As we are still in the very early stages of a new year - 2022, I find myself reflecting on the energy and freedom of "Enough". More and more I find myself craving this place and finding opportunities to practice it - the practice of: I am enough and I have enough. What would that be like? How much creative energy would that free up?
But the energy of "enough" seem to also run counter intuitive to our success driven, achieve at all costs culture. But then again there's a whole "simplify your life" culture that is slowly evolving and that is incredibly intriguing for many of us, especially in these times. Even so, you might find your ego - that little inner room mate of yours - quietly yelling "What do you mean you have enough? Are you just going to sit there like a slug and doing nothing? Are you going to let yourself go because all of a sudden you are enough? What does that even mean? Says the little ego-ass mind (my name for it)
However, the more I reflect on it, the more I read on it...the energy and intention behind "enough" is exactly the opposite of being a slug & letting yourself go. I feel that "Enough" is an honourable energy. When I practice enough towards myself it frees me up to focus on what matters most and what would fill me up, make my heart sing...feel good and usually these things are good for me - mind, body and spirit. The energy of enough more easily lets the ego mind go, the one that is always getting caught up in comparison mode, needing recognition and acknowledgement (so exhausting), not to mention judging and guilt mode. Enough just clears most of this away...
The energy of enough also carries with it the freedom of not needing so much & taking less from the world and I find that this is just a really good thing. We are at a time and place in human history where taking less and needing less might just be a very good philosophy for more of us to embrace and might even save the world in the process...
Gerry and I are often in conversation, over a lovely cup of coffee, about simplifying our lives even further to free up our creative energy, even further. The key words here are being "even further", as we feel that we have already been in the process, over these past 5 years, of simplifying our life. We've enjoyed the process so much and it's freed up so much creative energy that we love engaging in conversations about next level simplification so that daily life becomes almost entirely about: What will I create today? What will I choose to experience today?
Because you see, life is brilliant and brief and the more I truly understand this and keep this top of mind, the less I desire to spend more of my precious moments on just chasing, non stop pursuit and achievement and endless daily accumulation...it's like even the thought of all this is weighing me down...
When I reflect on the energy behind this philosophy of living, I feel that it is likely also the most abundant place to create from. Some may say otherwise, feeling that if you are coming from enough then what's the point of doing anything at all? But maybe "pursuit and achievement" often come from a place of lack - I don't have enough and I am not enough so I have to go get "more". And...what if...
In the land of MORE, we have less...
In the land of more, one could say we certainly have less peace, less joy...less time to focus on what matters most in our lives. We constantly chase the next thing "out there" - the next title, rank or role. The next gadget, car or piece of clothing that is going to fill us up - yes, it will for a second and then you'll be there, sitting in your BMW or your new cashmere sweater, filled up for a few extremely brief moments, till you find yourself needing more again.
I once heard Eckhart Tolle, in lecture say something like: Play with the things of this world but watch out that they don't define you and become in themselves the pursuit.
Makes sense. It's not about becoming a hermit or monk and living in a cave, unless that's what you choose and want, but rather enjoying some of life's pleasures, especially the simple ones from a place of "enough" - this is good, if this is all there is...I'm good, I'm filled up...because true peace and joy, which is really the ultimate pursuit for all of us...is an internal thing...it's never in the next anything "external" that the world can ever dangle before your eyes...it's never really the next shiny object...it's always an inside thing...
Oh what an exciting and worthy practice in 2022 and beyond...this freedom of Enough...
Thanks for tuning in.
Angela
