“Cat: Where are you going?
Alice: Which way should I go?
Cat: That depends on where you are going.
Alice: I don’t know.
Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Knowing the direction to point myself gives me a peaceful easy feeling.
But sometimes I have no idea which way to go – I’m upside down and sideways. Do I conform to social convention; which way did he go George? Do I rely on my intuition and higher self? Or can I balance the best of both?
Hearing what experts and my circle of support have to say often inspires me. When their input and my intuition align, full speed ahead. But when that alignment is absent, it’s awkward and unnerving. This is when I slow down; don’t make the big moves. Self-correction is easier when I take baby steps.
Thich Nhat Hanh’s fourth and fifth practices to feed happiness helps me when my spiritual compass is off kilter.
The fourth practice is concentration. Stay in the present moment – away from obsession, past or future. Slow down and contemplate the moment; get in touch with the quiet voice within.
The fifth practice is insight. Mindfulness buds when I stay present, releasing tension. Concentrating on my breathing, or the beauty of the lake and the birds singing, makes room for insights.
These insights show remedies for my confusion; provide a roadmap that’s right for me. The route may be energizing and uplifting; or a gnarly, murky, dark alleyway. Either way, I keep moving. On the other side is peace, joy and happiness.
“The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
