It doesn't matter if we show up as St. Francis of Assissi. There are days when the ego and the distractions and the doubt seem to have the upper hand.
You've seen this before in earlier blogs. I refer to them as the rabbit holes of our lives. I went to a convention back in the 70's around 'cutters'. The term referred to people who would cut themselves and it was the first time people had gathered together to study the phenomena instead of condemning the practice. I will never forget one of the top psychiatrists in the United States who was a cutter and she came out in the middle of her speech. I always remembered how she described the process. The feeling that would lead to an episode was like a tornado or a hurricane. The only difference was in her world there was no edge. The moment she felt the wind she was in the midst of the strongest part of the storm.
This I believe occurs to a lot of us as we process life. Something comes up and reminds us of a past event as a trigger. We are immediately in that past with full winds and a big wide rabbit hole to fall into.
This is a part of the precept of not doing life alone. Life is about connections and recognizing the Divine in others that help you recognize the Divine in you.
I'm reminded of a great scene from the series "The West Wing." One of the characters (Josh) is trying to recover from being shot and is having trouble. His chief of staff stops and tells him a story.
"A guy is walking down the street and falls in a hole. The walls are steep and he can't get out. Along comes a doctor; the guy in the hole says, "Doc, can you help me out?" The doctor writes a prescription, throws it into the hole, and goes on his way. Then along comes a priest. The guy in the hole says, "Hey Father, can you help me out here? The priest writes a prayer and throws it into the hole.
Finally a friend of the guy in the hole comes by. The kid in the hole says to his friend,. "Joe, I'm down in this hole; can you help me out? His friend jumps in the hole with him. He looks as his friend and says, "Are you stupid? Now we're both down in this hole."
"Yes," says Joe, "but I've been in this hole before and I know the way out!"
Conncection and communication will always get us out of our rabbit hoes. In addition, if the connection has to do with service for others the recovery is so much quicker. The most balanced people I know in my life do acts of kindness and compassion for others as part of their daily actions. It has become a spiritual practice.
I say this because of the power of the rabbit hole and the power of distractions and the power of doubt. It is so easy to see the magnificence when I look into the eyes of another and so difficult when I stand in front of the mirror and try to see that in myself.
Have a great plan of action of some kind when the rabbit hole suddenly appears. It's the old scout motto - be prepared!
Commenti