No shortage of bad news in the headlines lately, eh? Reading all of it and still being able to face your day is getting increasingly hard sometimes, isn’t it?
Here’s the good news. Despite all of everything in the headlines, basic goodness still prevails.
Go outside and look at the building you’re in. The concrete in the foundation hasn’t shattered just because the Dow Jones fell a certain number of points.
Wake up early tomorrow morning. The sun, bright as ever, doesn’t check the markets before rising for the day. It’s there as a part of basic goodness, a part of life that, for the purposes of mere mortals, is timeless.
Take a look at the money in your pocket. It’s faith based. Entirely. There’s nothing inherent to it that makes it valuable beyond what you think its value is. This is a curse of money (volatility) but also a blessing, because it reinforces that there are infinite things beyond money that have real, tangible value. What price is a child’s unconditional hug? What exchange rate is there for a good laugh?
Chogyam Trungpa calls this sort of outlook the Great Eastern Sun perspective. We open our hearts to life as it really is, and not as we, the media, the politicians, or the pundits would like it to be. We recognize what is real and what is fictional, cutting through all of the crap to see clearly.
Do this: find a song that inspires in you a feeling of closeness with everything that’s real, with all of the things that matter. It can be about family, friends, devotion to your spiritual faith, a good meal, a warm hug, a first kiss you’ll never forget – whatever it is, the song just has to inspire in you a deep love and appreciation for something that no bad news can ever tarnish.
Listen to the song with your eyes closed. Then, assuming it’s relatively nice out, go outside to someplace natural – a local park, your backyard, even a courtyard in an office or dorm. It doesn’t have to be large or majestic, just natural. Sit on the ground if you can – the real ground, not concrete. Close your eyes, sit up straight, take a deep breath, enjoy the moment, and then replay your song in your mind. Enjoy its every nuance, its every tug at your heart, and when it’s over in your mind, realize that you are still firmly in charge of how you experience the world.
Are there troubles? Of course. Are there pressing issues? Absolutely – and there always will be. But allow, gift yourself the luxury of five minutes of deep love for everything life has already given you, everything you’ve created for yourself, and everything that no amount of sensational news headlines can never, ever take away from you.
Your inner superhero will thank you, and you’ll be ready to rejoin the crusade for what you really value in life.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, please subscribe right now!
Get this and other great articles from the source at www.ChristopherSPenn.com
Leave a Reply