Are You Open or Closed?
Many of us go through the universe wearing CLOSED signs around our necks. Without consciously choosing to do so, we have shut down the part of us that is truly present to our own lives. We are physically there, but emotionally and/or spiritually we are not.
If you are in the company of such a person, it is often obvious. These people may talk about themselves without ever being truly interested in hearing about your life in return. Oh, they may ask about you, but the minute you begin to answer you can tell from the glazed look or outward focused attention that they have just stepped out of the energetic space of the conversation.
If you are the one who steps out, you may find yourself interrupting the person you are talking to, or thinking about your own stuff while they are talking–listening to them only in the context of you. This quality of fake attention is easy to spot.
Why is this important and how does it connect to your writing? Simply this way: If you are not present to the people who are standing physically in your life, then it is hard to be present to a force that you cannot see, that is not physically manifest. I’m talking about your inner wisdom. Inner wisdom speaks with a quiet voice much of the time—a twinge of unease in the gut, a knowingness that floats by when you are in the shower. It’s easily lost in the snow of daily life.
To become attuned to the wise part of you requires that you pay attention, that you pull your focus out of your fear and ego, and tune in. Learning to do this is delicious. Who wouldn’t want an inside advisor? Accessible peace? Daily wisdom?
Such a connection demands, however, that we clear the line. Reduce the demands on our time and turn off some or all of our electronic tethers some or all of the time. And most of all, it demands that we show up in our own lives. Even if at first all we do is talk.
