of people staring at me blankly, or even worse, turning up their nose at me. He asked me, "What's that like? The sensation of being 'the weird girl?'"

I told him it was a bit like being adrift at sea in nothing but a rowboat and no ships or people around for miles. The underlying feeling or sensation is one of being disconnected. Disconnected from other people, disconnected from my surroundings. For someone who LOVES to connect — with other people, her environment, and even connect one person with another — disconnection is like the ultimate hell.

However, what came out of my conversation with my lifecoach is that when I'm adrift at sea, I'm given a chance to connect with myself and also my higher power. So really, even when I disconnect I'm connected! It's a bit like a Mobius strip in that one feeds into the other. There is no end and there is no edge. I'm connected at all times, even if it's not to what I thought it would be.

My friend crocheted Mobius strip handwarmers for me. Aren't they the best?!?

When I articulated this to him, my fear went away. I realized yeah, I may disconnect from my audience, from the random person I contacted, or whoever, but that's OK because it gives me a chance to connect with someone or something else. I don't have to be afraid of disconnection because by acknowledging it, I'm allowing the space for a new connection to be formed. I'm allowing myself to drift about like a feather in the wind, blowing to its next destination.

I don't know if this blogpost is profound to anyone else, but to me, it's so indicative of how this world works, of its dualistic nature. That without dark there is no light. Without cold, there is no hot. And also how one feeds into the other. Out of darkness comes light and out of disconnection comes connection. It also shows me that sometimes it's within the depths of that which we fear, that we may find what we seek. That perhaps by venturing into what I'm avoiding at all costs, I'll find what I'm attracted to.

I dream of a world where we understand disconnection is how we connect to something else. That connection and disconnection are two sides of the same coin. A world where we don't fear anything because we understand good comes out of the bad, and even what we fear the most may not be as scary as it seems. A world where we face what troubles us and know we'll still be OK. Because in the end, it may very well serve as a vehicle to get us what we want.

Another world is not only possible, it's probable.

The Contradiction of Pleasure

Lately, I keep hearing the message, “Only do things that make you feel good.” Or, “center your life around feeling good.” That sounds great! Who doesn't want to feel good? I want to feel good all the time, but I see some real dangers from following that philosophy and giving into every desire that I have.

First of all, I'm an addict in recovery so for me, I'm the extreme example of doing whatever I could to feel good. I used to binge on food to the point of discomfort because once the pleasure switch got flipped, I couldn't stop. It didn't matter if I was hungry or not – I would keep eating the cookies because they tasted good. That's part of the problem with the philosophy, “Only do things that make you feel good,” – there is no foresight. If all I can think about in the moment is how good the cookies taste, I'm not thinking in the future I'll feel sick or have a stomachache. I'm only thinking about the present moment and enjoying it.

Mmmm. Looks good. But I'm allergic to almonds so eating this would be a bad idea no matter how pleasurable in the moment.

How often do we do this? Pursue something because it gives us pleasure and then suffer afterward? I still do this. There are so many foods I'm allergic to but I'll still eat them sometimes because they taste good. I'm starting to realize, eating them is not worth it. Suffering for hours afterward is not worth the momentary pleasure I derive from eating a piece of pizza.

That's the thing really about only doing what feels pleasurable, of chasing after desire. It's temporary and fleeting. There is no lasting and permanent peace or happiness. There is no lasting satiation. That's why I can't abide by the “do it if it feels good” philosophy. Not only because I'll only feel good for a second, but doing what feels good has consequences that more often than not leave me feeling crappy, especially if I haven't thought my decision through.

I also find the “do it if it feels good” philosophy is rather selfish. I think about the blogpost I wrote back in August, “You plus me equals we,” where I spoke about the dentist who killed Cecil the Lion. That to me is a classic example of “do it if it feels good.” The dentist didn't think about the consequences of killing Cecil, didn't think about anything really, except satisfying his own desires. As a result, he caused an international uproar and destroyed his own business in the process as people chose to boycott him due to his actions.

Chasing after one desire and then another all the time only causes temporary relief from pain. Guys, I don't want temporary relief, I want permanent relief. I want the ultimate good feeling, and I hate to say it, but it comes from practicing restraint and moderation. From using my brain, from thinking about the consequences of my actions, and also from attaching myself to the source of infinite happiness. Permanent happiness comes from meditating on the divine, to seeing everything as an expression of God, and keeping Source at the forefront of my mind. For an addict in recovery like me, it's the only way I'll achieve the fix I'm looking for.

I dream of a world where we remember there are consequences for our actions. A world where we don't chase one desire after another because we realize we'll never find the satisfaction that we seek. A world where we realize there's only one way to feel good all the time, and that's to ensconce ourselves in the divine.

Another world is not only possible, it's probable.

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Make a Claim for Your Life

Maybe this is obvious, but I am easily swayed by strong personalities. That may sound funny because I'm such a strong personality, but I fall under the influence of others and get confused about what I want and what I believe. And if the person is an authority figure? Forget it. I've probably already signed away my life savings because that person is an authority, they have a doctorate, and experience, and what do I know?

This week especially I've been receiving conflicting advice from seemingly every person I come across. Every person has an opinion, and I know this is partially self-inflicted because I'm telling people I'm confused, so of course they're weighing in. But then I started thinking about it and I realized it's all well and good for someone to tell me to do X, but they're not the person who will have to deal with the consequences – I am. I'm the person that will have to deal with the fallout of whatever choice I make, so it's my responsibility to make a claim for my life and myself.

Stake a claim for yourself.

It's my responsibility to do what's best for me, even if other people disagree with it. The questions I don't ask myself nearly enough are, “What do I want? What do I need?” So often I'm trying to do the “right” thing that I lose myself in the process. My life becomes a series of obligations and all the fun gets sucked out of it. Or even worse, what I want is so abstract that I don't know how to get there and am weighed down by others' opinions. For instance, I know I want and need to make more money, but I don't know how. This is where someone will chime in, “Edit research papers!” or “Write more articles!” and because I'm so desperate to reach my end goal of making more money, I'll say OK even if I'd rather poke out my eyes with rusty nails than do as suggested.

I wish I had a quote to throw out here but it's just my luck that today I can't find anything suitable, which is maybe for the best. Because what it really comes down to is knowing myself, making decisions that are best for me and my life. It's easy for me to follow rules, to walk along the path others have set for me. Much harder for me to make my own path, to figure out where I want to go, especially if other people disagree with my decisions. And especially if there are many options before me.

The tenets of my spiritual practice are self-realization and service to society. Self-realization means realizing the true Self, the divine, the blissful, the infinite, but I also have to believe part of that process is realizing my little self too. Not just the small things like what do I want to eat today, but what makes me come alive? What makes my soul sing? What is going to bring me closer to realizing that big Self? Both on and off the meditation cushion.

I dream of a world where we pay attention to ourselves, to what we want, to what works best for us. Not in a hedonistic free-for-all, but in a concerted, discerning way. In a way that brings us one step closer to realizing infinite bliss. A world where we make a claim for our own lives.

Another world is not only possible, it's probable.

P.S. Want to support me continuing to provide inspiring messages? Be a patron of mine. 

Living in Heaven and Hell

The other day I made a joke that one of Dante's circles of hell should be where a person repeatedly experiences minor annoyances like an ant invasion that doesn't respond to anything. The ants keep invading regardless of traps and deterrents. Maybe that circle would be for the “sin” of not returning a library book on time.

Shortly thereafter, completely unrelated, a facebook friend posted a quote from my spiritual guide who said, “There exists no such thing as heaven or hell. When a person does a virtuous act or enjoys the fruits thereof, the environment around him or her is then called heaven; and when he or she does an evil act and endures the consequences thereof, then the environment around that person becomes a hell for him or her.”

Is she in heaven? Is she in hell?

That quote struck me because I am experiencing a kind of hell. Not because I performed an evil act, but rather California is in a drought and the ants are thirsty so I really am experiencing an invasion that doesn't respond to anything. I finally relented and sprayed some Raid so the ants are not nearly as numerous as they were, but for a time, those ants made my life hell. When I think about that quote from my spiritual teacher some more, hell becomes whenever I experience something unpleasant, whenever life doesn't go my way. When I'm not having fun, when I'm not enjoying myself, life is hellish.

Conversely, when I experience something pleasant, when life goes along swimmingly and I'm having tons of fun, life is heaven. So really, what that means is heaven and hell are both of my own making. They are not a place to get to by dying – they are states of being.

I'm not sure I can convey why that excites me so much, but there's something about knowing heaven and hell are not only results of my actions, but they are within my perception, and within my current life, that I find thrilling. As I've been writing about before regarding my spiritual path, it's about the now. Experiencing bliss now. Experiencing enlightenment now, and also experiencing heaven now. It's a place we get to now, and not by forcing the world to conform to our whims, but rather changing our perception. Simple, but not easy.

Another point my spiritual teacher makes about hell is, “If one does noble deeds or sings spiritual songs in hell, it is the bounden duty of the Lord of hell to be there, too, and thus it automatically ceases to be a hell.”

I think his point is if we constantly remember God, any place becomes heaven because God is with us there too. And the more that I contemplate my Creator, the more blissed out I feel, the more heaven I experience.

I dream of a world where we don't wait to live in heaven. A world where we bring heaven to us in the here and now by remembering the source of infinite bliss. A world where we seek to transform even the most fiery hell into a sparkling heaven because we realize we live in both and it's up to us to decide which one we'd rather experience.

Another world is not only possible, it's probable.

P.S. Want to support me continuing to provide inspiring messages? Be a patron of mine. 

Creating a World We Wish to See

After writing my post last week, "The Role of the Artist (and Writer)," I was inspired to do something. Why not create a world where artists and writers are supported for the work they do? To that end, I started a Patreon campaign. I created a video to explain a little more:

If you're more of a reader, a Patreon campaign is kind of like kickstarter, but instead of raising money for one big project, it's support on a continuous level. By contributing, you are not only supporting me, you are supporting you. You are supporting yourself because I do not create art for art's sake -- I create art for service and blessedness. I create to inspire, to encourage, and to uplift. Not myself, but you.

By contributing to my Patreon campaign you are valuing your own spiritual growth and progress because my job as an artist and writer is to bridge the finite and infinite, the mundane and the transcendental. By contributing to my Patreon campaign you are saying, "Yes, I want more of that. Yes, that's important to me."

The money itself doesn't matter so much. I mean, of course I could use a few extra dollars in my pocket, but mostly what's important to me is creating a world we wish to see. A world we want to live in. So often we lament the state of the world today and long for a better future. By contributing to my Patreon campaign, in a small way we can create a society that values and supports its artists. A world where artists are allowed to continue to create because they have the backing of their community.

I realize not everyone is flush with cash, and that's fine; there's no minimum to contribute -- even $3 a month would make a difference. And perhaps you know someone else who would also support this message and what we're trying to accomplish here. It is only together that we will create a world we wish to see.

Another world is not only possible, it's probable.

The Role of the Artist (and Writer)

On Wednesday, I had a full-on meltdown. I'm talking lying on the floor while tears streamed down my cheeks. What precipitated the meltdown was feeling like I'm not fully utilizing my talents, and at the same time unclear what precisely that means. What am I doing with my life and how can I make money doing what I love? Add in a dose of doubt that my dreams are even possible, and you have a synthesis of my breakdown.

I think primarily I'm struggling against making art and making money. The age-old conundrum. My spiritual teacher says it's the duty of society to support its artists because artists are pioneers. “If those who are the pioneers of society ... if they are forced to starve or half-starve, this will certainly not be to the credit of human society. It is unthinkable that these creative geniuses should curse their own fate.”

Artists and writers have an important role to play.

What I love is that my spiritual teacher values artists. He calls us pioneers because, and this is important, he is against art for art's sake and rather sees artists as accomplishing something greater than that. I think there's a time and a place for art for art's sake. For instance, sometimes I draw pictures because I need a nonverbal way of expressing myself. But I also think there's a difference between creative expression and art for public consumption. The slogan my teacher advocates for instead is art for service and blessedness.

My spiritual guide is primarily concerned with spiritual growth and he sees art as one mechanism for aiding that growth. He says literature in particular is “that which moves together with the society, which leads society towards true fulfillment and welfare by providing the inspiration for service.” Art is not just about showcasing what's inside my own head, but a way to spur people forward, to inspire, to encourage, and to hopefully put people in touch with something greater than themselves.

In a sort of call to arms he writes, “People seek deliverance from the whirlpools of darkness; they aspire to illuminate their lives and minds with ever-new light. In all their actions, in all their feelings, there is an inherent tendency to move forward; therefore, if at all they are to be offered something, the creator of art cannot remain idle or inert.”

I could go on, indeed, there are 37 other pages I could quote, but I guess what I'm saying here is even if I never write a bestselling book, even if I never have 10,000 followers, I have an important role to play. I am here to link the finite and the infinite, the mundane and the transcendental because that is my role as an artist.

I dream of a world where artists are treasured. A world where they practice art for service and blessedness because they're not constantly concerned about how to keep the lights on. A world where artists are allowed to fulfill the role they are meant to, which is to link the finite and the infinite, the mundane and the transcendental.

Another world is not only possible, it's probable.

The Cosmic Magician

Lately I've been humbled and in awe of the magic, the mystery, and the surprise of life. So often I think I know how things will play out and I'm being shown, yet again, I have no idea. This has come up especially in regard to people.

I met someone in December 2013 who I liked right off the bat and had high hopes for his involvement with my yoga and meditation community. He seemed so keen and enthusiastic. He came to our newly formed group meditation a few times consecutively and then stopped. I wrote him off, never expecting to see him again except on facebook. Someone else in the group said, “Well, that's the last time we'll see that guy again.” But it wasn't. About a year later, “that guy” surprised us by coming around again. He's shown himself to be a dedicated member of my community, and much to my surprise, he's a dear friend and an important person in my life. Go figure.

We are all working with a comic magician.

Similarly, three years ago I connected with someone and felt affection for him right away. We hung out a few times and then I didn't hear much from him again. I assumed he would be a peripheral friend, someone I'd invite to a party, but nothing more. Color me shocked when he called me up last week to catch up and reconnect. That's not how I was expecting things to play out. And that's the point – I never know how things will play out. I throw myself into a tizzy thinking about the future because I'm absolutely sure I know what will happen. If I'm not friends with you now, I won't be friends with you later. If I'm single now, I'll be single forever. If I'm in debt now, I'll be in debt forever. It's a small thing, but these two men remind me I have no freaking clue what the future holds and also demonstrate to me someone else is in charge here.

Indian-American economist, author, and professor Ravi Batra wrote a book in the late 80s that became a number one New York Times bestseller. He attributed his success to the “cosmic magician.” I love that. It certainly seems that way when something unexpected and amazing happens like writing a runaway bestseller when all your previous books weren't as successful. Thinking of the cosmic magician reminds me amazing and magical things can happen and they're not up to me. I'm not the one responsible for outcomes, or the fruits of my labor, if you will. Not just with writing, but with everything.

My spiritual teacher says, “Behind this world's creation, there is a cosmic magician who has created the universe and also controls it. In fact, whatever has been or shall be created is He and He alone. Those who have realized this truth attain blessedness.”

When I can remember the cosmic magician, I can relax because it means I'm not responsible for everything in my life. Some things yes. But everything? No. There are greater forces at play in the world that have absolutely nothing to do with me. Furthermore, I remind myself of what the true essence of all things is: the divine. When I do that, the whole world sparkles and life becomes magical.

I dream of a world where we remember the cosmic magician. A world where we realize there are greater forces at work than we often credit. A world where we allow ourselves to be open to whatever comes our way because we have no idea what's ahead.

Another world is not only possible, it's probable.