Alternation is a natural rhythm that is woven into the
fabric of life on this planet. We go
back and forth between day and night and the seasons of the year. By tuning into and aligning ourselves with
alternation, we can come into deeper harmony with life. When alternation is not naturally present, by
creating it, we bring our lives into greater balance
Consciously alternating between doing and nondoing is a very
powerful lifestyle practice. It can free us from
attachments and habits and transform the quality of our experience.
In our society, with its outside-in orientation, doing and achieving are generally valued more highly than
nondoing and being. We are constantly in
motion, trying to make things happen the way we want them to happen. We become human doings, identifying with our
accomplishments rather our state of being.
This approach is very stressful. We put ourselves under continual pressure to
perform. This self-imposed pressure
often leads to erratic performance, not to mention unhappiness.
The antidote for this is to take frequent breaks from
activity. Be still for a moment and
check in with yourself. If there is an
accumulation of stress in your body/mind, let yourself feel that for a
moment. Notice what is without judging
or resisting. Then, put your attention
on the one who is noticing. Take a
moment or two to relax into yourself, feeling that sense of peaceful awareness
that’s always present, just waiting for you to slow down enough to notice it
once again.
When you resume activity, the movement will come from a very
different place than before. It will
tend to be effortless and natural, perhaps even joyful. The stress that comes from pushing yourself will
be gone.
In my next blog, I’ll have more say about the benefits of
this lifestyle practice and how to make it a regular part of your life.
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