All my life, I have believed in the power of good usage of time for achievement, for contributing to the world, and for the good old-fashioned satisfaction of "getting things done." Now, that is no longer enough. A deeper call prevails during this sabbatical
time, and it is best presented in the Editor's Preface to a guiding book that I am exploring called The Unfolding Now by A.H. Almas. Here is the quote that best summarizes how this sabbatical time is emerging for me:
Our beliefs
about what will allow us to survive, or what can help us solve our problems, or what will make us happy, or even what will fulfill our desire to make a difference in the world all seem to point us away from here.
We are always going somewhere, internally or externally - to the store, the movies, the beach, the office, the restaurant, the television the Internet, the newspaper, the latest spiritual teacher to come to town, our partners, our children, our friends, our
parents, our worries, our concerns, our fears, our hopes. And on and on. We are in motion, going after, seeking out, restless, never satisfied, never at peace.
This seems to be the central dilemma of human life - that it is
easier to desire what is over there than to appreciate what is right here. In fact, what is here seems to be fundamentally inferior, less than, or inadequate
compared to what is apparently over there, that it hardly seems worth the effort to look here. Why not just go there?
Why indeed? All spiritual paths, traditions and schools have been attempting to answer that question for
us for thousands of years. Each in their own way teaches taht your spirit or your soul - your original unconditioned consciousness - exists only in you, so going elsewhere can never give you access to your essential nature, to who you really are. And the essence
that is you is purported to be something quite magnificent: Your true spiritual nature is said to be full of love, peace, strength, beauty, joy, compassion, wisdom and intelligence.