Life Is Full But Not Overcrowded

Image of the Week
Hand-drawn art by Rupali Bhuva
Image of the Week

In my mid life, I began to realize that it's as though we have two selves or two natures or two wills with two different viewpoints. Because the viewpoints were so different, I felt a struggle in my life at this period between the two selves with the two viewpoints. So there were hills and valleys – lots of hills and valleys. 

Then in the midst of the struggle there came a wonderful mountain-top experience, and for the first time, I knew what inner peace was like. I felt a oneness – oneness with all my fellow human beings, oneness with all of creation. I have never felt really separate since. I could return again and again to this wonderful mountaintop, and then I could stay there for longer and longer periods of time, and just slip out occasionally. Then came a wonderful morning when I woke up and knew that I would never have to descend again into the valley. 

I knew that for me the struggle was over, that finally, I had succeeded in giving my life, or finding inner peace. Again this is a point of no return. You can never go back into the struggle. The struggle is over now because you will do the right thing, and you don't need to be pushed into it.

However, progress is not over. Great progress has taken place in this third phase of my life, but it's as though the central figure of the jigsaw puzzle of your life is complete and clear and unchanging, and around the edges other pieces keep fitting in. There is always a growing edge, but the progress is harmonious. There is a feeling of always being surrounded by all of the good things, like love and peace and joy. It seems like a protective surrounding, and there is an unshakeableness within which takes you through any situation you may need to face.

The world may look at you and believe that you are facing great problems, but always there are the inner resources to easily overcome these problems. Nothing seems difficult. There is a calmness and a serenity and unhurriedness – no more striving or straining about anything. Life is full and life is good, but life is nevermore overcrowded. 

That's a very important thing I've learned: If your life is in harmony with your part in the Life Pattern, and if you are obedient to the laws which govern this universe, then your life is full and good but not overcrowded. If it is overcrowded, you are doing more than is right for you to do, more than is your job to do in the total scheme of things.

Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you understand the distinction between struggle and harmonious progress? Can you share a personal story of a time you shifted from an overcrowded life to a full and good life? What helps you keep your life full without getting overcrowded?

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3 Past Reflections
PK
Oct 27, 2019
Dear friends, This is a photo that I took from a plane window recently of a mountain top. It offers a different perspective where you are not looking down from mountain top but at it from above it. The clouds, left over light rom the sunset create an interesting balance. I was thinking of this part of the passage "There is a calmness and a serenity and unhurriedness – no more striving or straining about anything. Life is full and life is good, but life is nevermore overcrowded."



Click on the image for higher-res photo.
DD
Oct 26, 2019
I think struggle is for the most part living by supposed to, should, have to, got to, or must, resulting in feeling forced, trapped, and feeling some amount of powerlessness and victimization. I think of harmonious progress as doing what I choose to do that is in synch with my well-being, which feels free and empowering. My life is both overcrowded and full and good. Operating by supposed to, have to and should isn't good for my health, so I gave up living by those a long time ago. What I do, I choose to do. Some of what I chose to do I did to make money. Eventually I gave up a large portion of what I didn't enjoy which freed up more time for a good life. Much of what I do for a long time now is for my well-being, and sometimes my life is still overcrowded. What helps me prevent getting overcrowded is paying attention to how I feel and what I want, being selective, knowing that what I do is my choice so I better be careful as to what I choose, saying no to what is too much, and... View full comment
JP
Oct 25, 2019
! ask and explore three basic questions forliving a full, meaningful, peaceful, joyful and happy life. They are What? Why? How? What kind of life I want to live? What is my purpose of life? Why is it important for me to live such a full life? How do I attain such full and meaningful life? What are the obstacles that I create that overcrowd my life and cause inner struggles? How do I create rootedness in me so that I do not get uprooted by the strugglesI experience in my life? When I explore these questions I come to know the distinction between struggle and harmonious process. Inner struggles or intra conflicts drain my energy. Such struggles also drain the energy of people connected with me. What goes in my mind, my thoughts, creates struggle or harmony. My mind creates bondage, struggles and suffering and the same mind creates freedom, ease and harmony. How I use my mind makes the difference. How to live wisely is a life long process. There are times when I create my own struggles a... View full comment