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New Series for June: Divine Discontent

By June 1, 2018July 3rd, 2018Uncategorized

It is an automatic and predictable human experience to find ourselves in challenging conditions and ask “WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?” None of us desire difficult life events—whether it is an unfulfilling job, loveless relationship, physical disease, or financial constraints—no one wants discontent! Our limited sense of self can create all kinds of suffering circumstances that create experiences of struggle that look and feel real. And yet what we affirm, is that life is FOR us. There is a divine impulse in back of all things that is always calling for our attention. Let’s call that Divine Discontent.

Consider that the challenges you are facing are nudges from the Universe to dig in on your creativity. When you are feeling a sense of unrest, agitation, impatience, or fatigue you may be being nudged into new and inspired action. You may be experiencing Divine Discontent.

  1. EX) Imagine you have $350,000 in mortgage debt. Imagine your children are approaching college—and they have amazing opportunities before them. Imagine you already have $150,000 of student loan debt that you are diligently paying off each month. Now imagine, that you’ve projected that by the time your two children have graduated from college you will have more student loan debt than mortgage debt. You have three primary choices:
  2. You can find yourself confronted by this reality and begin circling the drain of doubt, despair, and resentment. You can start feeling hopeless and frustrated with the injustices of our society. You can look at your spreadsheet and think there is no way out of this in any reasonable period of time. You can contract.
  3. You can pretend like all is well. You can “act as if”. You can spiritually bypass your way through the discomfort and not really feel any of it. You can delay having to confront the considerations of debt repayment and then potentially dig yourself more deeply into struggle. You can put your rose colored glasses on.
  4. You can take a sober look at the choices you’re facing. You can assess the best choices for you and your family. You can have an honest conversation with your family around the implications of the decisions. And then you can get busy. You can get highly creative and imagine how you’ve been rightly prepared for this moment and have within you everything you need to develop solutions. (This is not an endorsement of debt or student loan debt!)

Lola Wright, Bodhi’s Spiritual Director was recently confronted with this scenario. She did an honest assessment of her gifts, talents, untapped creativity, and wasted time and energy. She realized that within her is a well of creative potential. She decided straddling her family with loads of debt without inspired action was irresponsible. She determined asserting a “no” to the college opportunities before her children was not authentic, based in fear and not ultimately the best way to support her children in pursuing their interests. And so she’s gotten busy. She’s listening to the divine discontent of her soul and taking inspired action towards solution.

 

Bodhi

Bodhi is a conscious community in Chicago, IL. We offer in person and online experiences for people who are ready to transform themselves and their world. Bodhi uses media, education, entertainment, and like-minded community to support transformation.

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