“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.”
Strawberry Fields Forever
The Beatles
Have you gone unconscious? Numb?
Many of the coping strategies we use, whether addiction to food, alcohol, sex, television, chocolate or (enter yours here) is an attempt to shut down our consciousness. This avoidance strategy allows us to relish in the delights of our five senses rather than face the uncomfortable circumstances we’ve created.
Notice the feeling in your body when you’re tempted to turn on the boob tube. Next time you reach for the bottle, notice what you’re feeling. When you look for your favorite numbing agent, take an inventory. What are you avoiding? What would you prefer not to face? What won’t you look at? Or confront? Or accept?
This is where your next breakthrough can be found. Want to grow your practice? Start here. Grow yourself. Your practice will have no choice but to follow.