That Feeling. Yes; that One!

What is that feeling you are trying to ignore? You know. That uncomfortable one. The one that is nagging and pulling at your sleeve (trying to get your attention while you turn your gaze to everything else); everything else that feels familiar, and easier, and certain. Do you find yourself keeping busy running around from one thing, and person, and situation, to the next? Isn't it in those in-between moments when that uncomfortable sense of questioning starts to arise? It seems that we will do anything to avoid being uncomfortable, yet when we try to escape, in whatever ways we do, we find that uncomfortable feeling lurking in the background, laying dormant, and starting to creep back to the surface after the honeymoon period of newness starts to diminish. A question worth asking is: Are our feelings dependent on our outer circumstances? What would be the honest answer if we asked ourselves if we would feel the same way we do no matter where we were? We all seem to want to be happy all of the time, yet the expectation of that is exactly what keeps us from experiencing being content. Contentment is about embracing where we are and what we feel. We may think we are seeking the outer validation that often comes from achievement, but aren't we more fulfilled with the contentment that comes from an inner sense of purpose? If we can calm ourselves down right here where we sit, perhaps the very feeling that demands our attention, like a child needing its parent's acknowledgement, is asking us to follow its calling into the revelation of the present moment.

Let's sit up straight right now. Breathe in through your nose for a count of three. Take a moment to feel your lungs filled to capacity. Now breathe out for a count of six. Let’s close our eyes and spend a minute doing this together while we make friends with what has been that uncomfortable feeling which we've tried to ignore. What would happen if we welcomed that feeling into our home with the same embrace that we would give those we love. Let's see...