overacupofcoffee
Peel the Layers
Peel the layers
The inspiration from this topic came from Rumi’s quote “show me anger and I will show you hurt. Show me hurt and I will show you love. Peel the layers if you care”.
Such a wonderful thought - “peel the layers”. Lot of psychology is based on this too and lot of inner work gurus do is to get away from the layers and identify the core.
I had a spiritual experience yesterday in something as simple as fireworks. Though they were the biggest firework happening this year (2021) in Nashville. First few minutes were ‘normal’. We all were in awe and appreciated it and thought they ended. But fireworks continued. So the next few minutes for me were to burst away all negativities - criticism, judgement, too much advising, body shaming etc. and I thought the fireworks were over.
But it continued! So next time was to bring in all the positivity. Blessings, showers of grace, gratitude, happiness, achievement, family …the list goes on on all. All bursting with energy! And the fireworks were over.
Not yet. So next phase we are done with both positive and negative. So only Krushna (God) remains. And the next set was all forms of Him. Everywhere. Omnipresent. Omnipotent. Omniscient.
The fireworks still continued. Now we are down to nothing. Just energy. Bubbling and vibrant. Untainted. Pure.
The fireworks show helped me peel the layers. Next time I feel an emotion, I am going to go deep into what led it and what is the layer behind it.
How have you been peeling the layers?
Layer after layer
Needs to be peeled
To get to the essence
A new discovery
With each layer
The journey is long
And tedious
But worth it
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The credit of this poem goes to the Art of Silence retreat at Boone, North Carolina by Art of Living Foundation. It was amazing! The picture and poem capture the connection I felt with the universe.
In Silence
I am
with myself
Attentive and
Aware
Watching my thoughts
and letting them go
In Silence
I am
with my Self
This topic was inspired by a book I read “The Secret life of bees” by Sue Monk Kidd. In the book one of the characters dies and the family starts falling into the trap of guilt. “If only I had done this, he would still be here”, was the common refrain. This in turn reminded me of the death of a close family friend. The husband was in the bathroom when he got a massive heart attack. Unfortunately, he passed away at a young age of 45. The wife took the blame and guilt stating if I she had checked on him quicker he may be alive.
It’s sad to watch how we succumb to guilt and blame game. Somehow we always find a reason for it. It can be simple things, if I had only exercised I would not be this fat or more complex emotions if I had only trusted him more, we would have a lovable relationship. Blame and guilt follow us everywhere.
I notice blame and guilt are over the past events. And I think the root cause is the lack of acceptance of the event, the thing or the person.
Now I don’t like myself fat so I blame my non-exercise routine. Most of the times blame and guilt pull us down instead of giving us the courage to do something about it. I am fat and I am sure if I exercise I will lose these extra pounds. That power, courage and conviction is not seen in the blame and guilt game.
People can also use blame and guilt game on us. I think it’s the manifestation of fear. I am afraid you will leave me so I use the blame/ guilt game to hold on to you. Fear – one more downer.
It’s on us to realize that blame and guilt games are not fun to play. We should rather play acceptance and courage games. Let me forgive my and everybody else’s mistakes. Let me accept today’s reality. Let me find the courage to tread forward.
I waited
But you didn’t show up
I start playing
The blame game
I lied
On my whereabouts
I am now
In the guilt game
Why?
I ask
Break the shackles
He says
Let compassion overrule blame
Let acceptance overrule guilt
Let courage forge
Now, I play
The compassion game
The acceptance game
The courage game
This topic is inspired by an avid biker, blogger and author Alastair Humphreys (www.alastairhumphreys.com) who has written this book called Microadventure. The author has an interesting concept. He says 9-5 we are at work but 5-9 is for ourselves. In this 5-9 time lets enjoy some micro adventures. On his website he gives various ideas on how we can create our own micro adventures. Its sure worth a read.
I got introduced to his author by my friend and colleague Mike Dits. This young man has decided to cycle around the world and learn about renewable energy. He quit his well-paying job and decided to pursue his dream. He is on a world adventure!! Follow his adventures at www.renewride.com
For some people adventures are big and bold – like Mike and my brother. With my brother, I remember him climbing on the first floor with his bare hands, jumping in the ocean to swim, riding his motorcycle for 60 days and walking miles to reach new cities. Just yesterday he was talking about earning money or winning a lottery to be one of the people who can go to space. I on the other hand have always played it simple. When I was a kid, I had a game called “going on adventures”. I and my friends would go to places that were not very safe to visit. We went on construction sites, climbed up trees and tried to explore new roads. I don’t think I can ever be the full-blown adrenalin or adventure junkie. I think the 5-9 microadventure is an awesome concept developed just for me!
For all the complaints I have with time, I do have 5-9 and I do have weekends. So what can I do in this 5-9 that makes me feel more alive and adventurous. For me, the 5-9 micro adventure doesn’t just mean going hiking or swimming. Its micro vacations, micro spiritual pursuits, micro health pursuits, micro knowledge ventures or even micro experiments. A micro vacation for me is taking a walk. Micro spiritual pursuits are practicing gratitude or mindfulness. Micro health pursuits are 40 days of Tai Chi and micro knowledge venture is reading book and taking courses to improve my writing. I consider all of it that helps me feel more alive.
It also reminds me that I need to treat the 5-9 time with respect and not simply that I am done for the day and now I should watch TV and relax. The attitude change itself has done wonders. Currently my micro-experiments are experimenting different cooking and cleaning up ‘Marie Condo’ style implying really giving away things I haven’t used.
The crux is how can I have some fun micro adventures to feel more alive! What is on your 5-9 micro adventure list?
5-9
The gift of time
Unacknowledged
And undiscovered
5-9
That’s my time
To live
The way I want to
5-9
Adventures and experiments
Fun and freedom
Experiencing and celebrating life