Each day is an opportunity. We can do one thing, we can do many things, but we cannot do everything. Thus, each day is an opportunity to choose – where and on what we spend our effort and focus. If we don’t pay attention, much of our effort and focus gets dedicated to ‘the things of habit’, and we have talked about how important it is to improve your daily routine. But as we start to pay attention more, to the daily routines and habits of our lives, and we start to change them in order to be better people – how can we decide between the many different things there are to do and the many different ways there are to improve?
Maybe its your gut, it could be somewhere in your brain – I think its likely that its a bit more spiritual, some spirit or soul connects us with some deeper meaning of life. Even in day to day life this comes through as interests – not all people are interested in the same things. Some parts of interest can be developed, but a core essence of our being seems to be giving us ‘a mission’ through the method of pulling us towards things we have interest in.
It is not conclusively understood where our interests come from in a 'scientific' manner. Some people think that it has to do with our past lives, by way of our spirit, others that it come through to us through genetics, which would still be a type of 'past life'.
While superficial 'niche' interests might be more biological, as explained in this video delving into the topic below - there is a deeper level at which I am getting at, one that is often called 'the call' in literature and if not heeded, leads to depression and feelings of meaninglessness. If you are interested, first enjoy this video about 'niche interests' and get a handle on the level at which scientists, psychologists and behavior economists are exploring human interests.
Throughout our life, our interests on a 'basic level' may change over time. But our deeper motivations, what drives us on a spiritual level seem to keep calling to us. There are several manifestations of this throughout our life, such as 'the call', our interests, or our personal mission. But these can get confused with our more 'niche' or biological interests unless and until we spend time and effort to study them - that is, study ourselves.
I am no expert in this, but I am working to get better, and I do this by meditation. For years of my life I thought meditation was some mysterious thing, I had trouble sitting still and trouble feeling as if I was doing something worthwhile - as many of my thoughts would revolve around things I should or could be doing, and then I would get up and do them.
I found a new (to me!) technique that really helped me get past this, called 'Standing Meditation'. In order to start understanding the mind, it has helped me to go into the body - and this is something that I am now, after about a year practicing standing meditation, able to apply to seated meditation.
I will go into more of these techniques in a next post, but it has helped me differentiate between 'surface' level thoughts, desires and motivations and the deeper feelings and interests coming from my spirit.
Again I was very lucky to have good training early in life, to be trained to think about a mission when I was still in my teen years. But now that I am in my 30's, I am finding it very rewarding - very important - to look again. To continue to invest time in understanding myself, my interests and finding the mission - again.
Again because, I am much further down the path. I am in a different place, literally as well as figuratively. And from here I can see possibilities that I couldn't before, from here I have much more experience with which I can say - if that was possible, could I do more? Even much more?
As this week continues, think about your mission. Type it to me in a comment if you like, but think about it first. What is your mission? Where are you going?