What Is Life Asking of You?

"Transformation arises from a willingness that develops very slowly over time to be what life asks of us."

-- Charlotte Jodo Beck

We are taught in Western culture that we can be whatever we want to be. And maybe we can. At least some of us. The unasked question, though, is should we? Should we use personal desire as our one guiding star to determine who we're going to be and what we're going to do?

Coming out of the Zen perspective, Charlotte offers us an alternative. The alternative is to listen to the whisperings of life. What is life asking? Are we willing to take up a larger call?

One of the problems with many so-called New Age teachings is that they focus upon "getting" from life. In the guise of spirituality, personal desire is christened as holy. The whole enterprise smacks of  selfishness in drag.

Instead, how about listening to "the still, small voice within?" How about seeking to harmonize with the Universe rather than trying to put our stamp upon it? Deeper needs are met, higher purposes served, when we move beyond merely collecting more stuff, experience, or praise. In reality, the best results are produced, the most joy is uncovered, when co-creation, rather than egoic desire, is the driving force.

So, the koan du jour and the perennial question are one and the same: What is life asking of you? And, secondarily: Are you willing? Are you willing to do and be what life asks rather than continuously trying to remold life in your image?

When you are both listening and willing, that's when true transformation happens -- to you, to those around you, to the world.

Collaborators in Creation

"Our duty, as men and women, is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation."

-- Teilhard de Chardin

Who truly knows their own limits? No one. Sure, you may know that you can't run a four minute mile, but, hell, you probably don't want to anyway! Likely, though, there are many more things that you really do want to do, and can do, but you limit yourself from doing them simply because you have failed to adopt the "as if" philosophy. Proceeding "as if limits do our ability do not exist" produces results that far exceed what we could predict through rational analysis. And if that is so when we speak of the individual, just think how much more we can expand beyond our supposed limits when we're working together!

Alot of the New Age books have it at least half wrong -- you do not create your own reality! You co-create your experience of the world by collaborating with others, with natural laws, with The Divine. It's not about manifesting the perfect parking space or creating a multi-million dollar income. It's about joyfully working, playing and living in concert with the One and all.

To truly do that, you must transcend the ego -- both its boundaries and it's pride. Being a collaborator in creation is no big deal. It's just what people do -- whether they know it or not. Doing it consciously is the trick. That, and being detached from the results.

Zen has ben defined as "doing your damndest without giving a damn." That is both the paradox, and the mindset, that we're talking about here. No self-imposed limits, no attachment to results. Collaborating with the Universe! Who knows what will happen?