Lulls Between Openings

I feel becalmed. Things are still right now. Not sure what to do with this quiet time.

 The Slower We Go

In my work with Lynn Andrews, she told us that the faster you go physically, the slower you go spiritually and the slower you go physically, the faster you go spiritually. We know what happens when we go too fast physically. Our lives get out of alignment. Our minds and emotions are on overdrive, and we lose our center. Stress builds up and we eventually feel the negative effects of our speed. When we slow down, we are centered and speed is our ally, helping us get where we want to go.

We often aren’t comfortable with going slowly in our fast-paced world. It feels uncomfortable, as the world speeds around us. Usually, going slowly requires deliberate intention. We may realize we do not have what we need to make a decision or to move forward, so going slowly serves us. Other times, we may be reluctant to go forward or are feeling fear. In this case, going slowly can hinder us and keep us from moving forward at the pace we want to.

Hopefully, we begin to see the benefits of both going fast and slow and can discern when to do each to our advantage. Lulls between Openings require us to go slowly. Pushing ahead with no aim or substance is like spinning the wheels on a car. We may feel that we are in motion, but we are going nowhere. It’s all about discernment and balance. Acknowledging lulls between Openings keeps us in the present moment, open and ready for what is to come.

Settling

When we find ourselves in a lull between Openings, best that we settle into it. Sometimes, it takes some time to do. We want to run from going slow and from the unknown. It’s natural. However, it does not serve us to run. We are running from rather than to and, most likely, will end up nowhere. Settling in may take some doing, but we are better for doing it.

Settling in serves us. Say we find ourselves in a lull. We then have space and time to settle. We can rest and ruminate. We can assess where we have been and where we are now. We can learn from all that has occurred. We have time to set intentions and make changes that incorporate what we have learned. We can prepare for the next Opening, even though we do not know when it will appear or what its nature will be.

Lulls may be made just for this settling. Perhaps they are necessary. What do we gain by running from Opening to Opening? We miss a lot and maybe miss the Opening itself. Openings are significant events in our lives. They are not to be rushed by or taken for granted. Settling allows us to consciously move from Opening to Opening, at our best and fully centered. Pausing has it power.