Thursday, April 10, 2008

Daily Om: Let Yourself Be Carried


Today's Daily Om expresses something that feels right to me. Some thoughts below.

Let Yourself Be Carried
The Flow of the Universe

The flow of the universe moves through everything. It is in the rocks that form, get pounded into dust, and are blown away. It is in the blossoming of a flower born from a seed planted in the spring. The growth cycle that every human being goes through is part of this natural flow, which is also the current that takes us down life’s paths. When we move with it rather than resisting it, we are riding on the universal wave that allows us to flow with life.

Many people live struggling against this current. They try to use force or resistance to will their lives into happening in the way they think it should. Others move with it like a sailor using the wind, trusting that the universe is taking them exactly where they need to be at all times. This flow is accessible to everyone because it travels through and around us. We are always riding it—it is just a matter of whether we are willing to go with it or we resist it. Choosing to go with the flow is often a matter of relinquishing the notion that we need to be in control at all times.

The flow is always transporting you where you need to go. It is merely a question of deciding whether you plan on accepting the ride or having it take you there with your feet dragging. Learning to step into it can help you feel a connection to a force that is greater than you and is always there to support you. The decision to go with the flow takes courage because you are surrendering the belief that you need to do everything by yourself. Riding the flow of the universe can be effortless, exhilarating, and unlike anything you ever expected. When you are receptive to being in it, you open yourself to possibilities that exist beyond the grasp of your control.

As a child, you were naturally swept by the flow. Tears of sadness falling down your face could just as quickly turn to tears of laughter. The mere tiniest wave carrying you forward off the shores of the ocean could transport you into peals of delight.

Our souls feel good when we go with the flow of the universe. All we have to do is make the choice to ride its currents.

Panpsychism is the view that the whole universe is an organism that possesses a mind. I believe this to some extent, though how we define mind becomes problematic.

If there is such a thing as a "God," in my view it is this "universal mind," what Ken Wilber calls the Kosmos.

The philosopher Ken Wilber uses the term kosmos to refer to all of manifest existence, including various realms of consciousness. The term kosmos so used distinguishes a nondual Universe (which, in his view, includes both noetic and physical aspects) from the strictly physical Universe that is the concern of the traditional sciences.

The purpose of my life, as near as I can tell, is to align myself with the flow of the Kosmos, to try not pushing the river up the hill. When I am in this flow, my life feels easy and complete. When I am fighting it, I get depressed and lose energy.

A post from earlier this morning suggests ways that we can align ourselves with this flow, which essentially comes down to being present in the moment.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

William,

This post was especially meaningful for me today. I wanted to express my gratitude for your work. It's truly inspiring.