Back to Center

Back to Center, or returning to center, centering, is about stepping away from that which has led us astray, distracted us, or for whatever reason caused us to wander away from our true path. The place of center is not necessarily the same for everyone. Some people will never be truly centered on their path because they have never allowed themselves to experience that which is most important to them, in this life. In fact, very often people are adrift on some path they think is “appropriate”, because someone told them that is so. Organized religion is often the culprit in this type of lack of center.

As I know it, “back to center” is about paying attention to what has been, and is important to me, in this life. I find myself getting hooked on distractions from what is true for me. The biggest perpetrator of this distraction often is (especially for me) the need to earn a living. Confucius said, “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. Well, all right, this probably was not a quote from Confucius. See: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/09/02/job-love/

I have found a job I love. Or, at least, I used to love. Landscaping fell into my lap as a profession and has served me well, over the years. It is a profession, especially as a sole proprietor, that does take up a good amount of my time. It  is also physically draining. This, especially as my body moves toward the chronological time of retirement. The end result is I find myself falling into the distraction of both a lack of time and energy to pursue that which could be an alternate “job I love”. Or, even having that kind of life that working this hard is supposed to bring.

Other aspects of straying from our true path include heading down a path which we at some time deemed to have a new and better perspective (as a friend of mine recently put it). This is also a common occurrence which mostly happens when we don’t follow the simple rule of “By invitation only”. See: https://treeperspective.com/2017/04/16/by-invitation-only/ We look at another perspective, another possibility and don’t pay attention to the feeling of that possibility. In other words, we don’t recognize whether it actually feels like something we are being invited into, or we are using our thought process to say it is so. And, along with this sense is that of following a path only as far as we are actually “invited” to do so. (Again, see the “invitation” link.)

“Back to Center” simply means paying attention to what truly resonates with us. Part of this centering can be about noticing that in life, which not only really gets our attention, but that we actually “feel” drawn to. As we start recognizing these feelings of being drawn to something, it helps to write them down. “Write it down, make it happen.” Make notes of what you are drawn to, what it is you were doing when this “aha moment” occurred. Sometimes, a song, something in a movie (or genre of movies), a place we visit, can jog our memory of things that give us good feelings, or calling. Sometimes, for those who have moved away from their ancestral home, revisiting that place can stir up memories, or invitations back to a life or style of life that really feels good to us.

At this time in my life, I am recognizing that I have let my work as a self employed landscape contractor take up so much of my time and energy that I know I need to set my intention to gradually stepping away from this as a career, or at least full time career. And, if my mind is having trouble grabbing ahold of that concept, I only need to listen to my body, whose subtle notations of age and ability are gradually becoming less subtle (if you know what I mean).

As well, I recognize that I have strayed from spending the time in the Woods, Mountains, Streams and Sea that are so much a part of me and feeling so very neglected. After all, if I’m working so hard that I don’t have the time and energy to pursue a venture out in Nature, what’s the point? My piano has sat idle, my pen less used. These are the things that are important to me. Family! Coming from a large family I miss my siblings and their families, as well as being a bigger part of the lives of my own sons.

I feel the invitation to take this time to really notice what is important in my life. I have been blessed with this moment in time to recognize and regain connection with the things I have listed. I feel that in doing so, the next “job I love”, or even jobs will begin to be revealed to me. As well, there are other connections outside of work that are stepping out of the shadows. Such connections are not only with family, friends and those who are special to me. Such connections also are with Spirit, Spirituality and the special connections I am recognizing with those who continue to watch over and guide me, as well as special spiritual connections which I’m just now recognizing as having always been there, just standing in the shadows for the right time.

My life, this life, has been blessed in many ways and many times over. For this I am grateful. I know that the healing work of getting back to center will not only benefit me. It will benefit all of those lives touched by my own. As we know, we are all connected.

Everything needs to return to center, at some point. Even Spider returns to the center of his web, to join all of the outer rings and radii together. A simple visit to the Woods, this morning, gifted me with an up close view of Spider at work.

Walk with Me.

Peter J Quandt