Rodger Ruge, Nederland.  “People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life…I think that what we’re really seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance within our innermost being and reality, so that we can actually feel the rapture of being alive.”  ~Joseph Campbell

In Dragon’s Play, A New Taoist Transmission of the Complete Experience of Human Life, by Charles Belyea and Steven Tainer, a work of exceptional light reading with tongue firmly planted in cheek, he talks about the philosophy of “Discovering Monkey”. The analogy uses a monkey as the central character and in this phase of existence, life is a blur of frantic activity, uneasiness and breathless behavior that gives life a claustrophobic occurrence and yet, deep inside, we know there is more…if we dare to dream and from these dreams, act.

Many of my clients express feelings of discovering monkey, a slowly consuming quagmire of a frantic life trapped in grinding mediocrity. The movie “Groundhog Day”, starring Bill Murry, tapped into this stale vein of American life, a life where one day simply blends into the next and the ‘rapture of being alive’ seems like an impossible dream. I can empathize with this feeling, I lived it for a couple of decades until one day I got fed up and decided to make a radical change.

That change consisted of scrapping my business, selling my home, my car and all my possessions, sans what would fit into a backpack, and travelling for three years. I kept a roof over my head by doing professional housesitting. Many of the homes I cared for were valued at well over a million dollars. I was literally living a millionaire lifestyle without the trappings that life can bring. I made dozens of new friends, experienced wonderful cultures, landscapes, climates and best of all, I felt so very rejuvenated and alive.

One of the most interesting realizations I had during my journey was how many people were literally shocked when I told them what I was doing and experiencing. Many could not possibly imagine themselves doing anything like that because of this reason or that belief. Some however were deeply moved and inspired to shake up their world just a bit, here and there, within the safety of their legitimate constraints, and in so doing they experienced an upliftment to their lives that acted as a counter balance to their lackluster daily routines.

So many people are waiting for ‘someday’ to start living. Someday is not guaranteed! Your time could end in a few minutes, a few days, a few weeks…and so if you want to start living in the NOW instead of waiting for someday, consider the following exercise to stimulate some ideas.

Pretend you are on your deathbed. I know, a little dramatic, but bear with me. Really get into this idea for a few minutes. Even consider lying down on your bed to help you get into the proper mindset. In your mind’s eye, place a close friend or loved one at the side of your bed, someone you would feel most comfortable sharing your innermost dreams and desires. Pretend they ask you the following question:

Do you have any regrets?

Then allow ANY answers that come to flow from you. Write or record these thoughts. Don’t try to structure anything, don’t make it perfect, just let it flow as freely as possible. Keep in mind that this exercise is dreamtime folks, you have no restrictions whatsoever, just dream without “yeah but” inserting its nosy nose in your business.

When you are complete you will have a list of things you can then tailor to your life experience. Maybe you have always wanted to write a book. Perhaps you will be motivated to take that whitewater rafting trip you have been talking about doing for the last three years. Maybe once a month you will pick a place in Colorado you have never seen and go visit it for a day or two. Or maybe, if you’re up for a grand adventure, you will sell all your possessions and travel around!

Upcoming Events: Stop by the Nederland Farmer’s Market June 10, 2018, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. I’ll have a booth and will be providing complementary ‘tune-ups’ using sound biofeedback through specially calibrated tuning forks, a truly unique stress reduction experience!

Many blessings to your life journey.