True Contentment

These are challenging times and here’s the test of these times: Do we allow our contentment, our joy, to be determined by outer circumstances only?

On a recent trip which took me through Los Angeles International Airport, the Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy” played while I was at the boarding gate. It is a contagious piece of music and a group of us broke into spontaneous dance. It was the medicine of the moment. During the flight I thought about what it is to experience happiness or contentment in harsh times.

Your contentment and mine is an inside job. It is an inside job because we already carry on the inside what we keep seeking outwardly. What appears as obstacles to our contentment is at the heart of all inner work and just happens to be what I love to explore with people.

The” Logical” Client

One person I work with is a scientist. She tells me that according to her “evidence based” approach to life, she is unloveable. I gently let her know that I only work with lovable people: this caught her by tearful surprise as she realized she was one of those people!

One of the aspirations of supported inner work is to assist people in discovering or rediscovering their own goodness. When we reclaim or discover our inherent worthiness what naturally follows is responsibility for our own contentment.

Yes, there is plenty to be concerned about these days. And recognizing that our inner peace is not dependent upon the ever changing tides of life, is freedom from unnecessary suffering.

It is possible to be deeply touched by the aches and pains of the world and not be upended by the chaos. This is a necessary skill for these times.