Recently I was talking with someone who was feeling pulled in different directions. On the one hand he wanted to live from inspiration, take action from a place of groundedness, vision and confidence. Knowing that what he feels drawn toward is the right direction. On the other hand he believed there was a certain set and number of actions that need to be taken in order to accomplish his goal. He needed to keep his nose to the grindstone or he’d never get where he wanted. Inspiration wasn’t part of that equation. Hard work was.
To complicate matters, keeping his nose to the grindstone felt like the responsible thing to do. After all, life wasn’t just about him. He had a family that depended on him and caring for his family was a very high priority. But living a life guided by inspiration felt like great self care. Deep inside he believed caring for himself was equally important. He was caught in a Catch 22.
Turns out the solution to his dilemma was to be found in physics.
About a century ago, the mathematics of physics began predicting some very strange things and eventually gave birth to what we now know as quantum mechanics. If you’re interested in learning more about this branch of physics, there’s a wonderful documentary produced by the PBS show NOVA called Einstein’s Quantum Riddle that helps explain some of the ideas. But the take away from quantum physics is that everything in the universe is made of little bunches of vibrating energy. Including us. And that it’s our perceptions that create the world. Not the other way around.
Another way to say this is: what you think about, you bring about.
Whatever we think and perceive is what we then experience. The Law of Attraction says: Like attracts like. Carl Jung said “what we resist, persists. Isaac Newton said for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. All of these get to the same point. Our perceptions create our world.
So how can this help my friend?
His perception that he had to make a choice between self care and caring for his family became his experience. His perception that keeping his nose to the grindstone didn’t include inspiration became his experience. His perception that acting only from an inspired place meant he wouldn’t get much done also became his experience.
Recognizing the truth of the quantum world means that he is free to choose the perspective (and perception) that would be of benefit to him. He would discover that what appear to be contradictory things, aren’t contradictory when he perceives differently.
Acting without inspiration is hard work. It requires a lot of effort and often doesn’t result in progress equal to the effort. Acting on inspiration is powerful. It’s focused. It’s directed where the most gets accomplished with the least effort. It’s the fast track to where you want to go but can feel like the slow road because it’s not nearly as difficult.
Inspiration and action are not in opposition. They are powerful partners in this co-creative world. Inspiration without action leads nowhere. Action without inspiration is difficult and hard. At best, we’re exhausted when we reach our goal. At worst our uninspired action takes us further from what we want. Either way it feels filled with worry and frustration.
Responding to inspiration means the path has already been laid and is the path which has the least resistance. I think of inspiration as the the little broom used in the sport curling. The broom clears the path so the stone (our actions) can move with the least amount of resistance and the greatest ease.
Any time we feel caught between a rock and a hard place, the solution is found in how we perceive. It’s found in physics.
What role does inspiration play in your life?
© 2019, Paul Boehnke
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