Be vs. Do

I think today’s world inflicts a heaviness on the human experience that is unique to the time that we are living in. With constant access to news/social media it has become increasingly difficult to avoid doomsday headlines, fear mongering, and hatred. Even if you are able to put systems in place to selectively edit the information you’re taking in, your work is often undone when the next person you meet has just read some sort of depressing/anxiety provoking story or headline. Further, It feels fashionable to always be upset about something and if a person is not, either their intellect or morals are often brought into question. It’s now remarkable to meet someone cruising through life with any sort of optimism or sustained positivity. 

I think developing a connection to something greater is the only solution to navigating the challenges presented by the modern world. When an individual is feeling connected several things happen - first is that it becomes easier to access joy and easier to look at life through a lens of beauty and lightness. Second, along with a greater feeling of connectedness often comes the ability to be fully present. Folks who spend time in silence/prayer/contemplation are better able to neutralize distractions and actually BE where they are. Finally, when feeling connected, an individual senses that their mind and body are taking instruction from God/Source/Self - feeling more like a “hollow bone” than a manic little animal trying to gain as much control over life as possible. 

The question then is how does an individual begin to increase their feeling of connectedness? As suggested in previous posts, I think carving out time for stillness is the first step. Until a person slows down and attempts to just BE as opposed to DO, nothing will change - life will remain an endless pursuit of comfort, pleasure, and increased status, all empty and depressing in the long run. 

The essence of joy is in BEING.