Saturday 10 December 2011

HOW TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN - THE WAY TO SUCCESS AS I SEE IT


(This is a cross post from my art blog)
"Emotions 1/6", copyright Vivi-Mari Carpelan 2003
So here's the scenario: you feel discouraged and disheartened, not knowing what to do next. It seems as if everything is against you and you are losing faith not only in other people but in yourself as well. You feel stuck and uncreative. Personally, I have been in this place many times. It's almost as if each time it gets worse, but this could be evolution in action. Challenges get tougher as you learn from life, but the rewards you reap are probably also greater. Thing is, life is naturally dynamic, and this means there are always ups and downs throughout the journey. I find it helpful to think of it as the inhalation and exhalation of life itself. When you're in a phase of inhalation, you will feel more introspective and maybe even depressed. The point is to not fight this, but go with the flow. If you resist it, you make it harder for yourself. 

"Emotions 2/6", copyright Vivi-Mari Carpelan 2003

Artists are people who may feel these mood swings and roller coasters much more poignantly than others. They easily get distressed when they are in a low phase because it feels as if they cannot produce anything worthwhile. You easily feel victimized and blame others for all sorts of things. The darker aspects of your being might come out and you will be a less pleasant person to be around. The way that depth psychologists who specialize in creativity theories explain this is that you are more submerged in your subconscious mind and the reason you cannot produce quite so well is because mental material is in a state of brewing. Don't panic, this phase is necessary. If you look into yourself you will probably find that you're battling with problems and feeling conflicted about many things. There is often one major issue to deal with but it usually connects with other more minor issues. You need to let it all go on for as long as it needs to go on.
"Emotions 3/6", copyright Vivi-Mari Carpelan 2003
Let this be. Don't panic, don't force yourself to be something you're not. At the most, be positive in the sense that you know this will pass, and that consciously dwelling on things is not necessarily of any use. I find talking to my husband useful, as it sometimes speeds things up a bit and makes me feel clearer, as well as helps him understand what's going on. But trying not to whine and winge too much is better for yourself and everyone around you. Keep in mind that clarity will come when the time is right.

"Emotions 4/6", copyright Vivi-Mari Carpelan 2003
Then suddenly, one day, you have reached a major decision. I find time and time again that reaching a decision about what direction I want to take is the turning point. I don't think there are any real short cuts to this. This is usually when you come out of your shell and start acting. You will no doubt be more extroverted than normal, which will enable you to communicate with other people about your ideas and your direction. In fact, just chatting to people about whatever happens in your life can lead to unexpected trains of events. Very often things happen indirectly, in a mysterious way that is not really of your own making. You're just being open and actively putting yourself out there. You feel more in charge of your own life, but don't make the mistake of thinking that you can control it. Control is not the point, and there is a very important distinction between the two. I think one of the keys is that you stop putting your destiny in the wrong hands and decide what kind of people you want to interact with. These people will then be the right ones who facilitate your journey. It's always a two way street so you really must avoid manipulating or forcing other people to make things happen for you. Luckily at this time and age people have woken up to the advantages of networking so interaction with others can be quite fruitful. It's about a balance between being self-sufficient and acknowledging the need for other people. The truth and fluidity of being is a paradox somewhere between the two ways of being. 
"Emotions 5/6", copyright Vivi-Mari Carpelan 2003
In my own life, I was deeply disappointed with people for a while after my relocation to a new country. It was a major issue for me, in fact it involved such deep feelings of despair that it took me over a year to get my act together. Then, after a lot of difficulties and exhaustion and feeling stuck, it was as if the wind changed. I had on the one hand reached a major decision that I wasn't going to put my destiny in the hands of "just anybody" and managed to rid myself of a lot of expectations on other people. On the other hand I also decided to embrace my chronic condition and decide to the represent disability arts. It was a major decision for me, as I had a lot of fear of being judged as wallowing in self-pity or being categorized as a loony. They were prejudices I had to overcome. It then turned out that I was now choosing a way of much less resistance than the alternative. I think it's important to remember that there are often alternatives, and when we cease to stubbornly hold onto a particular path, it turns out there is an easier one which is much better for you. This is my experience, anyway. 

"Emotions 6/6", copyright Vivi-Mari Carpelan 2003
During the "exhalation" phase you are probably rushed with adrenaline and cortisol, the stress hormones, and will probably be eager to produce and be generally active. I can't sustain this state of being for very long and so it's very important that I unwind regularly. The other day my pulse was up at a whopping 96 as I was running around renovating the house. I did transformational Qigong for 20 minutes and my pulse went down to 72. A while later I did some deep breathing/meditation for a short while in bed and the pulse went down to 64. I thought this was fascinating evidence of the power of meditation practices. 



It's interesting how inner decisions will lead to greater flow and how things just start to happen. It probably feels great. During this phase, it's useful to be outgoing and generous. I'm not saying it's a ride without any bumps. But if you follow your intuition - and this is of paramount importance - you will probably finally achieve some important goals on your journey. By goal I don't mean an end, but rather a milestone. It won't last, because it's not in the nature of reality to be stable. Embrace the changes that will happen in one way or another, and enjoy the rush while it lasts! 

10 comments:

  1. I'm currently at a "low" phase and it is driving me crazy. I feel stuck, inactive and basically dull. But you have reminded me that I have been here before, and also in life I have very high energy intense periods.

    But I guess its like everything isn't it? The tides, the moon, seasons. Its just hard having a mind as it thinks too much about it, and my mind thinks I will be there forever!

    Thanks for your article, good to know I'm not the only one who feels this at times - and worries about it!!!

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  2. Hello Tori! Thank you so much for your comment, it's wonderful to receive feedback! Yes, the dull phases can be incredibly dreary and lacking in hopefulness. It's all yin and yang... I feel that things that were stuck for quite some time (both for very long and for some time) are getting unstuck, and it's great! But unfortunately the good times don't last and I personally find this very hard to deal with...

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  3. Spirituality is the base of human being but a lot pf peoples doesn't know this reality...this should be happen in real form but it need some effort.
    Thanks for sharing

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  4. I am so glad I have finally stepped out of my quiet space and am beginning to not only share my writing and life experiences, but am finding amazing 'souls' like you, Vivi-Mari. Your art work is amazing and your words about Qui Gong and Meditation mirror my feelings and experiences.

    I'm glad I found you in my search for like-minded spiritual people, void of a religious label so to speak. I will add you to my Blog List so that my list of growing readers will find you too.

    Peace Always,

    Carreen

    http://a-womans-journey-to-peace.blogspot.com

    http://religious-stronghold.blogspot.com

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  5. I've also just read your reader, Tori's comment above. I'm sure you have both heard of and perhaps have even read Eckart Tolle's book, 'A New Earth - Awakening to Your Life's Purpose'? To say that it has changed me and my husband would be a huge understatement. Tori, you would learn to allow the 'mind' to relax and just 'be'. It truly is a powerful read.

    Peace To All,

    Carreen

    http://a-womans-journey-to-peace.blogspot.com

    http://religious-stronghold.blogspot.com

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  6. Thank you Carreen, for your thoughtful comments, it's always such a pleasure when someone finds their way here and enjoys what I have tried to express! I don't write here that often these days as I am focusing on the artistic side of my life, see the other blog for that kind of stuff... Thanks for liking my art work! Glad you found Tolle helpful, I never got through the book I was given by some helpful person so I believe it's not that novel and important to me personally. Nonetheless, reminders about stopping to relax may be important every once in a while.

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  7. A poignant piece. Thanks for posting. I will be revisiting, specifically paragraph four, many times.

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  8. Thank you, I wish I could believe in it myself when things are low... :/

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  9. This article really speaks to me. I am still in the "honey moon phase," (didn't realize it until I heard this phrase), and your words bring that feeling back down to this world. Perhaps we need this stage to propell us to the harder things we have to get to. Thank you for your work.

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  10. Dear iamglassy, thank you so much for your words! I'm glad you found the termninology of some use as well. I didn't realize it myself when I was in that stage because it didn't seem like the kind of stage I'd heard about. However, in retrospective my take on spirituality is a lot different now - especially in practise. The other day I found myself missing more interaction with spiritually minded people but right now it seems very important that I don't stress this side too much in relation to the rest of the world. It's just because of what I feel I have to say now, as opposed to what I thought my mission was 15 years ago. All stages are necessary though! :-) Good luck!

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