What do you want to serve that is greater than yourself?
That’s this month’s question…
Asking this question is powerful. It can break the cycle of obsessive thoughts and downer feelings that create suffering. It doesn’t take away the hills we will climb or the pain we might feel along the way, but asking this question can certainly accelerate us through it all.
Knowing what we are of service to gives us purpose. And when we have purpose, we have direction. And when we have direction… well, watch out, direction leads to focus, and focus is what creates extraordinary lives. With invigorated spirits, choosing where we focus the mind is everything. It is the most important thing we can do to define our life experience. And defining or re-defining our life can start by asking a simple question.
When I get into my own cycle of suffering, I find that my mind focuses on all the ways I haven’t fulfilled my potential. Isn’t that fun? It’s such a familiar landscape at this point that I can call it out when it happens, but sometimes I will unwittingly entertain the suffering for a day or two. I review all the lefts I took instead of rights, I think about the doors that opened that I didn’t walk through, and on and on, around the ferris wheel I go. Then, really intense feeling of anxiety and helplessness begin to creep into my belly and throat like heavy liquid metal. Then it all starts to manifest as hyper vigilance and agitation… which is super fun for my partner as you can imagine. But he can get away from me… I can’t get away from me, so I ask myself this one question and it breaks the wheel I’m hitched to.
How? I take a deep breath and connect to what I am serving that is greater than myself. I see all the faces of my clients, of young people in high school and college, of women reaching for their next expression…and my negative self-obsession melts away. In my mind’s eye, I feel and witness the deep breaths and healing, the lightness of being and awakening, of people I have yet to meet. My heart fills. I am calm. I am focused. I have direction. I become aware of my strengths and gifts, my vision and intention, the support in my life, and the aliveness and passion that lives in me. Just like that. And then I take action to support this new state.
Remember, suffering is created as a result of where we focus the mind. In other words, what thoughts we listen to in our heads, what feelings we allow to take over our bodies and drive the thoughts into endless cycles. We can so easily create our own hell, and with a breath and a change of focus, we can so easily create our own heaven.
The number one thing to watch out for is whether or not we are focused obsessively on ourselves. If we are asking ourselves, “What do I have and what don’t I have? What am I getting and what am I not getting? How much money am I making or not making? How do they see me? What will they think of me?” then we are inside the game of comparison. And that is a game of self-obsession. A not-so-lovely game designed to keep the ego in the driver’s seat.
Thus, we can shift our focus from suffering to freedom by asking the question “What do I want to serve that is greater than myself?”
This can lead to a big answer like world peace, global unity, enlightenment of humankind, OR you can start right where you are (which helps the aforementioned by the way), and look to serving your partner, your children, your clients, the environment, animals… to name only a few possibilities. And if this question actually feels too big, then I invite you to ask yourself, “Who can I serve today?”
Let’s continue to break the cycle of selfishness together.
And not at the expense of our health and personal time. That’s called co-dependency, which is a different topic entirely. Service rejuvenates, is life-giving, it inspires us to care for ourselves -our bodies and minds, our sleep and diet, our spiritual connection, and more.
CONNECT WITH YOUR HIGHER SELF
So, this month, I am offering a Higher Self meditation for you. This deep practice helps us reconnect with the very thing that is not only bigger than us, but that illuminates our greatest ideas, inspirations, and moments.
Join me in a breath practice that leads us gently to re-connect with our magnificent Higher Self. And when you are through, sit quietly, and ask yourself then, “What do I choose to serve that is greater than myself?”
