Are there times when you feel like satisfaction is fleeting and nothing fills the void of desires that haven't been quenched? There's a point where thinking about our issues is no longer helpful and finding the 'feel good' is the only option. But most of us escape our problems by escaping ourselves in drugs, sex, food, TV, Internet, news and other people. That's because it's hard to imagine that we can find satisfaction deep within underneath all the troubles and unmet desires that keep us from enjoying the present moment. Yet the present is where the things we want always manifest.
Times when we are self satiated and going about our business with lightness in our step is usually when great stuff unexpectedly happens. Then we soar on high for a bit until the 'juice' of that new stuff runs out. Afterwards, feeling a sense of lack, we direct our focus trying to chase more stuff to get the juice back. In the process of the chase, we stop hanging out in the present where we need to be in order to receive it. Instead, we go into the future by hoping, praying and making plans for our lives after this or that happens, or we get locked up in the past with memories of pain that reinforce beliefs about why our desired stuff hasn't shown up yet (or never will). But there's a point where we have to stop and wonder: is the stuff what truly makes us happy? Because the only consistent thing about external attainment is that the juice will be fleeting.
Here's a very simple example. On Halloween I was feeling pretty good about myself so I decided to indulge in some candy. But once I started eating it, the pleasure derived from each piece became very fleeting and I needed more to keep it going. But the more candy I had, the worse I felt about myself. And the void returned. The void that says, this is not enough, you are not enough, I need something else...
So where can we find a good feeling that isn't fleeting or pursue pleasure that doesn't bring us pain afterwards? How can we access it, especially when we're not in a good mood?
If the 'Universe' is not producing results, then it's time to drop into our 'Innerverse.' The easiest way to do this is through meditation, and there are many different forms; mantra based, mindfulness, chanting, breath work etc. Meditation, unlike prayer, is not about asking, it's about letting go in order to gain.
For me, it simply starts with closing my eyes and 'brushing off the outer world' as my teacher, Marsha Sheldon says. I go within to become aware of what's actually happening inside me, give it presence, and then drop down beneath it. Sometimes I imagine I'm attached to a mechanical rope tow, which is pulling me further and further down into a rejuvenating wellspring that will cleanse my being.
Each time I get distracted by a thought, I envision the rope tow in my hands and see myself being pulled further down, as if my thoughts were only holograms that can easily be pushed aside. When I drop down far enough past the multi-layers of consciousness, into the abyss of stillness inside, I discover a beacon of light waiting at the bottom to engulf me. I call this my 'sweet spot,' because when I am here, there is no place else I'd rather be.
The sweet spot is another way of describing that all encompassing sense of serenity, characterized by a superb feeling of peace vibrating through each of my cells. When I'm there, my attention is on the good feeling being generated inside my body and nothing else. Having an awareness of the subtle energy shift, I find immense pleasure in the sensations that arise. Sometimes my body feels tingly, other times I have a sense of fullness, as if there is more than just me present. It's literally an experience of a peaceful, calming energy seeping into my pores until I am engulfed in the nourishment of my present moment, completely forgetting about pesky thoughts and unwanted emotions.
Afterwards, when the timer goes off (around 20 minutes), I come back to the surface with a renewed sense of wellbeing. Then I go about my day feeling anchored and content in the present. If stuff shows up, great. But if it doesn’t, I’m cool, cause I’m already enjoying my stuff. It’s the stuff I’m made of, and it can’t be accessed from any which way but inwardly.
This week, I encourage you to find your sweet spot. No, not your favorite dessert or sexual position, but the place inside found through meditation that satiates you regardless of outside circumstances and puts you back in harmony with the present moment. Take some time, even five minutes, to sit quietly with yourself and go exploring the depths within. You might be amazed by the treasure trove you discover.
