Be with What Is
How’s the waning moon of late January treating you? Are you feeling S.A.D. — Season Affective Disorder — stuck, low-energy, riddled with petty anxieties, or just generally disappointed with all the grand intentions you set a month ago that don’t seem to be blasting off as you’d hoped?
You’re not alone in feeling this way — it’s not just you. Last week we hit the day of the year that statistically has the highest suicide rate. We’ve also entered the New Year’s Resolution Crash Phase (where all the big plans you launched with great energy and fanfare first show signs of losing steam). I can’t help but note that this corresponded with the first Full Moon of the New Year, as well.
It seems like everyone I’ve talked to this week has complained of some kind of ennui — the high energy of the Holidays has passed; it’s winter, it’s cold, it’s January.
Creative entrepreneurs talk about manifesting ambitious projects for the New Year and their intentions coming home to roost.
Students are back in school with a new course load — papers are already due; they’re already cramming for tests again…
My most recent clients have requested readings with questions focused on “feeling stuck.” A lot of you are telling me your Prologue was promising, your First Chapter set the tone for a real Page-turner. Your spirit guides introduced you to a First Step — you eagerly responded and engaged…
Now what?
How to get to Chapter Two? How do push toward the Next Step? How do you keep the momentum going? Well, you might choose to stop pushing; but also consider taking an action slightly more subtle than surrender.
Say Yes to What Is
You’re looking for a new job. You’re ready to work. You’re eager for the next wave of clients. What do you do when the opportunities aren’t flooding in yet?
A lack of work = an abundance of time.
You know that a lack of gratitude for your current situation will kill your power to manifest. You know that focusing on what you lack will only attract more of it.
Instead of saying No to the fear of what’s missing, say Yes to what is. When you’re frantic and manically engaged, you have a list of things you can’t get to because you’re too busy. When it’s all you can do to just maintain and manage your “normal” schedule, you dream of the extra time to work on new projects. Or you tell yourself you’ll get to that tax preparation or end of the year paperwork when things calm down.
Now is when things tend to calm down.
When you set intentions, make big plans, hire the Muses left and right, and send Invoices to the Universe for big ticket items it’s highly probable that the first thing you’ll get is a Work Order. When you pray for starting a grand new project or ask to discover a new course along your path, you’re asking for work. If you’re busy, bless it…
You do get what you wish for.
I did a reading for a client who has recently discovered her path and purpose as a healer. At the New Year, she asked her guides for new learning opportunities. She was rewarded with an invitation from a friend to attend a Reiki course; she was blown away by her natural ability in this field. Books that really resonated with her and the new journey she’s begun seemed to tumble off the shelves at her feet.
Her New Year’s energies launched like a rocket and then seemed to level off. She had the expectation that this pace would continue and felt a little panicked when the activity seemed to quickly die away. The wind left her sails. She felt that her guides were insisting that she learn something here and now before she could continue. That she had been placed in a kind of “holding pattern.” She even felt physically ill.
Her expectations were to receive an outline of future courses of study; but what she found herself in was a moment with a huge amount of stuff to unravel and absorb first. She just came home with arm-loads of promising information, an introduction to a healing modality that shows a lot of promise, and a new group of people to assist her, to participate with her, to teach her.
Her communication with her spirit guides was successful — they totally delivered. They didn’t deliver her to the Finish Line of her future, they delivered her to Square One. When she didn’t hear what Step Two and Step Three are going to be, she responded in fear — she said No to the lack of forward motion.
She realized what she most needed to do was say Yes to the holding pattern — the opportunity, the information, and most importantly the time and space to process and work through this first enormous package of possibility.
The moon doesn’t wax indefinitely.
The motions of the ocean waves doesn’t create a beach by perpetual forward advancement.
Actions are most effective in the context of cycle and flow. More subtle than surrender is the simple need to pull back. Rest.
Sickness. Lack of energy. The doldrums on the river. If you don’t make the conscious decision to rest, to maintain, to process, your physical body will decide for you.
If you feel grounded, if you find yourself in a holding pattern, there’s probably a very good reason why you aren’t meant to fly right now. Instead of saying “No! Why can’t I be cleared for take off?” Say yes to refueling and preparation.
Pausing is not necessarily a block or a dead end.
Sometimes Going with the Flow means moving backwards or swirling in an eddy or going round a bend or taking a detour.
Cruise control is not about acceleration and getting there faster, it’s about moving forward with conserved energy. Say Yes to maintaining.
If you set out on a steep hike and hit a plateau, say yes to walking for awhile — climbing right now is not required.
What can you simply maintain that would normally be set aside to make way for great change? Aren’t there plenty of things that need your attention that don’t need great creativity, that don’t require a revolution? Sometimes, indeed, the best course of action is doing nothing; but more often times than not, the best course of action is just doing a little less.
- Give your Muse the day off while you catch up on laundry.
- Put away Chapter Two of that book you started writing and work on your taxes.
- While you’re waiting for the phone to ring, say yes to the quiet.
- If you’re single right now, say yes to being alone and schedule a date with your inner artist.
- If you feel a little sick right now, say yes to spending the day on the couch with the remote control.
Say yes to resting, to waiting, to pausing, to processing, to preparing, to playing. Say yes to feeling sad, say yes to goodbyes.
Say yes to tomorrow instead of saying no to this low day.
When the day tells you it doesn’t want to be seized, grab a pillow and put on your sweat pants and be with what is. Planting seeds is Step One — Step Two is not Harvest time… You are eminently worth; all things pass.
All is as it should be. It’s OK.
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30 Responses to “Be with What Is”
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Fantastic post, Slade! I agree that when “nothing’s happening” there’s probably a good reason. Sometimes I feel (like this week … gee, what a coincidence!) like everything is on a cosmic hold. Behind the scenes, things are percolating. But all that is being brewed up by the Universe isn’t quite ready yet. Or maybe I’m the one who isn’t ready …
I learned back when I was self-employed as a massage therapist that the best thing to do in the absence of work is to take the day off, go see a movie in the middle of the day, and enjoy myself.
Sometimes we’re inspired to do nothing at all. The absence of inspiration is still inspiration, right?
Haha, Slade I love that you used me for an example. Especially since you were so right. I’ve slowed, I’ve stopped and starting listening. Its amazing how subtle my “support group” is, but they’re always there. And now that I’ve actually stopped pushing and worrying over it, things are flowing so much nicer. I can feel them so much more now, even as I type.
You were right Slade. Just stop pushing, expand on what you have, take the time to listen. Patience is a virtue I have slowly learned to aqcuire- and trust me- that isnt’ any easy feat. But it can pay off, Big Time :- )
My body really needed that slow down time, and now that I’ve given it to it, I feel Amazing
Thanks, Andrea!
“Nothing’s happening” = “Something’s percolating” — that’s a great way to step back from an attachment to a specific expectation and start investigating and evaluating what’s really going on.
I’d imagine that when you say to yourself “Nothing’s happening” you have a real specific idea of what that “nothing” is. Something’s happening — so what is that something and how can I follow it and make use of it..
I would have to say that one of the greatest blessings that comes with being self-employed is the power to follow these personal energy cycles.
Angel,
Thanks for acknowledging your example and for blessing my sharing it. You really represent so many of us, right now…
I’m really happy that you transformed the energies you’ve been given. You know, it occurs to me after-the-fact, that as a Healer in Training, the illness you experienced could be a teacher on a lot of levels.
Keep in mind that people may be coming to you one day feeling that same kind of energy blockage — you can refer to how you personally worked through that experience and empathize — an absolute MUST in healing others.
You’re exactly where you need to be right now, girl, work with it!
:-)
An excellent post, Slade, I’ve already sent it on to one of my clients. Not that it doesn’t apply to me personally also
I’ve been experiencing both physical issues in the past ten days, as well as the dreaded “ennui”. Your post, and your reply to Angela’s comment really helps to put my stuff into perspective. All in Divine Timing.
Keep up the great work there.
Blessings,
Richard
Thanks, Richard!
This week, I really felt we were all experiencing a similar energy — myself, included. I found myself responding to the same questions, from such different individuals… When I observe a convergence or parallel to this degree (off the blog, behind the screens) it’s usually a good bet that it will speak to a lot of you.
I actually had a few other posts planned, but this topic kept demanding a place in so many conversations…
Thanks for affirming that the message was well-received. That’s very encouraging to me personally.
As per normal I’m out of step with everyone else. I was feeling stuck last month. This month is off the charts - energy-wise, new opportunity-wise. I can barely keep track of all the new doors opening up.
Not that I won’t need your very wise words on the subject at some point!
Just piping in to say, yeah, me too. The message that seems to keep coming up for me this week was, *don’t push it.* As in, don’t try to make it do anything, just let it be.
Angel, I don’t know how long it has been since your Reiki class but the physical illness could also be a healing crisis bought on by the clearing that happens when you go through the Reiki class also. I think this is true with any healing modality, not just Reiki. Things, patterns come up to be healed and sometimes create illness before it leaves the body, emotional and physical fields. You work with both in doing Reiki. That is why sometimes the pain get worse before it leaves you body. Some would even say that the illness is you resisting the change brought about by the clearing. Thought I would throw out these as possibilities for you to look at.
Great post Slade! Very timely!
For the past 4 weeks or so, I have been experiencing a state of stillness–a stillness that feels alive and active, yet I don’t feel like doing any external work. It is not laziness, though. I just feel like to be myself, with myself. I feel that there is something brewing in me, ready for some breakthrough. I am just very happy to “BE.”
Looks like all of us are sharing the same energy here, as Slade pointed out!
Cheers,
-Desika
Right on, Slade - great post. Perfect for the person spinning out of control, impatiently banging their head against the wall, or the “aw, man, why isn’t it working?” voices that creep into our heads.
My favorite one is: “Sometimes Going with the Flow means moving backwards or swirling in an eddy or going round a bend or taking a detour.”
Lola,
Glad to hear things are going so well for you right now. Say Yes to whatever part of the cycle you find yourself in!
Thalia,
“Don’t push it” sums it up nicely.
Desika,
“Stillness” is a very positive name and perspective for “lack of motion” — a powerful way to say Yes.
Adam,
Thanks for pulling that line out — it’s nice to know what you specifically responded to. The “aw, man, why isn’t it working?” voices — a lot of us probably do this one and it may be the most damaging of all — beating ourselves up when we think something’s not working that very well may BE working great — we just can’t see the results we expect, or the time-frame we’re attached to…
Seems like my personal experience is that everything I work does work — and takes about twice as long as I originally projected to show itself. I’ve learned to just back off completely from the “dead line” mindset as a way to evaluate whether or not something’s working…
I thought about this a bit more last night and decided it’s as important to say *yes* to what is when much is happening as it is during slow-down or stuck periods. It’s ALL about going with the flow. Right?
And Angel, I agree with Patricia that your body could be going through a healing crisis. That *Custer’s Last Stand* that dis-ease tries to make as we’re running it out of our bodies. Wellbeing is right behind it!
Lola,
Absolutely — I agree that you must work with what’s going on, whichever end of the pendulum swing you find yourself on…
Thanks Patricia and Lola for the input : ) I know now it was bodies way of clearing out whatever negativity or unneeded “baggage” I was carrying around. I felt completey amazing after I got over it.
Wow, now I understand better why I felt so stuck last week! I was waiting for some news and waiting and waiting and waiting…finally my husband said “You’re going to have to let go and wait this one out.” And so I did until the situation resolved itself–on its own time. And sometimes, that’s what it takes.
Hi All,
This is a great post and discussion. This gave me a lot more understanding.
For some reason, my first comment did not appear immediately, so I posted again and now I see both my comments.
Thanks,
Desika
A much needed post in this day and age!
Great post.
If at first you don’t succeed, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it.
– W.C. Fields
Kidding of course! Great insightful post Slade, thank you!
Kirsten,
You bring up a good point — letting situations resolve themselves. I feel that the more conscious you are, the more you operate from a place of power, but there are some things that don’t require our control. It’s hard to be patient or to realize when a situation doesn’t need — won’t let you — help it along…
Thanks Sham!
Thanks for the quote, Michael — sums it up quite nicely, with humor.
:-)
Wow! It’s amazing how the universe or spirit guides direct us to the right place. Thank you for this post. You are right on!
Nancy
Michael - love that quote!
I just felt drawn to comment here again … I don’t know about everyone else, but Monday arrived and the energy got MOVING with a huge whoosh! All that “percolating,” and suddenly my inbox is full of interesting things, I’m booked out for the next week, and a bunch of amazing people have all come into my life at once. Last night I was sitting around wondering how to spruce up my blog and today a fellow coach and blogger called me out of the blue just to offer some of her expertise in SEO - not someone I know well, she just felt the need to call me. Even she commented on the strange sudden impulse. Talk about asking and receiving!
Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has experienced a sudden inflow of energy and manifesting this week?
Blessings,
Andrea
Nancy,
It’s pretty cool how that happens. You’re welcome!
:-)
Andrea,
I didn’t notice a shift in energy until Tuesday. I have been so busy all through January with extra work — my Readings schedule was maxed out, which I attributed to the Time of Year.
Although I have been overwhelmingly busy, I felt that it was all “maintaining” as opposed to “creating” or moving toward bigger, newer plans and goals that I had for the New Year. It may seem like an “inversion” of what I described in this post or maybe it’s another form — being incredibly busy without being productive in a way I would call ideal…
I’ve been waiting on a “break” in my everyday commitments to write and create. The change came in Tuesday night, accompanied by unbelievably powerful windstorms and tornadoes… The pace of my schedule suddenly cleared and I felt a whoosh of reinvigorated commitment to moving forward on projects.
PS - I noted a change — human-friendly display and machine-friendly code — in your permalink structure yesterday — cool!
:-)
@ Andrea,
Yes! I’ve been working on a short story that I hadn’t made progress with, but then on late Monday/early Tuesday received some fresh energy and insights into the characters, and how to bring the story back to life again.
Ahhh…. now I understand. Everything that has been moving along, sometimes seemingly out of control, stands still. I guess all the movement is the momentum that everything had and some things slowed down gradually… some things got worse! ugh! Crash! BAng! Bump…
I guess things are pretty much still…I’m a lot calmer now.
I’m going to put this on my fridge….
“You know that a lack of gratitude for your current situation will kill your power to manifest. You know that focusing on what you lack will only attract more of it. ”
Good stuff!
[…] Cast aside this absolute perspective and be with what is — work the situation you are given. That’s what you have to work with. […]
Slade:
Great article becuase it reflected exactly this “funk” I was going through last month (Jan) and part of this month (Feb). I’m happy to say I’m out of this funk but boy, it wasn’t fun feeling the way I felt. I felt stuck. Unhappy. Bewildered as to what I should do next.
But you said something powerful: Be With What Is. Very excellent suggestion. Just be with what you’ve got and keep moving. I listen to my intuition and follow gentle nudgings from within and then I try to let go. One step at a time.
Stephen,
Thanks for letting me know this was a reflection of something you were going through. I feel it helps just to know “Maybe it’s not just me.”
For me, observing the patterns that multiple people are experiencing is a good way to detach, to release, and to work with a Bigger Picture.
Hi Slade,
I just ran across your blog and saw this post. Truly inspiring stuff!
Surrendering to the moment and allowing life to flow instead of pushing against it is of vital importance. It can be easy to forget especially when you’ve got a list of stuff to do as long as your arm, but by being okay with that long list of stuff is the first step!
Thanks for sharing this great post.
Gary
Thanks, Gary!
The Art of Surrender continues to serve me more than Getting Things Done.