I dreamed of a sinkhole the size of a lake opening up in front of my car, leaving no way to get around it. It wasn’t at all clear what I should do. It never is when you’re confronted with a mammoth-sized crisis – which is exactly what’s happening in my waking life.
When one is in the middle of mayhem, it’s easy to feel helpless. Nevertheless, one must put on her big-girl panties and deal with the business at hand. When she does, she may discover a secret hiding in the darkness.
Being forced to deal with an enormous problem is a crash-course in mindfulness. The sheer size of the obstacle obstructs my view so that I am unable to notice anything else. That which would normally distract or annoy me – the traffic, the dishes left in the sink….has no power. I am here. Now.
Here, in this very moment, is where peace resides. Not in the future or the past. Even if the present looks like a monster looming, it’s only an illusion. There’s no need to escape – only to be still – so that the moment can show you what it has to offer.
In the past, I’ve tried to practice mindfulness but failed to achieve even a remote amount of satisfaction in the effort. Effort is exactly where it goes wrong, I’ve discovered. You can’t compel yourself into the present moment. You have to allow the moment to capture you.
One doesn’t arrive at this place without having to surrender. You cannot be both grasping and letting go simultaneously. If it takes a crisis to help you release into the now, welcome it. Drop your worries like hot potatoes. When you do, you will see that all is well. Truly.
Eventually, life will begin to look friendly, even in its ugliness, and you will see that there is a place beyond previous perception – a place where you can’t help but become more than you were.
Chaos & Clarity 