If you’re like many people, you might be living with challenging circumstances at this time. The fragility of the global economy, increasing natural disasters, and a general sense of not knowing what the future holds may find your life fraught with panic, overwhelm, or fear. As I discussed in an earlier blog, the very essence of life is about change, and learning not to fear change is the key successfully navigating the torrents of change. (Full article here). The way you respond to change determines your state of wellbeing and ability to cope with the major transformations unfolding around the planet. At this time, it is more important than ever to remember a very powerful axiom of life–suffering is merely resistance to change! The more you resist the powerful changes happening around you and remain stuck in fear, the more you suffer and become incapable of moving forward with the natural flow of life.
As I like to believe, the most powerful lessons from life come to us from Nature. One of my favorite outdoor activities is white-water river rafting and kayaking. My fondest memory of rafting in rapids was a few years ago in New Zealand with my father. It was a fairly advanced river, but we were both ready for the adventure. Our raft came upon a treacherous series of rapids causing it to tip over to one side throwing me into the raging currents. Even though my life jacket and helmet fortunately prevented me from drowning or from any serious injury, nevertheless, I began to panic. Struggling to get back on to the raft was a major challenge as the currents wanted to take me downstream away from shore. It was then I realized that if I just stop struggling and let the currents naturally take me downstream that I would arrive at a safe point in the river, and eventually be able to get back on the raft. Sure enough, the moment I stopped panicking and resisting the river’s powerful flow and just surrendered to its natural course, I was able to reorient my body with my feet pointing downstream as the currents led me within a minute to a calm part of the river. A few moments later, the raft was able to retrieve and allow me to continue on with my adventure.
The lesson here is that life is like a white-water rafting expedition. There are moments of great fun and adventure, and eventually moments when the river can be unpredictable throwing you into the water. If you can just remember to surrender and reposition yourself, trusting in the natural flow of the river’s course instead of floundering to get back to safety, eventually the river will let you flow to where you need to be. The more you learn not to resist the powerful currents that life sometimes brings, but remember just to go with the flow to where life takes you, you always will be safe.
It again all boils down to how much you trust the unfolding of your personal journey down the river of your life. Learning to live in the powerful moment of the here and now is the first step to being in flow with the natural rhythms and cycles of your “river of life.” The second step requires you knowing when to reposition yourself so as to be in flow with life’s changes and not to resist in futile struggle. The more you attempt to swim against the current in panic or fear, the more you suffer as you resist the natural flow of your life’s journey. The moment you surrender to the trust that your life flows effortlessly, the river automatically takes you in the direction you’re supposed to be headed. The more you live in the flow of this present moment, the more you let your life unfold exactly how it needs to be.
Every moment of your life is an opportunity to live in flow with the adventure. Yes, there are going to be moments along the river when you might get stuck or fall overboard. The more you make a conscious intention to remember that life always takes you where you need to be once you learn how to go with the flow, you will always be safe, despite the “currents of change” happening all around you at this time. As the wise Taoist philosopher, Lao Tzu, once famously declared, “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” May you continue LIVING YOUR LIGHT® on your adventurous river of life with ease, fun, and flow!
Dr. Jay Kumar
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