I tried to write something last week, I really did. Actually sat down a few times and got some progress in a couple of posts, but I was unable to finish them and eventually decided to focus my attention on other things. I still did my service, had fun and did some intense exploration anyway, so it wasn't lost time. Strange, though, how easy it is to fall into the pattern of lashing ourselves for not being "productive". Part of me regards Hive as a sort of job, and that part experiences guilt when I don't write. The truth is this place isn't a duty and it never should be, it's just one of many channels through which I can express myself and fulfill my purpose.
Duty. What a tough thing. In Hinduism, there's a concept called Dharma which roughly translate to that, but it's more complex. Dharma isn't just about doing the things we must, but about pursuing our inner truth, finding and exercising our will upon this world. In this sense, it's as much about desire as it is about responsibility. When we live in accordance to our Dharma, we don't toil or feel pressured to produce some result based on a set of guidelines, the point is to be present for our lives, to exist fully and thus share that fullness with others. Living this way is a source of pleasure.
But what's our will upon this world? Now that's a pickle, isn't it? It should be synonymous to want, right? Well, not exactly. We often don't get what we want, we have expectations on how things should work, how events should take place, but life disappoints these expectations on a regular basis. So how can we exercise our will fully and not get what we want? Once again, we can look to mystical traditions and philosophies for enlightenment on this matter. Take Buddhism and its warning on desire as the cause of suffering, for instance. In this context, desire is more akin to lust or greed, a wish to exert control over our environment and other people, to gain something from them whether we need it or not. Desiring is the same as refusing to accept things as they are, trying to force a change in circumstances, which feeds the cycle of expectation and disappointment, hence causing us to suffer because we can never get what we want. Or rather, what we think we want.
What we truly want isn't a construct of our minds, but a need of our heart and spirit. If we want courage, then we must face our fears. If we want prosperity, then we must relieve ourselves from the patterns of scarcity. If we want freedom, we must break away from self-oppression. We can only exercise our true will by acknowledging the limitations that block our path, and when we do this, we can align our desire with any situation, like a swimmer using the existing currents and tides to move forward. It's futile to try and impose our wishes upon the Universe for no matter how strong, no swimmer can win against the power of river or sea. Thus, Dharma is conducting our affairs in attunement with the ways of the world, becoming one with the water and using that impulse to our benefit.
The Japanese have a beautiful concept called Ikigai, very close to purpose and Dharma. Ikigai is the state that we can reach when we are doing a) what we love to do b) what we're good at c) what we can be paid for and d) what the world requires. The best servants are those who don't have to be compelled to serve but willingly submit to service. And service can take any shape at any given time. For me, it's doing my Rune readings and creating my content on social media, including posts like this one; showing up for people, keeping my silence and listening to them; meditating so that I can increase my understanding and inner peace; maintaining the vibration of my house; being kind to acquaintances and strangers equally; being respectful to all forms of life; paying close attention to my thoughts, words and actions; expressing gratitude regularly, vocally if necessary. All of these things improve not only the quality of my living experience but also that of everyone with whom I come into contact.
I'm engaging a lot more with pleasure lately. In fact, after last week's Biodanza session, dedicated to Fear, I suggested that very topic for this week's session, and it's been a guiding thread for the past few days. The presence of strong, beautiful, wise and majestic women in my life is increasing, and I'm also meeting more honest men ready to embrace vulnerability; my dreams have been filled with images of abundance and wealth; I'm connecting with my body and my creativity more and more; both games and social interactions are getting far more frequent. All of this makes me feel blessed, and that blessing spreads everywhere I go. Yesterday, I attended my first ever cacao ceremony and it was quite revealing in subtle but mighty ways. To me, this is Dharma and Ikigai, a clear coherence between my sincere desires, my duty and my enjoyment.
I choose to submit and, in so doing, I gain a previously unimaginable power to manifest the reality that I truly want to live in.
