I woke at five in the morning (a rarity for me), a couple of weeks ago in Belize’s Placencia and had these thoughts.
At moments when you feel present more prominently than other times in your life or simply ‘are are’ and aware of it, the ego-self, even if its from an unselfish place, finds itself wanting to share and communicate the ‘are are’ with another, soon after returning to the physical body.
Why? Ego-self wants to change those we love and care about for the ‘head thinks’ it can channel greater enlightenment, light and love if we do, when in fact the opposite holds true.
Only through surrendering and sustaining presence for longer periods of time until it eventually ‘becomes you,’ can you better demonstrate by example, the power of now, are are, the moment…….
Intellectually and emotionally we know this, whether we’re in a ‘now’ state (be, are are, is), yet ego-state re-enters more often than not, yearning to drag a friend, lover or colleague into your world, your re-found light.
It’s a powerful thing, isn’t it?
Accepting ‘what is’ at every moment along the way rather than resisting it, opens up a world of serenity, gratitude, empathy and peace. It lightens the reality and urge that “I must do something with this experience. I must share it somehow….”
Sharing the light is no longer a burden, but a dance. It’s rather a spiritual journey you travel on alone or with others, but each step becomes lighter not heavier, less effort, not more. Each person’s reality can be different and all of it is okay, all of it true.
When we’re in our ego-states, the head’s busy voice suggests that surrendering demonstrates weakness, not courage. If we could only stop trying to understand ‘surrender’ and set aside our fears that letting go will weaken us or change who we think we need to be. Once we can do this, our brightest light and greatest potential is then realized.
It’s a powerful thing isn’t it?
When we return to ego-state and that feeling of ‘doing or changing something’ returns, remind yourself that you need to do nothing at all, except to create a space for enlightenment and transformation to happen.
We often fight stillness, tranquility, space, silence…..for it is here we think we’ll face our deepest fears. And, we often do. It is also here where we walk through the fear and embrace it, and then suddenly it dissipates into thin air, as if it were dust settling into the ground below you, no longer visible to the physical eye.
Paying attention to nothing. It’s a powerful thing isn’t it?
Tolle writes about the shift in consciousness, which takes place inside you as you do this, and why…..
“The inner equivalent to objects in space such as furniture, walls and so on, are your mind objects, thoughts and emotions and the objects of the senses. And the inner equivalent of space is the consciousness that enables your mind objects to be, just as space allows all things to be. So if you withdraw attention from things – objects in space – you automatically withdraw your attention from your mind objects as well.
In other words, you cannot think and be aware of space – or of silence, for that matter. By becoming aware of the empty space around you, you simultaneously become aware of the space of no-mind, of pure consciousness: the unmanifested. This is how the contemplation of space can become a portal for you.”
Most people are unconscious of this dimension or afraid of it. Some may go there for brief periods of time when they meditate or experience pure joyous moments in their lives, but fear often re-enters and drags them back to the ego-self. Fear, for so many of us, creates a distortion of our world view.
Surrender, surrender, and surrender again. Withdraw your attention from your mind objects and let it go, not when it is easy to do so, but at moments when it is the hardest time for you emotionally.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
