This morning, and now, I’m choosing “YES!” to life. “YES!” as in fuck yeah, a delighted, smiling, wonder-filled ‘yes’. ‘Yes’ as the full force of this choosing again and again, now, here, to big-bang-style blaze into existence.
This post is to encourage readers and me to choose YES! in their relating.
So what am I talking about, what’s the difference between YES! and other ways of relating to life?
Choosing YES! stands in stark contrast to other options. I notice, and you may too, when how I’m relating to experience, life and others in ways that are other than the embracing, enriching and conscious Yes!. It’s that feeling of:
- no,
- maybe,
- I don’t know,
- I should,
- I could,
- I’ll try,
- if I have to (to fit in),
- I’ll go along with that,
- seems like the best option.
What I hear and feel in those other options is separation, contraction, fear, unvoiced desires and concerns and a lack of willingness to say ‘Yes!’.
While at times, I may relate to life in those others ways, I now admit and own that I don’t want to. I want Yes!, even if I don’t always get it…that’s what I’m going for. And “no” can be an expression of this, choosing “yes” to other, more attractive options, rather than a no that’s out of fear, uncertainty or avoidance.
This “Yes!” is a result of contemplating “What is Life?” which is the ‘koan’ where I intend to experience what life is, not answer the question. In this case, the direct experience of (biological) life itself rather than ‘my life’. I get this experience of life itself wanting to get to Yes! It’s the same feeling drive, the hunger for sex, food, beauty, transcendence, connection. While those things are all necessary for survival, it’s like survival isn’t the point, instead, the pursuit is ofmore, yes, this, and….!
Experiencing Yes! so clearly illuminated all the actions, thoughts, relations, situations, tasks, work that are not Yes! While some are necessary to enable the Yes!, being clear on that alignment is essential. I cook to eat to feel good to live my purpose, so every action of shopping, slicing and dishwashing can be enjoyed for itself and for the way it serves a purpose, life and existence. Not held separately, all wholly in integrity.
Experiencing and choosing Yes! brought to light:
The absolute power and necessity of pursuing increasing clarity of my purpose, values, mission and vision.
Pursuing clarity increases my consciousness of the choice I have in my behaviour and the constant pursuit of greater alignment. It shows up how my physical presence, tone of my communication, words I say, meaning I’m making are misaligned or embodying something else, or unconscious.
Realising I can, should, must get what I want. And that getting what I want really is possible.
I notice ways in which I am ‘trying’ without a real sense of intent, possibility and responsibility for creating the desired reality. Trying shows up as not being ‘centred’, the desired outcome being contingent on others or circumstances, and an excessive focus on the process. More, now, I own and believe it’s possible to get what I want, the oceans to be healthy, for human tribes to perceptive, humanity to learn, and for me to be a trusted ally of friends, clients and colleagues in realising all our aligned visions. It’s like choosing to be on the side of life: both fiercely, wholeheartedly determined, and also not knowing how this will turn out and being open to mystery.
Choosing to live as life, wholly, fully, undivided and not separate.
I’m more conscious now of a tendency to live as thoughseparate from life, from others, from purpose, as though my experience and objective reality are different matters. Living as life itself, distinct yet wholly and inseparable means ultimately owning my choices and behaviour, acting as though this life, others and what we all do absolutely matters. This choice means dropping the concept of being a sort of small, isolated, contracted, invisible person experiencing the world somewhere “inside”, separate from the “outside” of others and objective reality.
The effects of this realisation are cascading through my mind, relationships, work. Whole domains of activity, people, thought patterns are being revised and revisited more consciously, freshly with the question: is this a Yes!? Who, why, what and where is there a Yes!?
The energetic feel is like being centred in a glowing orange cauldron of every interaction and decision, one’s form flickering and flowing in response to Yes! that fuels the fire of life in fresh and fascinating forms.
While, I also love the oceanic blue of objectivity that situates and illuminates dynamics, it’s Yes! that ignites and bonds us in life, as life.