Inside a Tea cup, and the Canoe in the River
We're a society predicated on fast-paced movement and instant gratification. Given this mind state I can understand why many people have had a resistance to the law of attraction, which is based more on ease and allowing rather than tension and action.
If we're not doing something, every second, every day, then we're not moving forward. And if we're not moving forward, we feel like we're falling backward or just not getting to where we want to be. The thing is, we're trying to run up a land slide, and the harder we fight against it, the more the rubble slips out from under out feet.
I've been reading a book by Esther and Jerry Hicks called the Astonishing power of your Emotions. In this book, they use and analogy I'd like to share now. Think of the yourself as being in a canoe on a fast moving river, and this river represents the stream of life, the source energy that has been around since before we came into physical existence. Many people put their canoe in this stream, and they start to paddle against the current. You do it because everyone you know has done it before you, and it's all you've ever known, but what the analogy goes on to say is, "nothing you want is upstream."
The book goes on to explain how it's your emotions that can tell you whether you're facing upstream, against the current, or if you've let go of the ores, and allowed this powerful current of creation and life to carry you downstream, and toward everything you've ever wanted and asked for. You can tell this by a feeling of relief. Any kind of negative emotion, anger, stress, disappointment, guilt, hopelessness, is pointed up stream. All your looking for to get you downstream, is a feeling of relief.
You see, it's not as simple as throwing boiling water over the top and pouring it out. There's a great deal more thought and care going into it. The temperature has to be right and the leaf to water ratio. Then there's the length of time it needs to steep. Of course, you could pour it into your cup at any time, but it won't be the best taste it could be unless you wait for it.
I think we need to learn to wait. If we keep acting before it feels right, then the action is worthless. We'll keep paddling against the current, going nowhere.
Whenever I entertain, I always serve tea. Without fail, there's always the person asking, "Is it done yet?" Don't you do that with yourself whenever you want to be somewhere in life?
If we're not doing something, every second, every day, then we're not moving forward. And if we're not moving forward, we feel like we're falling backward or just not getting to where we want to be. The thing is, we're trying to run up a land slide, and the harder we fight against it, the more the rubble slips out from under out feet.
I've been reading a book by Esther and Jerry Hicks called the Astonishing power of your Emotions. In this book, they use and analogy I'd like to share now. Think of the yourself as being in a canoe on a fast moving river, and this river represents the stream of life, the source energy that has been around since before we came into physical existence. Many people put their canoe in this stream, and they start to paddle against the current. You do it because everyone you know has done it before you, and it's all you've ever known, but what the analogy goes on to say is, "nothing you want is upstream."
The book goes on to explain how it's your emotions that can tell you whether you're facing upstream, against the current, or if you've let go of the ores, and allowed this powerful current of creation and life to carry you downstream, and toward everything you've ever wanted and asked for. You can tell this by a feeling of relief. Any kind of negative emotion, anger, stress, disappointment, guilt, hopelessness, is pointed up stream. All your looking for to get you downstream, is a feeling of relief.
Example: "I can't believe how stupid this person is." (That's an upstream thought.)
"That's just where he/she is in their life right now." (Downstream)
The thing is, because we're a society of action and instant gratification, we feel the need to do something. If we do something, and nothing happens, or it's not happening fast enough, we get frustrated. We think we're doing something wrong. We think we failed, and these are all upstream thoughts. If we can learn how to relax, then the stream will carry us to the things we want, faster then we dreamed possible. And we relax by looking for down stream thoughts.
Now, I'm not saying to stuff all your emotions down and turn a blind eyes to the negative ones, because they are good emotions. If something makes you feel bad, it makes what you want all the more clear to you. Feel the bad emotion long enough to understand it, then turn your canoe around, let go of the ores, and let the current carry you downstream toward everything you want.
Which brings us back to the title of this little piece.
I owe a good friend (and wonderful artist) for getting me into the beauty of loose leaf tea. And another friend, (another wonderful artist) for supplying this thought. You can't rush a good cup of tea. The entire process from picking which leaves would be best, to pouring it into your cup, is elegant, thoughtful, and beautiful.
I think we need to learn to wait. If we keep acting before it feels right, then the action is worthless. We'll keep paddling against the current, going nowhere.
Whenever I entertain, I always serve tea. Without fail, there's always the person asking, "Is it done yet?" Don't you do that with yourself whenever you want to be somewhere in life?
"Am I there yet?"
"Is it time yet?"
"Where is it? Why don't I have it yet?"
Just relax. Lay back in the canoe. Have a cup of tea, watch the clouds for a little while and whenever you worry about getting that job, that house you've always wanted, that perfect relationship that completes you, just remind yourself that your floating down stream. And you'll get there, so you min-as-well enjoy the scenery along the way.
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