“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other”
doesn’t make any sense.
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.”
~ Rumi
From the time we are born we are exposed to a plethora of choices, most of which are in extremes. You are either a good child or a bad one. You either pass or fail.
Duality is tagged normal. And with this duality we are dillusioned with Career or Passion, Materialism or Minimalism, Science or Spirituality, Beautiful or Ugly, Life or Death. In these choices the weight is completely on one side. Ultimately leaving us choiceless. Never realising that we are going off balance, one day we trip. We never really question our choices. We never stop and ask ourselves, why am I doing this? Why am I indulging in materialism? What is my definition of beauty? Why do I fear death so much?
For example, I work in a multinational company. My peers have a particular lifestyle and working with them I am forced to follow their lead, wear branded clothes, use iPhone and party every weekend. Although I do not feel like doing any of these, nor do I derive joy by living this lifestyle. But, I feel I’m in the vicious cycle and I fear being an outcast. Can I once and for all stop and question myself, “what are the drivers of your actions?” Is it fun & joy or peer pressure and fear of missing out?
Your answers will guide you if your soul needs a shift in the path or the time has not yet come.
The important question here is how can we break this loop? How can we make choices to live a life of balance?
How can we stay in alignment with our soul voice?
The answer lies in the concept of Middle Way.
The expression “middle way” refers to the Buddhist understanding of practical life, avoiding the extremes of self-denial and self-indulgence, as well as the view of reality that avoids the extreme positions of eternalism and annihilationism.
How can we practice the Middle Way:
- Connecting with nature – the river, the sea, the mountains, the sky, the tree – talk to the spirit of nature. Nature will guide you. Nature is always in balance.
- Balance The 5 Elements – Earth, Space, Air, Fire, Water – both our inside and outside is made of the 5 elements. Becoming aware of how are these elements working in our life and working towards balancing each with help in living a balanced life.
- Living in the present moment by moment to moment bringing our awareness to the 5 senses outside and inside. The outside senses are all known to us. The internal 5 senses are also known as Intuitive senses or Clairs. Practice listening to your intuition frequently.
