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Waking up. Get underneath your mental clutter to see what’s really going on.
Waking up. It’s the buzz in spiritual circles. What does it mean and why does it matter? Also, what are we waking up from? The answers to these questions are not always easy to hear. They may reveal deep truths about how we are living, what we are doing or not doing, saying or not saying. One thing is for sure, once we wake up it is hard to fall back asleep.
Waking up is a fancy way of describing what it feels like to get a dose of reality. Call it a whisper it your ear or a slap in the face. And when it happens there is place to hide
Waking up can be both a blessing and a curse (so be careful what you ask for.)
Wake Up From Your Dreams
Waking up can feel refreshing like when you first open your eyes in the morning. Refreshed from a good night’s sleep you wake up from your dreams and have to reorient yourself for a moment. Dreams from the night before may appear foggy or unclear. As you focus your gaze around your bedroom you gain your bearings to where you are. Real life becomes clear. You see your bedroom and the sky outside the window. You are awake to reality. The dream is over.
Waking up during the day feel similar. Clarity emerges. Reality sets in. You see clearly where you are and what you are doing. You see clearly what is working and what is not.
Anyone can wake up. You don’t need to meditate or “be spiritual.” In fact, oftentimes the less you try to wake up the more you will.
Are you ready?
First warning: waking up from a dream about what is real and true will expose the good, the bad and the ugly. It can be, and often is, an “oh shit” moment. In other words, it will rip you open and expose every nook and cranny in your heart and mind needing some airing out.
On the other hand, sometimes it’s easier to stay in the dark, under the covers and asleep.
Staying Asleep
Hiding from reality is easy. We do it all the time by remaining stuck in unconscious belief systems, unhealthy emotional habits and mental clutter. Staying asleep is not so bad until you wake up.
Second warning: knowing how you stay asleep may trigger an “ah-ha” moment or two. If you aren’t ready to do this, read no further. Go back to scrolling Facebook or playing Candy Crush.
If you’re ready (or think you’re ready) to wake up to what is really happening then let’s take a look around. As I write about in my book, On The Verge, there are a few obvious ways you may be manipulating life in order to stay asleep.
- Force: Forcing is your tendency to manipulate people and situations in order to make outcomes shift in your favor.
- Fix: Fixing is your tendency to try to make situations better or make people behave so that you are not uncomfortable or inconvenienced.
- Flee: Fleeing is your tendency to avoid or ignore uncomfortable and unpleasant situations or people.
How do you force, fix or flee? Who are you forcing, fixing, or fleeing from? How are staying asleep from life as it is in this very moment? Listen to this episode for more examples and prompts.
Settle Down. Get Clear.
Get super clear about your tendency to force, fix and flee and the light bulbs will turn on to other places you are still asleep to reality. While it may not be easy to see how you’re trying to manipulate life, it is liberating. Scratch that. It is beyond liberating.
Waking up is ultimately a blessing.
If you’re committed to getting real then simply get curious. Look at your actions, the words you’re using, and the thoughts that are running through your mind. In other words, wake up from the noise and clutter of your busy mind and look at life, just as it is. Becoming stable, steady and clear is a good place to start.
Here are some quick tips on how to get started. Check out this episode for more.
- Slow Down: Stabilize the nervous system will help untangle the mental knots
- Be Quiet: Turn off the noisemakers to settle the mental chatter
- Get Curious: Ask the question and investigate what is happening here.
Get stable, steady and clear you will eventually see the truth. Waking up is a lifetime of investigation and there is no end to what you’ll discover.
Mentions and More
Related episodes:
- #88: Can you Handle the Truth?
- #43: Force, Fix, Flee
Resources:
- Scott and Nancy McBride www.clearlightmeditation.org
- Adyashanti www.adyashant.com
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For more on my teachings read On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine
