'making energetic progress in the good'
The Chinese classic, The I Ching, was one of the tomes that guided me through my twenties. I would throw my three old coins, six times, and the combinations would spell out my 'hexagram' - taking me to the page that gave me my reading for the question I had asked. Somehow it put me in touch with my own wisdom.One phrase that came to me today, and comes to me often, from the particular translation of the book I had, was that of 'making energetic progress in the good'. I often find that, when held in mind, this phrase can transform things for me, as it did today.I had been feeling uncharacteristically intense and 'out of my comfort zone' - quite 'freaked out' to be honest - and there was a lot of energy and emotion shifting in my body-mind, tightness and discomfort in three different areas of my body. I first tried taking my attention to the feeling of intensity, wherever it was located in my body - which was hard because it felt 'like death' and a part of me was resisting facing it. Then I tried 'softening' around it and then surrendering to the feeling entirely on as many levels as I could. It didn't shift.Part of me felt like cancelling the entire day (as if I could) and curling up and sobbing with a hot water bottle! But I had a full day - a 'free dance' class, a business meeting with a friend, a Sing for Fun class to run (my friend Jenny, who usually led the class, had just called asking me to take the class as she was sick) and then driving for an hour to a colleague's to prepare a presentation that we were giving by skype call to Germany the next day.So what did I do? I just let go. And let go deeper. Surrendering to what was. I gave up. And gave up all attachment to outcome. And then? Then I made 'energetic progress in the good'.Relaxing in my bath several hours later to the earthy tones of Deva Premal, I realised just how good I felt. Mmmmmmm! It may come in its own time, but the answer is never far away. Life is good!