We spend most of our time dealing with tangible reality. Our bodily needs, the tasks we have agreed to do, the dependents that need care.
simultaneously, all the time, all around us, is the unseen world. The intangible yet true.
The broad expanses of experience that we feel inside of us.
The connections that we have between us that are not physical, but so important.
The knowingness that something is right for us, or wrong.
Part of this is subtle cues, body language, and patterns from past experiences.
And for those of you that are more logical, that is often enough.
For myself, it has always felt like there was more to it. It began for me in the forest. Different areas felt different, depending on what animals lived there, and what the mix of plants and trees was. Later in life, walking into people's homes, I would get hits of feeling-tones (kind of like a soft wind made of energy that can be different emotional temperatures and types).
Most of us have had that experience- walking into a room and knowing that something was off, or that it was particularly good.
If there is one thing we can all agree on, it is that people come in a wide variety. We are individuals. We have different gifts and burdens, strengths and weaknesses.
Sometimes, well actually more often than not, those gifts and burdens are two sides of the same coin.
For those of us that are more sensitive to the unseen world, life can be overwhelming. Crowds and noise can feel like we are being overrun. And, when I am in calmer environments, I am able to tune in to these sensations and they help me navigate more kindly and effectively. This sensitivity to the human condition is what makes me a good teacher.
And what I want to teach you today is about perception and time.
Time is unseen. Time has a huge effect on our lives.
Not having enough time is one of the top three things people say causes them stress. We feel like a victim of time. We feel like our responsibilities steal time from us. We never have enough time.
Let's take a look at that.
Let's think of time as an ocean with different zones.
On the surface, the waves are choppy and time goes fast. There are lots of different things happening in different directions.
This is the tangible world. School pick-ups, grocery shopping, business deadlines, and fitting in self-care.
(imagine this next bit in a calm, lower voice)
Underneath that surface frenzy, all the time in the world is resting.
Even at your most busy, if you take just one deep breath and drop in, stillness is waiting.
This is a different, deeper zone.
It's calm, steady, and unhurried.
And here is my favorite part- you don't have to change your outer behavior or reorganize your calendar to access this feeling. It's not out there. It's inside of you. You can find it at stoplights. In lines. While you are typing.
You can change your relationship to time.
It won't make you move slower or get less done.
It will help you feel more steady and less frantic while you do it.
When you feel pressured, like you don't have enough time. stop.
Just for a breath or two.
Try this simple breathing exercise.
Visualize dropping below any turbulence into the calm stillness that is always there for you.
It's unseen and can support you.
Sending love,
Sarah