“I’m not cruisin’ this opportunity in time and space for you to like or dislike my ‘get-down’; I’m here ’cause I’m down to get it right by the time I return to the ‘mothaship’. I remain a work in progress”.(T.F. Hodge, From Within I Rise: Spiritual Triumph Over Death and Conscious Encounters with “The Divine Presence”)
Although there’s not much elaboration in the quote, Hodge was referring to “Why”. Why am I here? It’s a huge question for some people and one that many have asked. But, is it such a huge question or, is the answer hidden from many because we are consumed with our notions of Time and Space as laid before us by generations?
Two Points of View
Scientists continue to study time and space from a materialistic bias because they have tended to study material realities that humans can only master with recourse to technology. Early scientists defined night and day, primitive chronology brought the concept of hours and events and that lead to yesterday, today and tomorrow. Time became a basic element of human existence just as the food we need to survive.
Mystics on the other hand, argue that we can understand time and space through a connection with God, self or the spirits through thought and meditation. Some call it prayer. What mystics do is to take fully into account, human consciousness because within that inner-sanctum we can go beyond the physical limits imposed upon us and it is here that we can seek out our “why”.
Passion
You may have seen or heard comments, maybe read a few articles or books relating to passion. What are you passionate about? I mean YOU, not what somebody tells you would be a good passion for you to follow but one that sets your world aglow. It sparks something inside that might be difficult to explain to others, yet you know precisely what it is. Does it relate to your life, job, business niche? If not, why not? The closer you are to your passion the easier it will be to achieve your goals; whatever they may be because being in alignment fuels your why.
Modern Living
Gosh, don’t we move at a hectic pace? There’s no sign of the race against time slowing down either. Yet, consider this: Is it not true that time should serve us rather than enslave us? Hands up if you’re concerned about having enough money for your retirement. Does it affect how you approach things? By adapting to the material idea, we have formed about time, we have strayed from the natural ideas and principles that should guide our existence.
Think About It Like This
When we have an unappealing task, time drags slowly by. On the other hand, if we are fully engaged in something exciting, we often regret that we must stop our activity. Yet the time is the same, 60-minutes is always that.
Try This
Trace the course of your life and write some simple notes relating to the outstanding events.
- How many relate back to the earliest years of your existence?
- Did they return to your consciousness as though they had occurred very recently?
Such findings show that time as a product of objective consciousness has no effect on our inner life experience.
Here’s a Great Experiment
. . . that shows how space and time are arbitrary notions and, it will get you away from your routine for a while too.
- Choose a route that you can walk, cycle and drive.
- Cover the route on foot and note all the impressions that come to your consciousness.
- Then do the same by bicycle followed by car. Note your impressions.
Although I’m skipping to the point, you will notice how your perceptions differed even though the route was the same. Try it, it’s fun.
No Car or Bike?
Here’s another:
- Go for a 15-minute walk along a straight road or path where the scenery is commonplace and nothing out of the ordinary; note your observations.
- Take another 15-minute walk and this time, choose a route where the surroundings are beautiful, inspiring and varied.
Did the second trip seem shorter than the first?
These simple experiments show that our notion of space-time is dependent on the interpretations given by our consciousness regardless of the distances and duration.
Back to Passion
Your why ignites your passion, they work together. Within your consciousness you know your why if you haven’t identified it already.
What makes your soul sing?
Coming Soon
In my next post, I will offer a few methods to identify your why. No problem if you feel that you already have your why, you can always share them with significant people in your life.
Comments and Questions
Please leave yours below. Your thoughts or questions may well ignite a positive spark in another readers thinking. You will always receive a prompt response to your questions and there is no such thing as a bad question; only the one that was never asked.
Best Wishes
Steve Costello is a British Community & Youth studies and Psychology honors graduate with over 30-years theoretical and practical experience. He founded ExGro in 2018 with friend and clinical psychologist, Leo Faerberg.
