This month we begin a new Home Study series with the book Positive Energy by Judith Orloff, M.D. This book is filled with insights regarding the power of spiritual Energy as well as tips for practical application. One of the earliest books in my own spiritual tool kit, I highly recommend it as a resource for grounding the sometimes abstruse concepts of spirituality into the realm of our daily personal lives. It’s definitely worth picking up!
Today’s text: Positive Energy by Judith Orloff, M.D.
Published by: Three Rivers Press, 2004
Study page: p. 34-38
Look at a picture of any bustling city, crowded interstate or busy airport and you will find a snapshot of a society in a hurry. Never content with a moment of stillness, citizens of our western culture largely buzz from one appointment to another, sure that slowing down would mean the ruin of their daily schedules. After all, slowing the pace might mean missing the next thing on our to-do list, even if that next thing is nothing more than a dash to the local mega store to check out the latest clearance racks.
As a society, we have begun rushing for the sake of things that are far from important. No longer do we just rush to the hospital; now we rush to the gas station, to the kids’ soccer practice, to the neighborhood picnic for a little r & r. But all this zipping around has begun to cost us something very precious: our quality of life.
On page 34, Judith Orloff lists some of the side effects of living a life addicted to a pace set too high. She tells us that you can know you are rushing through your life when:
- Your energy feels scattered
- You have little or no awareness of your body
- You experience a subliminal or overt sense of panic ‘
- Your ability to listen is impaired, as is your memory for details
The problem is that rushing is often looked upon by society as a sign of being an important person, a go-getter who is dynamic and driven. In fact, it has become such a part of many peoples’ identities that they eventually find this contracted energy addictive. Dr. Orloff herself says (p. 35),
“I understand how addictive rushing can be…More than once I got a speeding ticket zipping from the gym to the market so I could get home to unwind in a tub. I was rushing to relax!”
Sound familiar? To me, too! For years I worked with clients who struggled with the habit of rushing to get to our shared yoga classes together. How counterproductive…yet how common! If you are like most people, you can look into your daily schedule and find some rather ironic places rushing has wormed its way into your life.
To practice getting a sense of your life’s pace–and whether or not it feels too fast to you–I recommend trying Dr. Orloff’s meditation listed on pages 36-38. This simple exercise is essentially like taking your rushing “temperature” to find out if you are running a little high or if your pace seems just right. You may wish to mark these pages in your book and return to them a few times a year, just to check in with your comfort level.
Whether we are working in the busy world, raising busy children or busily retired, rushing can easily creep into our lives and rob us of the joy found only in the present moment. If you sense this is a problem for you, I hope you will make time to analyze the questions below and pinpoint where you can make some changes to stop running and start living!
Taking a pen and a piece of paper or journal, contemplate the following this week:
1. What symptoms of rushing am I experiencing in my personal life?
2. Why do I rush? (see Dr. Orloff’s list on page 34, and add any others you can think of!)
3. Where do I rush to that is obviously counterintuitive (meditation or yoga class, a relaxing walk in the park)?
4. What small committment can I make to myself to stop rushing (drive the speed limit, speak more slowly, etc)?
In session two of our Home Study, we will be diving deeper into Positive Energy and learning about how we can tell if we are flowing with life, or pushing against its current…don’t miss it! Be sure to click and follow our blog so you can be alerted when our next discussion commences!
For more book discussions, please peruse the other selections from our Home Study category. We also invite you to experience other uplifting insights from the Higher Realms at www.hopeofthenewage.com
Grace and Clarity 