Everyman's Journal 2011

Everyman's Journal 2011, #28

Feb. 4

On 'adventures' today I noticed that often I get downloads (usually like quick little visions of immediate future possibilities) just the moment before I need to choose to do the thing the download is about. Like there is a dance to it... download, recognition (of the possibility), and then, choosing to go 'into action'.

Example: I'm in the game of creating a personal local health support team, and the vision I am going for is to create such a team 'on my own turf'. Explaining, these days when you go to a new health practitioner, there's a drill that most people expect to be 'processed' through.... filling out paper work mostly, and then waiting. It's usually called 'intake'. And I'm pretty sure it's intentionally been designed to all happen before you ever get to see the practitioner for a number of easily deductible business reasons. I have no problem with all the paperwork ONCE I have decided to choose the service, but I always request to meet the practitioner for at least a few minutes before I put myself in their care, or even fill out any paper work. It surprises a lot of the office staff, but once I offer a few words of explanation, it usually makes sense to them (like they'd like to do the same thing too). So they go tell the Doctor, and most times, I get back a message that he'll/she'll see me in a few minutes. When that moment happens, I just ask a few intelligent questions about their background and training and current approach. I know enough modality distinctions to get a sense from that as to whether they are offering the kind of care I am interested in receiving, generally. Oh, and yes, I always explore their interest in art, and whether they might be interested in exchanging their service for my service, because that has weight too.

Yuma is, for all it's clinics serving the older snowbird population, not yet the hotbed of alternative therapies that I see it could become. As a result, I have had no luck finding a single DC (chiropractor) in town willing to do what is called 'the endonasal technique', which means I drive 200 miles one-way when I need it. I've called up every local DC listed and was told no each time... even though I've let them know I can give them the simple instructions as to how to do the protocol. But today I discovered by phone that there was a new DC working in an established office who is just 3 years out of school. To me, that means the possibility of a more open (perhaps willing to experiment) mind, so I asked the receptionist if I could drop by and meet the doctor. She suggested a time that might be good, and I agreed.

Now back to the download theme.... which is really about being sensitive to receiving guidance. I had just parked to do my 'drop by meet the doc' when the download arrived. It was in pictures and feelings. I saw myself and the doc looking through my large print portfolio, and that he was loving what he saw. Oh.... right... I get the message....take the large print portfolio in with me, and my business cards too. Great. Thanks God (being grateful like it was a done deal, a thing already arrived).

Here's the thing... there were a few ego ideas I have about myself that I had to let go of to do that, in other words, places where I had to get over myself. Stupid stuff like 'will I look weird carrying this big portfolio into a DC's waiting room? My original intention was to go in without anything, but I knew that while that would let me be 'comfortable', it actually was being lazy, as it didn't leave me instantly ready to 'show art' if there was a window of interest. It's sort of like falling asleep while meditating is not quite total alertness. And, I did get 'looked at', but it turned out that that was 'a nothing'.

This is not, however, one of those 'miracle stories' either though, as it turned out that the place was packed with waiting people and the Doc was clearly 'really busy'. Just to put the experience in a correctly positive prospective, I was given a brief view of the young DC as he went down a hallway. I instantly knew from his energy I would like him, at least personally. Getting that, I released all effort and went with the flow.... having the receptionist that I had talked to on the phone make a copy of the endonasal technique procedure, stapling my card to it, and asking her to mention to the Doctor that I would very much appreciate a personal call from him. That done, I released it all to 'the Divine Will', and went on with my day.

With equanimity. Meaning, knowing that whatever comes of the visit, it was a perfect thing to have done. Because, as a well-executed dance choreographed in 'ab lib' mode, there was no stumble, no forcing, no needing, and no resisting. There was just what was so, and a clear response to it.

Now we're finally where I have been heading.... all this writing to make a few comments on the arising and cultivating of equanimity....

Psychologically, the term 'equanimity' is strongly Buddhist, and it has a long tradition inside that practice, and it was touched upon in the reading material that I read this week for 'my' meditation group on Wednesday evenings.... but from experience I know it exists in all the other spiritual paths I know anything about also. To me, the term is basically about being able to meet life with a deep calmness, being able to be undisturbed (or unhooked) regardless of the circumstances. Christians call it 'the peace that passeth understanding', and Muslims incorporate it as part of the way they see being fully surrendered (to 'Allah's Will').

Whoever we are in our lives then, what it can give us is the experience of having a powerful trust or faith of the non-accidental flow of life.... the sense that 'it's all covered' (as my friend Cap used to say). While Buddhism doesn't have a supreme being equivalency to the Christian 'God', or the Hindu 'Atman', I personally don't think that matters all that much here. Because the practice of cultivating equanimity is similar in all the faiths.... they all come down to setting aside our own personal version of how things are supposed to be or look, and accept without resistance the reality that IS, right now. In other words, the practice of living outside of mental concepts.

Because it's so in my life, I expect it's similar in yours too.... that we all have (perhaps) hundreds of opportunities (at least) to practice this cultivation each day. What that requires is self-aware alertness, and what that requires is, of course, meditation practice. Assuming that most of my readers are already 'in the choir', no need to say more. It's just a suggestion, and there's never a better time than now to be conscious of our next breath.

Namaste,

David

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My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

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Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

david@davidseacord.com

www.davidseacord.com

(my fine art website)

www.davidseacord-everymansjournal.blogspot.com

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

www.davidseacord-acimcommentaries.blogspot.com

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

www.everymansjournal2011.blogspot.com

(archived entries of this years Everyman's Journal)