A Tale of Effort and Ease
One of the big things that gets in the way of people having ease and flow in their lives is a belief that things have to be hard.
The “no pain, no gain’ attitude.
All of us can relate to a time when things were hard, but was it actually the pain & the effort that made that possible? Or was that something you overcame to get to the other side?
Consider the possibility that Pain, Resistance and Effort are energetic log-jams piling up on your natural ability to create. They constrict and block your flow. They aren’t the reason for an outcome- they’re what gets in the way.
We know this is true because all of us can remember a time when we were in a state of Ease- when what we were aligned with a sense of possibility, flow and creative movement. That time when you found the answer, understood your next step, navigated a complex or complicated situation with grace. What isn’t well understood is that this isn’t serendipity, it’s a state that you can cultivate. If effort is constrictive, Ease is a state where you become more receptive and available to all the resources within and without. And you have the power to step into this state whenever you choose.
Here are some helpful ways to get there.
You’re trying to accomplish something and you hit a wall.
1. Notice where in your body you feel your muscles tightening and constricting. Take a slow breath and invite that part of you to relax.
You can even have a dialogue with that part of you, thanking it for trying to help and giving it permission to let go and release anything it has been holding on to for you. Don’t force it to happen, just give yourself permission. You can also do some active visualization. Close your eyes and imagine water running through and over these blocked spaces in the body- just like a river. Allow the flow and the power of the water to loosen and move what is getting in the way. The next thing you can do is:
2. Put yourself in a receptive, open state. In this state you are just available and curious about what will show up.
Close your eyes and imagine you are in a space with big windows and the sun shining gently in. You are seated in a comfortable chair and there’s nowhere else you need to be and nothing you need to do. You invited a good friend to visit and they’ll be along shortly. Until they do, you can just enjoy having space and sitting in the sunlight. Then, when your guest arrives in the form of an idea or a ‘hmm, what if we. . . “ ,
3. Follow it without judging or questioning too much. Remember, the voice of your intuition is gentle. It doesn’t demand anything of you, it just invites and offers. And it quickly retreats if you start demanding something from it. Think of your intuition as a welcome and somewhat eccentric guest. Create space and let it show up however it does. The results might surprise you.
