After 15 hours of travel, I enjoyed a quick stop in Hong Kong. As I was re-reading one of my favorite books, Broken Open, I began to think about Elizabeth Lesser and her experience with Ram Dass, the spiritual teacher and author of the book. It reminded me why finding your home and arriving at it is such a crucial thing to experience. You don't understand life until you are in the here and now.
A few years back, I realized that I wanted to teach people how to work on the Self and build the home within. It's amazing how that concept has changed for me over the last few years. I didn't know at the time that life could be funny - what you teach is what you need to learn.
My home within has changed for me so much since my separation because my actual home was falling apart and my external world was pulled into pieces. There was nothing familiar to hold onto and it's scary when you don’t feel somewhat in control. Finding my home within was really all I could do to pull myself through the hardship.
And I would repeat the words of Ram Dass to myself, “Be here now.”
The only thing you can control is your state of mind by choosing to be present in each moment and letting the present moment inform you on the next moment. The breath can assist you to be present and enjoy the moment, helping you work with what is right in front of you. The answers are right here. There is no place to go or anything to search for. That is how you build trust in yourself - by trusting the moment and knowing you have everything right here.
That is when you arrive home. You realize you have been going in circles and you are trying to run away from yourself. There have been moments in my life where I’ve met a teacher and I listened to the wisdom that channels through him or her. And I’ve realized through listening to them that my whole being is home and that’s where I need to be. And then I wonder just how long I’ve been here, at my home within.
The universe only gives you what you can handle. And each challenge is for the sake of coming through stronger and a better person with a bigger and fuller heart.
So just remember to stay present and take small bites, small steps and deep breaths.
-Osi
