It may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come to our real work,
and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.
we have come to our real work,
and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.
Wendell Berry
I find myself facing major life changes these days, in my 70's,
living with the questions, waiting for the way to become clear.
Watching the mysterious signposts along the way. It's not a
crossroads exactly, nor a threshold. It's more like limbo: all
questions, few clues, no answers. With a timing all its own.
living with the questions, waiting for the way to become clear.
Watching the mysterious signposts along the way. It's not a
crossroads exactly, nor a threshold. It's more like limbo: all
questions, few clues, no answers. With a timing all its own.
Berry's quote is a reminder for me in this busy-ness, work-identified
realm we live in - living under pressure to "produce", to get things
done, to "fix" yourself, physically, spiritually, psychologically,
that it takes courage to not have answers, to just slow down, to
set out on an inner journey I cannot see...
realm we live in - living under pressure to "produce", to get things
done, to "fix" yourself, physically, spiritually, psychologically,
that it takes courage to not have answers, to just slow down, to
set out on an inner journey I cannot see...
In my elder years perspectives have changed, the body has less
stamina and endurance to live the way the world lives: the hurried,
cacophony of living. And so a "new journey" has begun, both
spiritually and physically - a slower paced interior journey -
and not necessarily meditation, but just more silence and solitude
and inner listening, when I can. Maybe this *is* the "real journey"
that Berry speaks of. I'll let you know :)
stamina and endurance to live the way the world lives: the hurried,
cacophony of living. And so a "new journey" has begun, both
spiritually and physically - a slower paced interior journey -
and not necessarily meditation, but just more silence and solitude
and inner listening, when I can. Maybe this *is* the "real journey"
that Berry speaks of. I'll let you know :)
~
I was journaling about this "shift" I seem to be going through
when the Inner Voice whispered:
when the Inner Voice whispered:
"It's all a story" -
"You're a story within the 'Greater Story' of Existence."
"You're a story within the 'Greater Story' of Existence."
I somehow felt relieved to hear this - and the recognition
that I am (my life is) only a story - as if I hadn't heard this before,
in different, more "spiritualized" words :)
that I am (my life is) only a story - as if I hadn't heard this before,
in different, more "spiritualized" words :)
Life is like a novel, the main story is your entire life,
with different chapters in it - different stories,
within a larger Story - a larger Reality.
with different chapters in it - different stories,
within a larger Story - a larger Reality.
The Inner Voice went on to say: Most people think they are in
control of their lives. They don't realize they're just living a
story. And the story doesn't dissolve until we die. We are all
living the stories of our lives within a bigger context. We are
all unique stories/expressions of the "Greater Story of Existence."
Which doesn't mean that we aren't "real", but like the wave of
the Ocean, we are each a unique expression of a greater Reality.
(And I like to think of it as a Cosmic Ocean - we are waves,
vibrations of a Cosmic Ocean that we can't see. We are infinite
beings living a story.)
control of their lives. They don't realize they're just living a
story. And the story doesn't dissolve until we die. We are all
living the stories of our lives within a bigger context. We are
all unique stories/expressions of the "Greater Story of Existence."
Which doesn't mean that we aren't "real", but like the wave of
the Ocean, we are each a unique expression of a greater Reality.
(And I like to think of it as a Cosmic Ocean - we are waves,
vibrations of a Cosmic Ocean that we can't see. We are infinite
beings living a story.)
It kinda took the air out of the "self-importance" balloon; nothing
special, just a story, like everyone else, a blip in the ocean of
eternity... It was like a burden had been lifted... I could just
relax, internally, with no more striving after "enlightenment", or
perfection, or identifying with the "I Am"... The story of "me" dies
with us at death, unless "the story" is written down somewhere,
in a time bound obituary: a story of my life story...
special, just a story, like everyone else, a blip in the ocean of
eternity... It was like a burden had been lifted... I could just
relax, internally, with no more striving after "enlightenment", or
perfection, or identifying with the "I Am"... The story of "me" dies
with us at death, unless "the story" is written down somewhere,
in a time bound obituary: a story of my life story...
Sigh - such relief to know I'm only a story...
BTW - if this perspective changes I'll be sure to
write about it :) LOLOL
write about it :) LOLOL
~
Photo - Mystic Meandering
I like this compelling philosophical journey. A story within a greater story that is perhaps within an even greater story … yet we get to write some of our own chapters.
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