One month, weʻre a new parent beaming with the profundity of life and reveling in our new found sacred responsibility. A few months later, weʻre in the crux of a nervous breakdown wondering where the purpose of everything went.
One day sheʻs under the trees bursting with gratitude and riding the endless wave of universal guidance. The next day her energetic frequency is low, sheʻs stressed, irritated, static and wondering why me?
On Monday, all the kids in your class wanted to play with you at lunch, now itʻs Tuesday and you seem to be the butt of a joke, everyone is laughing at you behind your back and you are all alone.
An hour ago I was stressed, angry and short on adaptability units, now here I sit in a coffee shop with tea, scone, a gentle breeze, blue skies and a limitless sense of possibility.
His brother just died unexpectedly. His new business, that is of great benefit to society, which he has put his heart and soul into, is thriving and providing for his family.
Last night I was an asshole, this morning I am a saint.
As Chögyam Trunpa Rinpoche said, “THERE IS NO CURE FOR UP AND DOWN.”
Can we embrace that the UP holds such greater meaning and reward because of the DOWN? Can we take solace in that the DOWN is tilling and watering the soil to provide a fertile foundation for the next glorious UP?
Can we move further away from black or white, this or that, and move more towards the self-evident reality of simultaneity: of this, that and the other? Our lives are rarely all up or all down but a mixture of up, down and the in-between.
I believe moving more towards this simultaneity understanding of our own lives, thoughts and emotions could possibly help us to be more understanding towards other people. I donʻt believe people are either good or bad. We are so much more nuanced than that. We all have the potential for all qualities inside of us and depending upon our life circumstances, certain qualities are triggered more than others. At times we have all been kind, mean, compassionate, judgmental, brave, scared, nondiscriminatory, prejudiced, loving and hateful. Through it all, were we not mostly trying with whatever was our best at that moment?
So, in the knowingness of our internal and external UP + DOWN, can we find more patience, listening, understanding and communion for ourselves, our neighbor, our stranger, and our so-called enemy?
Wishing you health, love + the revelation of your fulfillment.
Love, Wade.
5/18/18
Wade Robson, based on his personal experience of external wins and internal losses, explores our personal definitions of WINNING and their implications.