Another way is possible

Another way is possible

“I’m going to make everything around me beautiful – that will be my life.”
—Elsie de Wolfe

I

f you have hair, then you’ve likely had bedhead.

Waking up in the morning with bedhead, one could say that the way your hair looks is “natural” and “authentic.” But clearly, another way is possible. For starters, you could mat it down and then comb it. Or you could go a bit further by washing it, brushing it, and adding hairspray to it. Or you could go all out and get it cut, permed, and styled professionally.

So many people are on this “express yourself” kick. “Be yourself” kick. “Do what feels right for you” kick. “Speak your truth” kick.

But nobody really knows who they are. What “you” are we talking about?

Does that mean you let the voices speak through you and allow the sewage water of your mind turn on high to the world? Is that expressing yourself? Sure, sewage water is “natural” and “authentic,” but clearly another way is possible. Perhaps you want the clean, pure water that flows from your mind to be turned on as you speak.

So while you are perfect exactly as you are, you can help yourself become any way you want to be. The same is true with the world.

You can look around you and see the world from the point of view that there are “no problems.” Starving children, homelessness, violence, hatred, injustice, death, greed, delusion. Yes, all of this is “natural” and “authentic.” Just like bedhead and sewage water. We don’t know a world without them.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t choose another way. One that doesn’t involve righteous indignation, blame, judgment, finger-pointing, anger, hatred and more of the same.

A hammer never helped bedhead and added filth never helped sewage water.

So how can you style and allow purity to address change? What “you” would you need to call forth to do this skillfully, gracefully and beautifully?
 

In lovingkindness,


If you enjoyed this article, you can find a version of it in my book, Living the Zen Life: Practicing Conscious, Compassionate Awareness (Volume One).

If you enjoyed this article, you can find a version of it in my book, Living the Zen Life: Practicing Conscious, Compassionate Awareness (Volume Two).

If you enjoyed this article, you can find a version of it in my book, Living the Zen Life: Practicing Conscious, Compassionate Awareness (Volume Three).

If you enjoyed this article, you can find a version of it in my book, A Shift to Love: Zen Stories and Lessons by Alex Mill.

If you enjoyed this article, you can find a version of it in my book, Meditation and Reinventing Yourself.

If you enjoyed this article, you can find a version of it in my book, The Zen Life: Spiritual Training for Modern Times.

 


  Alex Mill trained in a Zen Buddhist monastery for nearly 14 years. He now offers his extensive experience to transform people’s lives and businesses through timeless Zen principles.

He is the creator of three powerful 30-day programs, Heart-to-Heart: Compassionate Self-Mentoring, Help Yourself to Change, and Your Practice, as well as the online Zen meditation workshop, Taming Your Inner Noise (now offered as The FREE Zen Workshop).

Alex has also written seven books on Zen awareness practice. The latest are entitled A Shift to Love: Zen Stories and Lessons (Get it for FREE here) and the 3-book series Living the Zen Life: Practicing Conscious, Compassionate Awareness.

He is a full-time Zen Life Coach who offers guidance and life-changing support to his private clients worldwide. Book a call.