L-S-D

The Beauty of Flow

Have you ever experienced a day that felt like you were soaring across the sky, carried by the soft winds of the universe?

Picture Credit: Author - Life can feel easy

This morning I got my car registered to get an Irish license plate. This process has taken a lot of paperwork, but somehow everything came together well. What’s really remarkable is how things magically show up at the right timing. I intended to get up early and leave the house at 7, so that I could be at the NCT at 8, right when they open. However, I’ve had a few late nights on my shoulders and I (as so often) slept longer than I intended to.

After my morning ritual, I gathered everything I needed. I made the coffee for the road, while I printed my poetry that I would read at today’s public reading in Athlone library. I took out the ink cartridge that didn’t work as I planned to return it as soon as I was in Athlone, as I had bought it there a week ago. Although my alarm clock went off for the umpteenth time, urging me to go, I knew better not to get stressed and trusted that I would be just right on time. After I packed the car and lurked my cat inside (with a yummy treat), I got behind the steering wheel. Suddenly, I remembered that I had forgotten the ink cartridge on the table. I went inside, grabbed it and got into the car again.

I was just about to leave the driveway, when I remembered that I hadn’t packed the little folder that I had with me last time, when I went to the NCT to pre-register the car for the first time. My logical mind told me that there was nothing in there that was needed (as I had already presented all that paperwork). My intuition urged me to get it. Thus, I turned off the car and ran back inside. I had the feeling that my cat was clearly as amused as I was because of my forgetfulness. I kissed her goodbye and headed off. 

The NCT office was empty, so I was immediately served. Suddenly, the officer told me that there was an issue with the copy that I had presented, as the head of the letter was cut off. Apparently this included the most important information. Slightly nervous, I tried to log into my Revenue account, to see if I could find the document there - in vain. I breathed in deeply. All of a sudden, I remembered that I had gotten the information in a letter. I thumbed through my documents in the folder that I had grabbed at the last minute - and there it was: the original letter with all the information included. I smiled and sent a quick gratitude prayer to the universe.

After I got my registration number and the printed plate in a nearby store, I headed to Athlone. As I arrived at the ink shop, I was stopped by a closed door. A sign said “Will be back at 3”, as the sun reflected from the window, making it impossible to look inside. With a sigh, I looked at the time. One hour till then. As I just started to think about what to do next, the door opened. The nice store owner smiled at me and said: “You are lucky, I just hung that sign on the door, come in quickly.” He listened to my request to return the malfunctioning ink cartridge and looked at his wall. “Oh, I don’t have another one,” he said, and before I could even start to be disappointed he went on “Oh yes, here it is.”. I got my cartridge and left with a huge smile. Another prayer was sent to the universe. 

This day makes me wonder. How do we manage to be at the right place at the right time? When do we experience magical days like this? 

In my various opportunities for self-studying this matter, I have come to find that the key lies in surrender. As Abraham Hicks tells us through Esther, we need to let go of resistance.

Being a huge Friends fan, I can’t help but to think of Chandler at this point. 

Picture credit: giphy.com

It sounds so easy, I know. Letting go of the resistance is not easy. Like so many things, I believe it is a practice. We are so used to controlling the world around us, that it is not easy to surrender. Let’s try to look at it in metaphors. When we go on a trip, we type the wanted destination into the GPS. Usually we don’t track the route and try to control which roads we take. We can adjust preferences, like using the most ecological or the fastest route, but then we let go of control and just follow the guidance of the GPS. If we take a wrong turn, we are automatically guided towards the destination again. Throughout my life I so often tried to be smarter than the GPS. It never turned out well. Well, I admit, one time the GPS led me into a really muddy road where I got stuck - I think I learned a lot from this experience though. 

Picture Credit: Author - Upstream or Downstream?

“To be in flow means to be totally absorbed in whatever one is doing at the moment. It occurs when one is fully present and completely focused on the task at hand...Flow can occur during any human activity, whether work or at play.”

Dalai Lama

I observed that the “Let’s Surrender Days” as I call them (LSD - which also stands for Laugh, Sing, Dance and the name of my company “Love-Eyes Spiritual Development”) happen more and more. I slowly seem to get the hang of it! I know that manifestation is about feeling, rather than thinking. However, I realise more and more that it seems to be about faith. About knowing. Trusting. And in this trust we can surrender. 

Being in the present moment is essential to get into a flow state. However, I think having faith and trust that everything will work out for the best is a component which isn’t covered in the above quote. If we trust that everything is always working out for us, then we will meet magic every day. Just like the ocean has ebb and flow, flow can also mean that something is taken away for a while. If we trust that whatever is good for us will come to us, we know that it will come back. The waves will eventually return to the shore. Life is in motion. If we resist this flow, we will experience life much harder than it has to be. 

“Love is the immortal flow of energy that nourishes, extends and preserves. Its eternal goal is life.”

Smiley Blanton

Love is another component that is essential to flow, as faith can only happen with a loving heart. When we look at life through a lens of negativity, we won’t even notice the magic coincidences and synchronicities, let alone be at the right place at the right time. If we practice responding to fear with Love instead of control, if we choose kindness, although our initial reaction would be anger or expressing disappointment, we let the moment flow through us and cultivate surrendering the outcomes.

Picture Credit: Author - Faith lets us explore life playfully

When I was a teenager I loved the quote “Only dead fish go with the flow.” In my mind back then, it meant that I always had to struggle, swim upstream, be against things, just to be different. Only now I understand how restricting this quote was to me. Living in resistance, I made life unnecessarily harder. Yes, I can do things differently, but I can still flow. Did you realise that the word flow spelled backwards is “wolf”? The wolf is associated with intuitive power and wildness. Coincidence? 

Picture Credit: giphy.com

If we practice tuning in to our inner guidance, we will be able to find our way through the deep forest of life with our intuition. Therefore, we need to reconnect with the wildness of our essence, meaning grounding in nature, breathing fresh air and daring to be who we truly are. We are all magical, powerful beings.

Let’s grow towards flow!

Surrender
 
And suddenly
I don’t feel the need
to move
To go anywhere
but to be here
in the present
Soaking
in the possibilities
of life
Vibrating
as love
Watching myself
from above
but feeling deeply
connected
to the source
inside me
to the center
of my being

- And finally
I am able
To let go -

Oh, that joy!
Oh, that bliss!

I try to breathe in
the whole experience
I never want to forget
what I am capable of
creating
never forget
how it feels
to receive
what I gave to myself.

~ Peace ~

Sadhbh Adamea

Thank you so much for reading!

I wish you a wonderful day, with lots of flow energy!

Have a lovely weekend!

Lots of Love,

Nicole