Peak 110: I am cultivating contentedness

The wedding was completely stunning. My ‘cool, calm and collectedness’ was tested maximally as I was due to sing a song at the end of the ceremony… G. reached over and said brightly, “Anchors away!” –  the perfect, gentle reminder to me to call upon and strengthen the inner anchor. I still have a way to go with remaining neutral (funny for someone whose job is literally to be a neutral), but I am observing this with care and self-compassion.

A good success was some quarterly goal-setting over the week in Portugal, which sprang for me a whole 5 Year Vision of creating local labs for peace, dialogue and consultative decision-making. How will I have the nerve to do the innovative stuff?

Paso a paso. No short cuts. Develop the relationships. Go into listening mode. Learn from others. Trust. Listen. Trust. 

You are invited to birth something new. If you want. 

I need help getting it right.

Think about creating something so simple that other people would want to copy it. 

Aha… as opposed to something so niche it is clearly a me-only gig?

There is value in simple concepts which deliver ‘the goods’. 

Please download the necessary information into my mind.

Let’s read.

-46- When the Tao prevails in the world swift horses are used to fertilise the fields. When the Tao is unheeded war horses are bred on the border lands. There is no greater offence than harbouring desires. There is no greater disaster than discontent. There is no greater misfortune than wanting more. Hence, if you are content you will always have enough. (The Tao Te Ching 46)

Oof, this is a powerful chapter, challenging us to drop our offensive desires, our disastrous discontent and our misfortunate wanting more. On the upside, we are reassured that ‘if you are content you will always have enough’.

Contentedness is a beautiful topic. I do know how cultivating contentedness liberates us from despair, sadness, anger, self-pity… 

How best can I cultivate contentedness?

***Med***

When we affirm our contentedness, we settle internally. We know that the world is conspiring to support us, and this brings a smile to our face! We relax into the moment, ceasing to push or even to foster change. We are not needing to tweak, pick at or amend the circumstances. We are content to let the present conditions reveal their perfection to us. The result? Increased bliss, joy, awe. 

And what of tricky or unfair circumstances?

We give thanks for the fact that they are teaching us what we want, that they are providing us opportunity to envision what we know to be the next step. And we return our minds to the vision of ‘what we are wanting’. 

As Abraham says…

“You are knowing what you are wanting?”

Peace. Inside and out.

Can you find contentedness from the peace you do currently find, inside and out? 

Yes! I can playfully seek out and affirm the peace I cherish. I can find it in a deep breath, in the woods by my house, in the loos of a busy cafe, in the face of a passing baby… I can be contented in that! May I cultivate this contentedness daily, moment by moment. May we all cultivate contentedness so that our chafing for change falls away, and we realise the perfection in each other. May our politicians cease their rancour. May the unity of all ages be upon us, so that we can appreciate the perfection of each other and this glorious planet.

Amen

I am cultivating contentedness