A funny thing happened as I began this blog entry...
As I was typing in the title, I inadvertently typed "Managing the Mundance," which I believe was a serendipitous error that lends itself to even greater clarity of my message!
For as long as I can remember, I have experienced some degree of resistance and quite honestly, at times, an all-out struggle with "managing the mundane." By that, I am referring to those day in and day out chores and responsibilities that we not only should do, but in essence, we really must do, like paying bills, doing laundry, cleaning, organizing, and maintaining our living space as well as our many possessions. Failure to do these things has some ugly consequences that we would rather not deal with. Even a delay in completion or a lapse in attentiveness to these tasks can create everything from a minor irritation to a major disruption in our daily living.
This tendency was a long-standing source of stress for me, not only due to the nature of the subtle (and the not so subtle) chaos it can cause, but also because it simply doesn't fit the profile of who I know myself to be. This type of pattern is one we would expect to see in those that we consider to be lazy, sluggish, unkempt, and a myriad of other not at all flattering adjectives with perhaps the occasional expletive thrown in for good measure! Clearly, I am none of these things. Thus my distress and puzzled expression as I gazed into the mirror of self-reflection. What gives?
In the past, I always blamed this pattern on being too busy, too stressed, not having enough help, not enough time, etc. In other words, too much of this, and not enough of that. Well, as we all know, life happens. We will always be dealing with "this and that" in the many and varied ways that they are outwardly manifested in our lives. So it is time to shift from the outer to the inner perspective to literally get to the heart of the matter.
We have all heard it said that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. In fact, that expression is so prevalent these days, that I hesitated to use it for fear of being dismissed as being trite. That said, anyone who has walked this earth for any length of time, and has attempted to answer the "big questions" in life, knows that it is true - even with regard to the mundane.
We do not tame the ego and strengthen the spirit in spite of the circumstances of our lives, but rather through them. We have the power to experience the deepest of transformation right here, right now - in this place, with these people, and in these circumstances.
(Don't just read those words, pause and let them sink in!)
Ah-ha! All of those expressions about life happening in the present moment finally made sense to me.
So, in the past (and yes, still at times in the present) in my inflated ego state, my quest for achievement, fame, fortune, success, wisdom, and even deeper spirituality, along with many other socially acceptable and sought after disguises that a desire for that ever-elusive sense of security and perhaps even a feeling of superiority might take, I was indeed too busy and exhausted to attend to the details of living. I was longing for non-stop fabulous adventures with family and a plethora of fascinating friends. Surely, there are more worthy uses for my time and talent than taking out the trash! And let's face it, maybe I was even hoping or wishing that I was (or soon would be) too advanced and above dealing with the menial - AND wouldn't it be great if I WAS indeed deemed to be too good to expend my efforts on the mundane? Although certainly this is not what I would have actually verbalized or even admitted to on a conscious level, this apparently was a part of the subconscious train of thought that derailed my efforts with regard to a more balanced allocation of my time. Although time management is a multi-factored issue, I knew that I had touched on one of the deeper threads creating a pattern in my life.
Well, how's that for a personal revelation? Humbling? Yes. Humiliating? No, not if I continue to allow it to soften my way of being in the world and to use it for further growth and development. Even better, because I took a risk to share what I learned, now you can consider what truth these words might hold for you too. Words shared from the heart with a loving intention have the power to set into motion a transformative shift in thoughts, speech, and actions, and ultimately, a new direction.
The shift intended here is one of perspective. All aspects of our lives hold the transformative power of Spirit as we let go of resistance and allow our Light to shine and radiate Love into ALL we do - even the most mundane tasks of living. Through this way of "being" as we are "doing," we allow for an abundance of grace to flow into the ordinary circumstances of our lives, and even the simplest of tasks become an opportunity for a blessing. It is only in this way, that the mundane becomes a "mundance" as we mindfully partner the physical and the spiritual to step more fully into the present moment, and since the present is where we do all of our living, this dance is truly a gift.
As always, I trust that these words will find their way to the right people, at the perfect time, and have the intended impact on the lives and hearts of my readers for the best and Highest Good.
With Blessings, Love and Light,
Nurture U
