Circumstance and Opportunities

mage source: athleticpoets.com

Circumstances & Opportunities

After writing the last post, my thoughts returned to a 'Live and Dare' newsletter titled, "To hell with circumstances! I create opportunities."

The heading quote is from Bruce Lee. Following my curiosity to know more about this man led me to the Bruce Lee Podcast [1] and sayings by Bruce on BrainyQuotes. [2] 

Through this reading I gained a deeper understanding and respect for Bruce Lee, whose name I only vaguely associated with martial arts movies not seen.

Giovanni's newsletter on circumstances and opportunities follows (in my mind) the last Whole Human post, "Use", where I wrote:

Another way is to consciously remain in the midst of challenging personas and situations, and thereby grow stronger. Note this is not the same as the perspective of Friedrich Nietzsche, 'That which does not kill us makes us stronger.' [3]

As 'The Impersonal Life' says, we encounter no challenging aspects in others which are not still carried in ourselves. I add, the gift of the challenge is the opportunity it gives to become aware of what is in me and thereby make a shift in myself towards living from the pure consciousness of the True Self.

A challenging situation is where I am now, with my agreement, until such time as I am called to a new assignment. While trusting the I AM that being where 'I am' has a higher purpose, the hunger for a lifestyle where my talents are well-used remains. According to T.I.L., as I interpret it, this hunger is also according to the original blueprint. 

In earlier years, I was all about making things happen, creating opportunities, goal setting, time management, to-do lists and networking with objectives. Now, I am done with doing. I have no agenda, goals or ambitions. Being done with doing does not mean that practical actions end. It changes the way of doing. In the practice of being a whole human, there is no doing — there is only acting in the flow.

For me, the goal-setting, 'To Do' lists and measuring a day by a sense of productivity and accomplishment have ended. I am far more interested in the quality of attention I give to the moment. My days are full and rewarding. ​Living a meditative (mindful, present) life is the whole human way. It is applied to every moment, every breath, every action. My primary focus and passion are to experience being a whole human. - from the About page

The message of Bruce Lee feels like a message from life to me. Like water, I seek my level and balance, and to merge with what is. I do not feel limited by circumstances, but apply the lessons they offer to my conscious unfolding rather than exert effort to change them. Then the changes of circumstances will occur naturally, in the timing and way of the True Self.

Giovanni's newsletter is 'reprinted' below with permission.

Live and Dare Inspiration - #11

Reflection

We many times may feel oppressed by our circumstances. “If only this was different… If only I had more time/money… If only my kids were already grown up now… If only I had started this project 3 years ago…” 

This line of thinking is deeply disempowering. It makes us feel like a victim. It makes us not access the power and fulfilment we would otherwise have, if we dared to changed our ways of looking at things. That is why I love Bruce Lee’s quote.

Sometimes all we need is to ignore the circumstances, and take a step forward. To allow serendipity to happen; to give space for the unexpected, for the gracious, and for the glory to create the opportunities we dream we had. 

It is the experience of many that, once we give a decisive step in a meaningful direction, things start happening. The universe starts responding.

Exercise

Are you allowing your circumstances to have the best of you, to limit you?

What would happen if you would use those circumstances as stepping stones on your path?

Is it possible that you are using your circumstances as an excuse to leave things as they are?

Happy growing,

Giovanni Dienstmann [4]

---

Fern Spring in Yosemite National Park. Photo by Gary Smith.

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee

---

[1] Bruce Lee site
http://www.brucelee.com/

[2] Bruce Lee on Brainy Quotes
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/bruce_lee.html

[3] "Mayhem and chaos don't toughen you up, and they don't prepare you well to deal with the terror of this world. Tender love and care toughen you up, because they nurture and strengthen your capacity to learn and adapt... "
- Psychology Today

​[4] Live and Dare - http://liveanddare.com/
​​

CONTENTS - BLOG POSTS

THE IMPERSONAL LIFE, UNABRIDGED