The number one affliction in our culture that keeps us from balance, harmony, peace, abundance and joy is the disease of busy.
Have you heard of it? Do you know anyone who may suffer from this life threatening illness?
Symptoms include sayings such as ” I would love to take the time to develop, rejuvenate, heal and uplift myself, but I can’t take the time away from my busy schedule.” Or perhaps the advanced symptoms of, “I long to have more time to find myself/ finish this project/expand my wisdom, love and joy, but I am too busy.” And the fatal, “I wish I could/had…., but…”
You fill in the blanks.
Surely you have witnessed this disease in those around you. Perhaps you notice the symptoms in yourself.
How often do we bemoan the things that are not happening in our lives that we desire to happen because of this treacherous disease?
There are many teachings in this world these days about manifestation, about creating a new life and about being a conscious creator of your own reality. And yet, most of us remain stuck in realities that are not of our own making, feeling forced to conform to the rules of the world of survival and that result in a life that we are not entirely satisfied with. The eternal lament vibrates throughout the universe daily, “I wish I had more abundance, time, love, peacefulness, fulfillment, etc. etc.”
For the many who suffer from this affliction something remains amiss, not quite aligned and not yet attained. There is a feeling that something is unfinished and the heart is longing for something more.
We may even find if we are honest, that we do not seem to really know who we are or why we are here. We may feel uncomfortable and awkward when facing the question of the larger meaning and purpose of our lives.
Sometimes these questions howl loudly in our personal world as dissatisfaction and discord, and sometimes they are as quiet as a whisper. But if we listen very carefully we find them burning beneath the surface and pushing us to find what is missing.
We are hard wired to figure out who we truly are and what our real purpose for being here is; to move from the living of our life towards the living of our destiny.
Inevitably, the urge will cause us to look outside of ourselves for answers and prescriptives to fill the gap. We might pursue more knowledge or training, or find new hobbies or entertainments to distract ourselves, or look to our partners, family, friends or work to fill the void and answer the question. Yet each time we reach outside of ourselves something remains mysteriously and elusively unknown.
What is the missing link? What is the difference between living our life and living our destiny anyway?
Perhaps you have been too busy to even ask the question?
All dis-ease is but a symptom, a pointing to of something deeper that is not balanced. For those who suffer from the disease of busy, and wish for a cure there are two key factors that cause its unmistakable symptoms.
But wait. Before we look at these causative factors, realize that this nagging and stubborn sense of something unfinished is a great gift and can signal the beginning of the real journey of our lives.
So here is the first factor. The first and most dubious cause of the disease of busy is a hijacked will.
Sadly, most who are missing their own will do not even realize it is missing.
Is yours intact? Are you certain?
Here is one little test to check.
Imagine you just received notice that you won the lottery and were a multi-millionaire overnight. Really, take ten minutes from your busy schedule and try this exercise. Imagine the feeling in your body that this is absolutely true.
How many things would you change on the spot in your life?
A few? Quite a few? This is one key signal of a hijacked will. You are not free. You are living by someone else’s rules and contracts.
Now don’t be fooled into thinking that this does not apply to you because it is only about money or lack of it or even caring about it. Your will gets hijacked in a million other ways. This test is generally the easiest one for quick diagnosis.
So how did you do? Did you find you are not as free as you thought?
If so your will must be rescued if you are to have it back with you as it belongs. It is your will after all, isn’t it?
Are you willing to leave the comfort and familiarity of the port of the land of busy and set sail upon uncharted waters to recover your lost and abandoned will?
This is the first step on the Path of Wholing.
This voyage to recover the lost and stranded will must precede the location of the second key factor of our dissatisfactions and restlessness which I will discuss in a later article.
For now the primary step must be taken.