False Openings

False Openings

False Openings often take us nowhere. They take our time and energy (often a lot of it) and do not get us very far. Their origins lay in our dissatisfaction, our will and our desire for change – any change will do. We actually create them so that we do not have to wait for true Openings to appear. To us, False Openings appear real and we pursue them.

False Openings can build in our imagination when our desire for an Opening is strong. We want movement that is not happening at the present moment. Our minds then conjure them and make False Openings compelling. We think we are taking action and making things happen. In reality we are end-running the natural flow of our life because we are impatient or dissatisfied.

As a construct, False Openings have weak foundations. Let’s say we are unhappy in our work. We want out. We are uncomfortable and want something other than what we have. We recognize these feelings however, opportunities and Openings are not readily visible to us. Our minds get in gear and create them. We tell ourselves it is good to have goals and we are in action pursuing them, even though they will not take us where we hope they will.

Discernment

Once again, discernment is called for to recognize False Openings. How do we discern between positive action towards an Opening and premature movement that will not serve us? False Openings are driven by a reactive energy. We are reacting to our negative feelings, rather than responding to an actual Opening that lies before us.

Discernment relies on our intuition and on employing both our minds and hearts. We must check our impulses when we are uncomfortable or fearful and bring ourselves to center. From our center we can discern if a real Opening lies before us or if we are in the process of creating a False Opening. Our intuition leads us to a flow in our lives. We innately know where we want to go and find ways to get there with ease.

Here are some signs that may reveal that we are pursuing False Openings:

• We feel uneasy about the choices before us. Our intuition is putting out warning signs that we prefer to ignore.
• Things are happening that are making it difficult to move forward. We seem to be blocked from taking our next steps.
• Our intuition is telling us to wait or that something else may be better. The timing of things is not working out.

Practices

 It behooves us to develop some practices that help us to discern when we are pursuing False Openings.

• When we find ourselves wanting or needing an Opening that is not there, we can start by bringing ourselves fully to the present moment and getting clear on what is happening and how we are feeling.
• Then, we can check in with our intuition or inner knowing. How does the path we are considering feel to us? Does the timing seem right? Are there any nagging doubts or signs? Is the Opening we see appealing to us? Does it meet our needs and offer us a good next step?
• We can assess the flow of our lives as we pursue an Opening. Are things going well? Are we facing the challenges before us? Are we getting what we need to proceed?

I see what False Openings are now. I certainly want to develop my discernment to see False Openings of my own creation. No point in wasting my time or walking down a road that is a dead end.

photo: MJI Photos, albumarium.com  cc Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives