(Introduction Portion of Meditation)

(Living a Heart-Centered Life blog post written by David is the inspiration for this month’s meditation – Living a Heart-Centered Life.)

A Different Radio Program

David recently heard a short portion of a talk radio program quite by chance.  Those few minutes of listening to the talk radio program planted a seed that fundamentally changed his perspective.  It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard this thought or idea before, he had.  It’s just that, that thought happened to manifest on the radio at the right moment so that David could really hear it this time.

Areas of Our Life

Before sharing that experience further, let’s spend a moment to think about how we navigate through the many areas of our life.  Please take a moment now to think about how you do that.

Typically, most of us look at what’s happening in some part of our life, such as at our place of work, our different social circles, educational pursuits, and so forth.

We Look at What is Missing

From there, we tend to focus upon what is missing, rather than looking at things that may already be present.  We may ask, what should I being doing next?  Or, what should I be doing instead of this nowhere job?  Who should I be socializing with instead of this humdrum group of acquaintances?  What is the perfect and exciting new hobby for me?  And, on and on…  I really want something much better, and right now!!

From there, our hearts and minds seek outward into the world, and beyond, in search of that ideal and better something.

Now, it’s not that we will entirely dismiss the qualities and achievements we have already attained in some area, but it’s natural to want to improve our lot and expand upward and outward into whichever area or areas we are concerned about.

Recognition, Special Someone and Success

We may look for things that will bring us greater recognition, an increased financial position, or something (possibly someone) that is just more fun!  All of these may factor into what we think of as being more fully successful.  After all, everyone wants to be successful, right

Restrictive Life Patterns

It is this pattern that can create and then lock us into repetitions and blueprints of insulated thinking that put blinders on us.  These patterns often keep us from relishing in the very things that bring us true fulfillment, happiness and joy in a particular part of our life, possibly keeping us from experiencing our core-life happiness.

Intriguing Talk Radio

That brings us back to the radio program

One day, David had to take the family truck into town to pick up some items.  It’s an older truck with only an AM/FM radio installed.  While trying to find the AM band’s Classical music station he liked, David accidentally ran across a talk radio DJ who used to be a Secret Service agent.

Since security was something of interest to David, he listened for a few minutes to see what the DJ had to say.

Talk DJ, Mundane Secret Service Job

To David’s surprise, the talk DJ started sharing about a period of his life where he was extremely unfulfilled in his former security job.  Although high-profile, it just wasn’t what he wanted to do in life back then.  In fact, he found the duties of the Secret Service job mundane and repetitive, even though personal peril was involved.

It just so happened, that the talk radio DJ’s Secret Service boss at that time was a former football linebacker as well as having been a coach, which seemed really odd to David.

Football Linebacker & Good Advice

The talk DJ said that his linebacker boss was known for consistently giving really good life-skills advice that helped everybody in his Secret Service unit.  In fact, the linebacker boss was highly respected and admired because of this.

Things Got Interesting!!

That is when the talk radio program got really interesting to David.

The DJ said that one day he happened to sit down with his linebacker boss to have a conversation about some topic at work.  During that conversation, our (now) talk radio DJ thought he would ask the linebacker boss something he had been pondering for over a year.  He asked, “How can I figure out what career I should be pursuing?  What should I do next in life?  I don’t want to miss out on any opportunity and have my life pass me by.”  Our talk DJ said, “I can’t figure this out.”

The linebacker Secret Service boss said, you are thinking about this all wrong!

Put Your Question in the Reverse

If you want to know what to do or pursue next in life, or in any area for that matter, ask yourself this, “What is it that I cannot live without in my life?”  “What is it that I cannot and will not give up no matter what?”

With that question, David looked at his life and realized that he already had the most important and sacred things present in his life.

Somehow, over the course of time, these important and sacred things had been silently and firmly planted in the center of David’s life by the invisible hand of the Universe and the Divine.

Already Possess What We are Seeking?

David thought, he is married to his best friend and the love of his life.  He lives in a place of peace, calm and serenity – something that resonates with his soul.  The many spiritual flows and connections of his life fully support the very spiritual growth and goals David had sought since he was a child.

Somewhat stunned in that instant, David realized he already had the most important things he had always been seeking.

Letting Go to the Divine

From that moment on, David decided to let go of all of the other goals in life and just hand them off to the Divine to fulfill, whatever they may happen to be.

Everything’s the Same, Everything’s the Different

Although none of the activities of David’s life immediately changed, he still does all of those deeds to the best as his abilities, but while more fully living each moment in the fulfillment, joy and bliss of his heart-centered spiritual connection in the Divine; then letting everything else go.

David found his pearls of great price and they were the pearls that were already in his hand.

Worldly Seeking and Chaos

These days, instead of always trying to seek the better job or improved activity, which always seemed to bring with them disruption, stress and chaos, David now chooses to cherish those jobs, activities, friends and acquaintances already present in his life, and flow into the ones that unexpectedly, and often magically, appear out of nowhere.

Are You Ready?

That’s the insight that awaits us all, if we are ready.  Are you ready?