Day 216 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - In This World, We Think..

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Lesson 216: In This World, We Think..

….by having more, it grants us happiness and fulfilment. There is this group thought that by filling our world we stuff and a lot of it, it buys happiness. This is only temporary happiness at best. We know that by having more doesn’t necessarily makes us bigger and better. As we move our consciousness away from this group thought, we can think for ourselves about what actually is required to be happy.

As I step away from the thought that having more is better, I think about happiness in different ways. I think for me, it’s about my place in the world and how I can make a difference. There is an element of being self-less that will bring about happiness for me. I think about how can I help others so that they can live their best life, like how I am.

I think what is required to be happy is living in the present, living through experience, helping others, spreading good positive vibes, do what’s best for you and not what others think is best for you and leading by example. I think I want the best for people if they are still set in some group mentality of how success should look like. Everyone needs to be awakened in their own time. It doesn’t mean that those who are already awakened can’t help those that aren’t. What I have learned is not to force a way of thinking onto others, rather if I lead my life by example, then it sparks something in other people’s minds to think about their own lives.

I think the most important thing I get reminded of is to always live in the present. There is no point wondering if you could have changed the past or plan extensively for the future when you don’t know what could happen. I think bringing about awareness into the now allows a certain freedom to just live.

I certainly know for sure that material things do not give you happiness. That’s a lie that is fed to us and we continue to feed that thought by thinking material things equals success in life. Material things bring instant gratification that wears off. We then tend to look to the new thing that will bring that sense of gratification again. I used to live this way, though I have seen through this lie.

Everything I tend to do these days is taking on the perspective of what will this experience give me. Whether it’s hanging out with friends, going to see live music, going to a spiritual workshop… I look out for how it will bring me happiness. I think in everything we do, we can learn or experience. It’s what I make of that experience that brings about happiness and feeds my soul what it needs. It doesn’t have to be some grand outing, as even the simplest activities bring about joy.

So, what do you think brings about happiness and have you broken away from that group thought around having more equals happiness?

Day 215 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - Many of You Will Get to Travel...

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Lesson 215: Many of You Will Get to Travel...

For those that get to travel in this lifetime, it is a privilege and a gift. Not everyone is fortunate enough to do this. This doesn’t stop us from imagining what it would be like to travel. We can always imagine this in our mind’s eye. For those lucky enough to travel, do you find that you learn whilst on your trips? Do you find your perspective changed towards your own life? Today we are to think about the abundance we have at home through entertainment, food, water, clothing, money etc and drop away from this group mentality of scarcity.

When I travel I love seeing how other people live. In most Western countries, I have found that many people live just like how I do in Australia. I think the most life changing places I’ve seen is when I visited Thailand and Philippines. What was eye opening was that people are more happier even though they don’t necessarily have enough or have what I consider to be perks. I think what I valued most was the true sense of community in these countries and how even though people might not have the best of things (what we consider to be the best in the Western world), they have great support of each other.

Travelling to these countries, I take for granted such things like clean drinking water for instance. I take for granted that I can have a nice warm shower every day and when I visited A Thailand village, the water was cut off and I was told we may have to wait a day before it’s back on. It was being exposed to such circumstances that really open your eyes. It opened my eyes to the stupid shit I worry about, but also how much stupid shit this world can worry about. I think about all those girls missing out on Kylie Jenner’s lipstick and their world crumbling, when there are people out there cut off from a water supply. I needed this reality check to actually see how shit group mentality and group fear of scarcity is. We actually worry about the wrong things but we’re overwhelmingly force fed shit, that we just go along with it because we don’t know any better. It’s back to bringing about awareness in ourselves.

I have never in my life valued all the things I have as much as I do now. I pray for those that need help more than I do pretty much every other day of the week. I am more mindful of my place in the world and that I can make small changes to make a difference.

Day 214 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - The Scarcity in Many Parts of...

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Lesson 214: The Scarcity in Many Parts of...

… the world is real. We in the western world are plagued by a construct of society that we are without when there is abundance all around us. It really poses the question of – what is enough? We have this misbelief that we don’t have everything we need in a group collective. Today we are to think about how we fit in the world and if it’s possible to detach from the group misconceptions that we are fed.

I used to live completely in a material world. I never used to think about my environmental impact. I never thought about what things I should be grateful for. I used to think that I couldn’t help people in my own way. This all changed one day when I had a spiritual awakening. It was building up to really open my eyes. I am awake and aware.

I think that I have detached from the group collective that we don’t have enough in our lives. I recognise now that I have plenty – I have food, a roof over my head, clothes to wear, running water and a job for financial stability. These are just a few of the things that I recognise not everyone has. I have so many blessings around me and I thank the Divine almost every day for all these things. I know that so many people in the world get caught up in their lives of materialism that they don’t even realise that it all doesn’t really matter. I used to get so caught up in needing to have all the latest trends, that I realised it only brings instant happiness which fades just as fast. It doesn’t really nourish the soul. We do all these things to impress people and what for?

I guess I will show people in time through my own example with the life I lead. I am not the type to force a certain way of living on anyone, so all I can do is detach from the group thought, live my own life and hope others can learn from me. I am still working on my minimalist life, but I have a mission to clear my space to accommodate this lifestyle. I realise I don’t need some of the things I have and I will donate them.

I think we need to stop thinking we don’t have enough when we got a lot more than what some people do. It’s about bringing it back into self to realise we have so much more than we think we do.

Day 212 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - Scarcity is a Part of Human Instinct...

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Lesson 212: Scarcity is a Part of Human Instinct...

“Scarcity is a part of human instinct; it goes back to the beginning of your species, when there was not always enough. The fear of being without enough drove you find ways to have enough.”

— Sara Wiseman

Today I am to think about what is enough? Do I enough money? Do I have enough things that bring me happiness? Do I have enough food? The possibilities are endless but it’s also a question of “where does it end?”. What do you consider to be “enough”?

I was a very materialistic person. I will happily admit that to anyone. I needed to have all the different types of make-up. I had to wear the cutest outfits and be on trend. I had to have items just because someone else had them, so therefore so did I. I was always spending on just things that gave me temporary happiness but didn’t really feed my soul. I only try to spend money on things that advance my spirituality now or necessary items for the home. I’m trying to be more minimalist but that’s a working progress.

For me, it’s important to have enough money to pay my mortgage, bills, food whilst still have entertainment and money for my spirituality courses. I mean, I could strip some things back but because I want to live through experience, it costs money. That’s the reality of the world we live in. If we weren’t controlled by money, I think I would just roam freely and want to learn from others through some knowledge exchange. I’m trying to do away with material objects and live for experiences that nourish my soul. I place boundaries on myself to do away with material things if I can. I do not buy something material unless it’s an essential item that’s got a long lasting benefit rather than just a quick fix of happiness.

I think I have more than enough in my life and I am very fortunate. I have a job that allows me to live a comfortable life and it wasn’t always like this for me. I know what it’s like to grow up in a family where there wasn’t enough food sometimes. I know what it’s like to not earn enough and you only have enough to live from week to week. I am grateful for the life I get to lead that some people don’t. I think having this awareness and being appreciative of what’s in your life is important too.

What is “enough” for you?