Learning To Be
It’s been one week since my arrival in Mexico, and things are not as I had imagined here. Once again, I am learning to never have any expectations.
There is peace in Tulum, but there is also great darkness behind the sandy beaches. If you look with open eyes, you will see cartels, homicides, corruption, and an overall ignorance of the dangers of perpetual expansion.
I am not saying this out of judgment, but more as a reminder to myself, that wherever there is light there is also darkness. None can exist without the other.
As I contemplate my surroundings, I am learning to let go of my beliefs and ideas about how things should be. I practice seeing reality with a naked eye.
One of my great teachers this week has been the iguana. These creatures are masters in the art of being, and I learn a lot from observing them.
As iguanas roam the beach, it seems they are contemplating life's great questions. Nothing rushes them. They maintain their composure in everything they do. They seem content and blissed out by the simple gifts of life.
So for the past week, I have been learning the way of the iguana — the way of non-doing. And again, I am blown away by how hard it can be to do nothing. Even when you are in a magical place, it doesn’t take away the fact that you might be living in your mind or obsessing about doing things.
It is only by letting go of the world of form, the doing, and immersing yourself in the formless, the being, that you find real inner peace. Yet, this is much harder than it sounds. For most of us, it goes against the way we were brought up from the moment we were born.
Non-doing requires a sort of effortless discipline — to flow with the present moment and not resist anything.
But this process is often obstructed by our ego, who wants to follow old regular patterns and loves to bathe in external rewards. By being with reality as it is, we gently dissolve our conditioning and open ourselves to the bliss of the moment.
It may sound abstract. But in real life, this just means bringing presence and consciousness to all experiences, without rejecting anything.
The practice is to allow your emotions to surface and accept whatever you are feeling right now. By realizing that you are enough as you are, you won’t need to pursue endless actions to fill your inner void.
Non-doing is also a part of the cycle of life. As I write this, I am going through a period of contraction. I just want to be alone, in silence. I don't feel motivated to do anything but lie down, read, and watch the waves.
We all experience cycles of contraction and expansion, but we rarely honor them. This happens because of the frenzied pace we live in. Our obsession with doing and the external doesn't allow space for non-doing and being.
Yet, we need both sides to flourish. It is by honoring your periods of contraction that you can flow through them. Contractions are also how we prepare ourselves to expand. So if you are really looking for action, you have to respect its other side.
The same goes for work and rest. Intensity must be balanced with relaxation. This applies to every area of our life. The key is to listen to which cycle we are in.
By learning to be, we create a space for stillness to permeate our days. It is in non-doing that we prepare for our greatest changes and adventures.
As I contemplate the waves of the ocean in front of me, I am reminded how simple life can be. In truth, there is very little we need to be content.
So how can you incorporate a little bit more of being in the midst of your daily life?
Perhaps you’ll feel inspired to take some time to be with yourself after this article.
All you need is simple. Breathe, and take in the beauty of where you are right now.
