The ‘HOW’ of things: Meeting Life Fully

We often talk about the importance of whys, and even the whats it gets translated into. Somehow the hows don’t get the attention they deserve. In fact ‘how’ is such a crucial differentiator.?

Why?

• There is action all around us, actions always happen, the whats are a status quo
• Likewise, there is invariably a why behind why everyone does or doesn’t do something

It is the HOW that distinguishes one what over the other or one why over the other.

As mentioned in my last article, understanding 'who we really are' is definitely key for the whys, hows, and whats to fall in place.?

→ Because when we experience ‘who’ we really are - there arises a knowing, a clarity, a deeper sense of space - a space to hold all of life as it arises.?

But what if the esoteric ‘who’ remains elusive??

Start by meeting: ‘how’!

All we need for it is one thing: GET SLOW!

If nature has taught us anything, it is that there is deep intelligence in this world and this evolutionary intelligence didn’t happen overnight. It took its time!?

So → slow down.?

Witness life, all of it!??

The Art of Witnessing:

Internal (thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, patterns, triggers)?

• Have you noticed how a thought arises??
• What happens after it does?
• Do you hold on to all of them or some of them??
• Have you noticed how certain thoughts have more impact on you than other thoughts? Have you wondered why??
• What belief are they based on??
• When you buy into a thought what arises in your body?

Most importantly, if you can observe something, is it really you?

When we take time to understand ourselves, we understand the world better.?

External (events, experiences, behaviors, life situations)

• How does an event, person, or life situation make you feel, or make the other feel??
• Are we meeting it anew? Or is it colored by our past experiences and/or conditioning?
• Are we able to find patterns within and outside of us? Usually, we can trace it back - so where is the interpretation/belief coming from??
• Is there a bias? Or is it kind, inclusive, and nurturing to all parties concerned? Why or why not??
• Observe how the mind interprets, classifies, and labels. Thereby advocating or shunning one over the other.
• Observe how the interpretation colors what we feel in the body, or how we act in the world.?
• Are we able to exchange our line of thinking for someone else’s? If not, what conditioning is the mind holding on to??

This witnessing inquiry is for the pursuit of truth alone, it’s never a value judgment. That’s the beauty of it!?

‘Space’ in this context has an important connotation.?

Space was the first of the five elements which came to be:

What it means: ‘space’ is the fulcrum!

• Only when there is space can we birth something new?
• Creation and innovation arise in space

What it does: Notice how space holds no judgment

• You can put anything in a space, and it will hold it - it is in its nature to hold?
• This is why we often hear the term ‘hold space’?

When there is space/distance, witnessing happens, clarity dawns, birthing newer things.?

This witnessing can’t be rushed, as it’s not a goal or a destination. You can only witness what’s happening now. Worship the now!?

Practical Ways to Meet How:

→ Tune into the humming of a bird, a cat’s walk, a child’s play. → Notice the abundance of nature, the joy of a dog, the laughter of a stranger. → Witness the agony of a friend, the complexity of a problem

→ Just be with each of the internal and external aspects of joy and pain - without labeling it. If there is labeling or interpretation, don’t fret. The now will begin again, and so will you, keep at it.?

Each moment offers a fresh start.

Witness it. Embrace it. And in doing so, meet life fully.

To witnessing - the simple & complex profundity of the lighter and darker hues of life - with love and awareness!