“Men are not free when they are doing just what they like Men are only free when they are doing what the deepest self likes. And there is getting down to the deepest self! It takes some diving.”
~D.H. Lawrence
Can you imagine a life without devotion? No commitment, no follow-through, no grounding in what really matters.
Maybe that’s how you live – losing your center in the face of compelling people and situations, not taking the time to reflect on what is important to you. Blown about by the wind.
So my question for you today is: What are you devoted to?
Not for Sissies
I love devotion. When you are devoted to something, your life is transformed. You begin orienting your activities toward what you really want. Doubt and confusion diminish, as you always have a benchmark to refer to. People and circumstances that no longer fit fall away.
Devotion is not for sissies. It takes a surrender of your personal wants and desires into something that holds greater meaning for you. It oozes passion and longing. You might even say that you form a love affair with whatever you are devoted to.
You show commitment, dedication, loyalty, reverence, and sincerity.
An Example: Devotion to Truth
I know many people who are devoted to truth, myself included. What does this mean?
- Being committed to taking off all blinders and seeing everything clearly, as it is.
- No thoughts or beliefs are taken for granted or assumed to be true. Not a single one.
- The end of resisting and defending.
- Recognizing when habitual reactions appear and being open to understanding them completely.
- Abandoning the needs and troubles of the separate self.
- Living as the life force that you already are.
A devotion to truth is all-consuming, like a holy fire.
And there are other holy fires, such as peace or transparency, happiness or heart-expanding, love.
Your Life Speaks. It Sings.
But maybe you are devoted to something different – stress, hiding from what you know to be true, drama in relationships, drugs/alcohol/food, sleepwalking through life, self-flagellation, greed, the need to be on top. If you’re not sure, simply take a look at how you pass the moments of your life.
You will see where your devotion lies.
Conscious devotion comes from who-knows-where. It lands like a missile or creeps up like a slow-growing vine. At some point, we just know that the old way of unconsciousness is over. What replaces it is reorientation in all aspects of our lives. We contemplate:
- Where do I get off track?
- What does it take to be happy, peaceful, free of stress?
- Can I relax and let go into life?
The rubber meets the road in every moment, with unlimited opportunities to express devotion. It’s amazing how much choice we have! Suffering or freedom, tension or relaxation, closing or opening, fear or courage, separation or love. Overflowing with abundance. We are guided continually, if we let ourselves see the signs – in relationships, work, books we read, how we spend our time.
Whatever you are devoted to, choose it consciously. Don’t stay in a fog and abdicate responsibility. Man up. Be alive. And let your life sing your devotion.
What are you devoted to? How does it show? I’d love to hear…
