Imagine you are walking in the dark along a foggy path using a flashlight. The path ahead is lit up, so you don’t stray off course. The fog represents your past and future and the challenges of your everyday world. They have no importance in this moment. The flashlight is your conscious presence. The lit path represents being in the present moment. When you learn how to step into the timeless world of Being, you are better able to navigate the storms of your outer world.
What is this world of Being? It’s being mindfully present to a deeper awareness of life living through you. It’s allowing your deepest heartfelt desire to express itself as you.
An interesting phenomenon occurs when you access the world of Being on a regular basis. When you allow yourself to show up with openness and curiosity, you begin to inquire into what’s really important in your world. The outer world of acquiring–a new car, new house, or new experience–takes a back seat to a deeper desire to find the meaning and purpose of your life.
We are all born with a yearning or passion for life. It’s what energizes us to want to live and take our gifts into the world. This is not an emotional passion but rather a deep desire for wholeness.
When we become aligned with our deepest desire, we discover a guiding light that points the way. It helps us move with greater ease through the turbulence of life. It motivates us into action, into creativity.
I know this passion well. It has thrust me into doing the things I feared the most: traveling alone, performing as a dancer, public speaking, and teaching classes. Thankfully, over time, each of these became easier as I faced and overcame the fear.
Values as an expression
To discover your desire, you may begin by exploring your values and what you care about most. What are values? Russ Harris, author of The Reality Slap: Finding Peace and Fulfillment When Life Hurts, writes: “Values are your heart’s deepest desires for how you want to behave as a human being.” They are not what you want to get or achieve, but rather how you want to behave or act in your life.
There are no such things as right or wrong values. Knowing your values can help you formulate your guiding light to your heartfelt desire.
Find a process for accessing your inner world, such as meditation practices or deep inner exploration working with a friend or coach.
Whatever your means of reaching your inner world, start with an intention for what you want to experience. Then, recalling your heartfelt desire, ask how your intention aligns with it. Including these intentions in your daily life and feeling them in your body as you do help you to really live them.
Join my free iRest meditation groups held weekly on Sunday mornings and Thursday afternoons where you’ll find space to rest and explore this further.