Setting Up What You Want

FROM DAVID:

Did you see that documentary film called "What the BLEEP Do We Know!?"? One of its featured speakers spoke about "creating his day". Basically, he would think about what he wanted for that particular day. He felt this was, somehow, constructing a course for short-term future events. His experience often surprised him by conforming in completely unforeseen ways, to his visioning of the day to come. Neat! Right? Do you believe that we provide input into the experiences that unfold as we step into them?

Not long ago, my sister introduced me to "affirmations". They sounded nice, sweet, but I didn't really get what they were about. Then, in the heat of a speedy iTunes purchase, I accidentally bought an affirmations album by Deepak Chopra, thinking it was actually meditation music. Nonetheless, a happy accident! Once I listened to a few of the affirmations, I understood better what my sister liked about them - it seems like a way of creating one's day. A means of setting intention aligned with what we want, with our purpose. It's amazing how in the context of a busy life, it's easy to completely forget one's purpose, or to go for what we want for ourselves.

The Option Institute teaches a philosophy called The Option Process^® which Bears (Barry Neil Kaufman) has briefly defined as "happy existentialism". Before being introduced to it, I had no idea that philosophy could be so practical, life-changing, and useful! It has helped me to explore my purpose in the major areas of my life (in my marriage, as a father, etc.). In the often hectic day-to-day, though, I sometimes stray from these purposes simply because they aren't at the forefront of my mind.

Holding what we want in our minds, cycling it through the foreground of our thoughts regularly, and believing that it is absolutely possible to achieve what we passionately want - is that enough to swim straight when the current turns into us? Sometimes we seem to float down our path. Other times, not quite a floating thing. Still, whatever we are faced with, we can choose to move to make our goals and dreams happen, regardless of how we may be judged by others.

Taking a moment to revisit my purpose(s) and/or how I want to change how I am in the world is grounding - it resets my course. So, a practice of "day creation" has grown from those moments of self-reflection. As I drift toward sleep at night, I visualize something like an imagined group of internal project managers that have experience in the metaphysical (or quanta). It's like a strategy meeting to lay out the specs of my biggest wants. For example, I might make a plan coming out of some self-studentship, "I will have the presence to remain non-judgmental tomorrow, more successfully than I did today." While planning, I am conscious, as I am with Eidan in his Son-Rise Program, of whether my request is crafted to set me up for success. I don't concern myself with the "how" because my project managers have that part covered. When I roll out of bed in the morning, I recall the notes from the last night's "meeting". This little ritual helps me to stay on track with myself, by creating a reference point for making choices during the day.


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