Sunday, May 4, 2008

Processing Life's Journey

Have you ever found yourself in a position where, on the outside, it looks like you are sitting completely still, doing nothing? You aren't stuck, in a rut, afraid to move forward. You know what that feels like and this isn't stuck. Nothing appears to be happening on the outside and your guides are giving you one word, "Wait."

What do you do? Struggle with impatience? Think you are just procrastinating? Are you confused? Are you resisting being still? What are you feeling? Too many emotions to separate them and give them a name.

I call it processing. I know from long experience that eventually I will get the "Go Ahead" signal. Why do I hate waiting? Because I am an overachiever who hates standing still. There are too many things I could be doing like making a baby quilt for my neice's new son who was born in February, making a quilt for my grandson who turned 6 back in December, writing more articles for my blog, etc., etc., etc. Do you see what I mean about being an overachiever? The list of things I want to do can go on and on. The things I should do is just as long, but I am learning that doing things out of obligation isn't always that good either. (Andrea Hess's article on obligation found at http://www.empoweredsoul.com/blog/2008/05/01/releasing-the-energy-of-obligation/ )

The important thing for me to know is that I am moving forward. It just doesn't look that way on the outside. All of my current processing is internal rather than external. Look out world when I come out of what appears to be hibernation. Then I will be in hyperdrive until the next processing period. This is my cycle for experiencing my life. Can anybody else relate?
Patricia

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, I can so relate to this one! Like you, I love to get things done and usually have a project list a mile long - for my business, my home, and so forth. Sometimes it's not time to do ANY of those things. Sometimes what I have to do with my "spare" time is meditate - not very satisfying for my productivity-loving self, but exactly what the true Self needs right then and there. I call it being "on hold" because that's what it feels like. But when that cycle is over, I usually launch into a whole new phase of evolution, which expresses itself as action!

Blessings,
Andrea

Patricia Singleton said...

Andrea, thanks for your comment. I am not as impatient as I used to be because I do recognise the stage as just being "on hold" and not standing still. When I do start moving forward again, it will be at such a speed that I will almost wish for some of the quiet time that I am getting right now. Maybe that is something that I should ask my guides for, more of a balance between the two. Thanks.

Evan said...

I can really relate to that rhythm of alternation.

I'm not an overachiever, but at times have been gripped by an idea and just worked and worked on it - they have been delightful moments.

Being an introvert almost all my processing is internal.

Like you I've got better over the years with recognising the need to wait instead of thinking that something must be wrong.

Patricia Singleton said...

Evan, thanks for sharing. I am learning that waiting can be an important part of the journey too. Waiting can mean being still so you can hear that small inner voice that sometimes brings a really big lesson with the listening.

Working Mystic said...

I build these times into my life now. I'm taking Unity SEE classes now to get all the prereq's so I can apply to ministerial school. In October, I will have another one of those times, probably for 3 months.

I've come to appreciate the processing time just as much as the active participation time.

Patricia Singleton said...

Nneka, thanks for giving me a new way of looking at my processing stage.

Anonymous said...

Hi Patricia,
Would like to get an email address - I have an alternative healing website called Holistic Arkansas.com, plus for other reasons.

thanks,

Lisa A.

Patricia Singleton said...

Lisa, leave another comment here with your email address in it. I won't post it for others to see but will email you then for discussion.

Anonymous said...

Some days I wish I was standing still. There are plenty of times I could use the recouperation. I may not be a full fledged over achiever but I am one at heart! I have plenty of things I could be doing!

Great Post!

Patricia Singleton said...

Jenny, I don't mind an occasional day or two of standing still. Resting is good. I have been waiting for about a month or more this time. When I do move forward next, it will be a whirlwind of activity which I do thrive on. It is the stilling still that tries my patience. Have a glorious day.

Anonymous said...

Patricia,

As you can see from the comments, most of us relate to the discomfort created when we can't "do" and achieve.

Besides not getting things "done" when I am called to be,
I sometimes am not comfortable not doing because there may be something that needs to come up to the surface. It's usually something close enough to the surface to make me want to avoid dealing with it by distracting myself with activity. When I feel myself avoiding it, I do my best to decide to let it come up for air, then face whatever it is and deal with it. But I have to be conscious enough, and willing enough to do this.

Patricia Singleton said...

Deb, thanks for your comment. I do still sometimes find myself using activities as avoidance of emotions so I have learned to do better with the quiet time of listening.