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Living from the Centers, Part III: The Quiet, Spacious Mind
by Dr. Roxanne Howe-Murphy, Ed.D., Teacher, Author, Coach
There couldn’t be a better time to explore what it means to Be Centered and At Home in Yourself than now. Regardless of where you are in the world, that we’re in the midst of a chaotic time couldn’t be more pronounced. The easiest thing in the world is to become ungrounded when fear and frenzy is in the air. So what can you do? Experience and stay in your own Center.
Over the last three issues of this newsletter, we have been exploring what it means to be centered. “Being Centered,” suggests that there is something around which you center yourself. What is that? I’m suggesting that there are Three intricately interwoven dimensions of Self that are vital to being truly “At Home.”
In the May-June issue of this newsletter, I talked about the Belly (aka the Instinctive) Center of Intelligence as a fundamental source of being centered. Without orienting ourselves to being present in the body, it is impossible to have a sense of ground and our basic relationship with ourselves is skewed. Developing a relationship with the body as a center of Intelligence is a first major step to finding ourselves, coming back home and being real. This is where we start. But it is not the only center…
In the July-August issue, we focused on our relationship with the second Center of Intelligence which is the open, receptive and expansive Heart. This is the center from which we experience the depth of connection to our authentic nature, and to our great spiritual adventure in which our human heart comes into contact with the Divine. Without developing our capacity to be in direct contact with our own heart, we feel lost, fearful that we’ll be discovered as a “fraud,” and intrinsically lacking in real value. Being grounded in your physical body allows the heart center to ‘come on line’: Here, your experience of your true and sacred nature expands. This is your birthright.
As we continue the journey of this ground-up approach to spiritual development, we come into direct contact with the third Center of Intelligence, the Quiet, Spacious Mind. Here, we experience mental clarity and an inner, divine guidance, sometimes called gnosis, a knowing that is a kind of consciousness beyond what is available to normal senses or reason. As this center quiets, we have access to a greater level of trust in ourselves and trust in the unfolding of life.
This is in stark contrast to the usual habits of the busy mind which only offers a well-rehearsed and automatic way of living, dominated by unconscious beliefs, fears, the self-imposed ‘authority’ of the Inner Critic and limiting inner stories. These powerful forces that unconsciously shape our lives until they are brought into acute awareness abound in mass consciousness. Look objectively at just one newspaper today, and you’ll see the blame, the judgment, the fear, the so-called rationales given for many decisions–this all passes for ‘news.’
Can you see how important it is for each of us to become radically aware of the chattering of the ’small mind’ and reorient toward the true qualities of the Quiet Mind? It is vital to becoming and staying centered.
How? One of the ways is through working with all three centers.* Imagine hearing, “just quiet your mind.” What is the result? Your mind tries to quiet your mind—to no avail. However, focus on dropping your attention into direct contact with the sensations of your body and connecting with the belly in the moment. What do you notice? You may recognize that the busy mind begins to quiet. And as you bring your attention to the quality of your heart center in this moment, over time you will further notice that your relationship to each of the centers begins the process of shifting into a re-alignment. I use the term “Spiritual Chiropractic” to give a sense of what that is like. Over time, you will begin to feel more aligned, more at home, more centered in the moment. You are in the process of becoming more Present, more grounded, more able to experience an inner peace, even when the outer world is frantic. And through your presence, you naturally become an catalyst for the positive change, an agent for Love that is so needed in your family, your community. And how might that impact the world?
This is our time. We are the ones we have been waiting for. Never again forget that you count, and that what you choose makes a difference.
Abundant blessings to you,
Roxanne
NOTES:
* The importance of the three Centers is a teaching of The Fourth Way, introduced by Gurdjieff, and prominent in Riso-Hudson Enneagram teachings. I’m thankful to these teachers for their work.
If you missed the earlier issues of this newsletter, and want to catch the articles that are referenced here, go http://www.lifewisecoaching.com/newsletter-archives/.
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Roxanne Howe-Murphy’s personal mission is to awaken, inspire, and deepen the highest nature and Essence within each person by focusing on healthy adult psychological and spiritual development. She has dedicated much of her prestigious career as a university educator, veteran executive and life coach, teacher and author to helping others embody their inner authority and enliven greater self-and other acceptance.