Between Two Worlds

Between Two Worlds

One of side of your life is day-to-day clutter—messes to clean up in your job, in relationships, and with your family members. On the other side of the world is the antithesis—peace, perfect love, and the path to undeniable joy. As a spiritual seeker, sometimes we sit on the wall between both worlds and straddle our legs until they are about to snap. Which will we choose today to satisfy our hearts?

I often thought that there would somehow be a place between the two worlds on which I could balance—tipping to one side when it accommodated my life and then slipping into the ephemeral when my ego rose up with imperfect needs and anxious attachment.

The truth: there is no middle ground. There is no trying to be one place and not succeeding as we follow our blithe, ego ways. Being in the now consistently and powerfully takes all of my will and more. I remain awake and aware of my surroundings, those I touch, and where I’m being led to go every waking moment until I fall asleep. Even then, as I rest, Spirit inspires me with wisdom and fortitude for the upcoming days and events.

When we straddle both the spiritual and the ego world, I believe one side will always win out. Unfortunately, the side that wins out is what the bible would consider the Lord of your life. Do we really want to be controlled by our ego desires day in and day out?

I often have smokers come into my sessions admitting that they truly want to quit smoking. The main reason why is often because they feel that smoking controls the places they go, the people they hang out with, and the amount of money they spend. It’s true!

If you are a smoker, you have committed to many things you may not have intended to:  You have to take breaks when others are working; you have to go outside to assuage your cravings; and you have to pay over five dollars each time you smoke twenty cigarettes. You have to hang out with people who don’t mind smoke. You have to brush your teeth more. You have to wash your clothes more. You have to clean out your car and ashtrays more.

That’s a big commitment for a friend whose ultimate goal is to give you cancer and kill you.

I believe the same goes with overeating. No one likes to be told he/she is overweight. You see it every time you look in the mirror. I recently gained over half of that weight I lost in February, mostly because I bought a bread and pasta machine, have a boyfriend who likes to buy me treats, and because I simply don’t know when to stop eating. If I truly wanted to lose the weight, I would have to commit to doing life differently—eating differently, exercising more, and stop eating too many sweets and treats.

I’m dangling between two worlds. I want health, but I also want to appease that part of my brain that likes the crack cocaine urge of Orville Redenbacher’s PoppyCock with caramel nut clusters! Damn, once I open a bag of PoppyCock, I can’t stop eating it. Well, what would be the answer to that problem?

Stop straddling the fence of dieting, Bo. Commit to no sugar, healthy eating, and consistent exercise. But no… I believe I can find a happy medium, a good balance between the two.

For me, there is no good balance when it comes to sugar. If I eat a little, I’m going to eat a lot. If I eat carbs, I’m going to want more and more until I’ve overeaten and am miserable. No amount of consistent exercise will get that tummy fat off, when I don’t listen to reason. I know this every time I teach a yoga class, because my new YMCA yoga shirt is a bit small. Each time I raise my arms in class, my potbelly pops out and reminds me that I have not been true to myself. It also reminds me to use my core muscles. But who cares if you have core muscles, if you can’t see them, right?

Ultimately, we must choose between the worlds we want to live in. If you choose spirit, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be times of acquiescing to our ego. But that is not necessarily unspiritual. Part of being spiritual is knowing when you have a true and authentic physical need. It’s like the difference between having a healthy sex life and having to have sex twice a day to fulfill your urges. The first way is definitely part of a healthy human existence, the other way is pulling you toward a place you will never satisfy and will ultimately hurt you and the person you are in relationship with.

Define your life by making a solid choice! Decide to be led by your highest and best choices. Know that your body is a part of the perfect trio of mind, body and spirit that deserves its equal say, but shouldn’t be treated like a spoiled child just to stop the ranting.

Be an adult in your choosing. Seek life and live it more abundantly WITH spirit. God wants you to have all that you desire, but a perfect balance between mind, body and spirit is the ultimate goal.

* * *

Bo Sebastian is a Hypnotherapist and Life & Health Coach, available for private sessions to QUIT SMOKING, Lose Weight, New Lap-Band Hypnosis for Weight Loss, CHANGE YOUR MIND, CHANGE YOUR LIFE! at 615-400-2334 or www.bosebastian.com.

I am trying to spread the word about my blog and I need your help. Please let your friends know it exists, if it gives you hope and blesses you each day. If you are looking to enter the RSS or Atom Feed, you have to go to the home page of the blog to get there. Also, I write this Blog as a part of Finding Authentic You Ministries. If you would like to send an offering or a tithe, your donation would greatly be appreciated: 5001 Maywood Drive, Nashville, TN 37211. And I would be greatly pleased for you to share anything that you read by clicking the share button in Facebook.com/bo.sebastian, or add it to your Twitter at BoSebastian; or LinkedIN at Bosebastian5@gmail.com; or find this blog home at www.FindingAuthenticYou.com. Any of my books can be found on Amazon or Barnes and Nobel, just by typing my name in the search header.