Sometimes I struggle with monkey-brain and feel overwhelmed with the mere idea of doing what I need to do. It is clear that “willful distraction” (a term I coined but, is probably an actual thing) is my biggest problem. I am unwilling to stay focused on the items that will gain me the best long-term satisfaction. “Flow Follows Focus” in big letters is written near the top of my journal. That’s not new, I’ve had it there for a long time but, I must review it and remind myself. When I get bogged down, I remind myself of another cliché, “Progress toward perfection”.

A meditation started with a thought about light and darkness. That darkness in the physical world is the absence of light. That light chases away the darkness but, light is nothing but an invisible wave until it is received. In a spiritual sense, I perceive light as the default, the absence of darkness. In many ways we allow darkness to chase away the light. Similar to a physical wave, there is no darkness, unless it is received. We receive darkness from our thoughts, we allow them to generate fear, and worry. From a theological perspective, the concept of light versus dark and their respective origins has been discussed, debated, and preached endlessly. There were many metaphorical twists and turns in my thoughts but, that kernel of a thought remained, the difference between the physical and spiritual “defaults”.

A couple of topics later emerged that became interwoven with the theme of light and dark. Several teachers over the past couple of years have referenced “discernment” and the Buddhist teachings refer to “non-judgment”. Discernment and non-judgement always seemed to go together in my mind but, until recently the concepts were very abstract. It’s discernment to wait until the car passes before stepping off the curb, it’s a judgment to think that the presence of the car is inconvenient. I began thinking about how our sensory perceptions often lead us to conflict. The color of someone’s skin, the taste of food, the sounds and noises we hear, fragrances and odors, and how things feel may have positive or negative connotations which often lead to conflict. Our senses merely enable us to differentiate objects, they provide contrast among things.

Light  <====> Dark
Contrast <====> Conflict
Discern  <====> Judge

When we begin to judge the intake of our senses, that is when conflict arises and when we begin to let in the darkness. Focusing on our senses with discernment rather than judgment will enable us to comprehend the contrast of our sensory intake, which will keep our spiritual light.

In the physical realm, it is difficult to know light without having experienced darkness. This is the contrast. I don’t know whether these concepts hold true in the spiritual realm. It doesn’t seem logical that we must let in darkness to fully appreciate the light, the challenge is to keep it out. Judgement and conflict harden us and that has a deep impact on our spiritual light. I feel I have just seen the surface of this concept of contrast and conflict, it bears greater exploration.

My challenge is to become more mindful of my sensory intake and more discerning.
In this way, I can have greater awareness of the moment at hand and take the best step into the next moment. And hopefully, I chase out whatever darkness is here.

Published by Trekking Cyclist

from Plano, TX. Father, grandfather, cyclist, fan of the Texas Rangers and Texas Longhorns View all posts by Trekking Cyclist