Day 47 - going with the flow

It's funny how mothers are sometimes proved right in the long run. Stuff they know about, they know about.

If i had a pound for everytime mine had told me to 'slow down' over the years i would be a very wealthy man.

And that is precisely what i have resolved to do - on the advice of my mom, and countless help gurus.

We all know how different somthing feels when it is 'right' or 'meant to be' to when it is 'wrong'. This is called alignment. Alignment with the universe and alignment with your destiny.

Being in alignment is something I am really feeling at the moment.

But the thing is, it requires certian measures are taken to ensure that I stay in this good space. The first being that I am in alignment not only with what I am here to do, but also with the how nature and the universe intends me to accomplish it.

Life shouldn't be a struggle. Every moment should be as it should be. The minute you try and force something to happen the blockages come up and you are out of alignment. That is why people at work, with intense deadlines to meet, are so strtessed and unhappy. They are always meeting deadlines that do nothing for them - other peoples deadlines. That is what makes them unhappy. They have no alignment. They may be rich but so what? If there's one thing we all know to be true it is that their money can't buy them happiness (which is all any of us really wants when you strip it down - the Dalai Lama says this is so).

I mean, let's look at 5 of the biggest self gurus of all time, and their thoughts on slowing down and going with the flow:

One of the Grandaddy's of self help, Lao Tzu, in the Tao Te Ching, 3rd century BC: 'Flow around obstacles, don't confront them. Don't struggle to succeed. Wait for the right moment.'

The modern guru, Deepak Chopra: 'The 4th spiritual law of success is the law of least effort. This is the principle of least action, of no resistance... When we learn this lesson from nature, we easily fulfill our desires.'

The corporate guru, Richard Koch (80/20 principle): 'The 80/20 principle, like the truth, can make you free. You can work less. At the same time, you can earn and enjoy more.'

Bill Clinton's guru, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounded Meehee Chick-sent-meehee), and modern master of all things 'flow': 'Flow helps to integrate the self because in that state of deep concentration - going with the flow - conciousness is unusually well ordered.' (That must be why i feel everyone else is mad, whereas i feel totally normal! My conciousness is ordered. Theirs is muddled!)

Thomas Moore, who spent a year at the top of the NYTimes bestseller list: 'Soul cannot thrive in a fast paced life because being affected, taking things in and chewing on them, requires time.'

And then of course their is that greatest of helpers, my mother, with the constant requests for me to 'slow down'.

They are all on to something i think.

Going with the flow is not easy, however. As Csikzentmihalyii says, it requires deep concentration and forgoing of distractions. Once you have identified what you are here to do, as my deep sense of wellbeing surely indicates that i have, you must then focus on that completely, putting in the requisite work when the universe and intuition (surely interelated guides) indicate it is needed. But it's no hassle when you love what you do.

My best work is happening as a consequence.

It happens in writing all the time. At the beginning of the year, I was constantly putting the cart before the horse, setting myself herculean tasks about which i knew little, and thus producing shabby work. But as my journey continues, I have discovered inspiration and quality come from peace, alignment and meditation.

So hear's to slowing down.

And going with the flow.

All those gurus can't be wrong - and nor can mom.

Writing time: 9 hours

Manifestation: 100%