I was inspired to write about this in response to @krnel ‘s post “The Importance of Time and Thinking” which discusses the importance of making time for the kind of thought that facilitates expanding consciousness. https://steemit.com/time/@krnel/the-importance-of-time-and-thinking
This is my perspective on how that can look and also an explanation of how and why feeling good is less a "trap" than it is an integral part of expanding consciousness.
Being Present
I come from the perspective that no time is wasted if I am being present/in the moment. In that state of being tuned into higher consciousness, one is doing exactly what one should be doing, whether that is building a house, climbing a mountain, or watching a movie.
Being present is what allows for the clarity to challenge beliefs, see beyond them, and discover new ways of being that are more in alignment with our higher selves than the matrix-based knee-jerk reactions we might be used to having. Being present, for me, is the act of seeing myself objectively/watching myself objectively/being aware of my thoughts. It’s allowing myself to see myself through the eyes of higher consciousness and to feel the connection to higher consciousness.
With that in mind, one thing I’ve been doing (when I’m conscious enough to make the conscious decision to do it…) is endeavoring to make every task a meditation. Taking a shower, emptying and reloading the dishwasher, or folding laundry are opportunities to embrace being present. Not only does being present (also can be described as being focused on what I’m doing only) result in being more efficient, it also stops the stream of drivel that often courses through my mind, which is in itself, a relief and a mechanism of controlling my thoughts rather than letting them run wild and control me.
Thoughts become Things
Thoughts become things, so the more aware of my thoughts that I am, and the more often I align those thoughts with my higher self, the better things get and the more influence I have on my experience.
The more my consciousness evolves, the more I seek pleasure and enjoyment primarily. With the understanding that I am infinite consciousness/awareness having a physical experience, it only makes sense to pursue what I find enjoyable. It only makes sense to feel good! The more I focus on joy and feeling good, the more worrying drops out of my consciousness. The more I make decisions based on what sounds/feels like the most fun, the more fun I have!
Just as everything can be a meditation, everything can be joyful! How we feel is a choice, and any external circumstance is irrelevant. You can’t blame anyone or anything for a bad mood, except yourself. Likewise, joy is a choice, not something allowed or denied by external circumstances.
The practice of seeking enjoyment in every activity and every situation is part of the process of seeing oneself beyond the matrix construct, which is fear-based. Thus, not feeling good is an indication of not being in alignment. The more you are feeling good, the easier you will recognize when you are not, which can serve as a friendly little reminder to delve a little deeper and transcend limiting beliefs.
Many people settle for feeling okay, not bad, or just fine. Why? Why not seek feeling the best we possibly can in every moment? This is not to say that striving for a joyful life is without its not-so-joyful moments.
Moments of discomfort arise naturally as I come face to face with parts of myself that aren’t keeping up with my conscious evolution; i.e. recently, I had an uncomfortable emotional experience, which was triggered by a long-held belief that I am inadequate. I wasn’t conscious of that belief in the moment the situation arose, but I was definitely conscious of the viscerally uncomfortable response I had in the form of anxiety. I was so acutely aware that I was not feeling the way I prefer to feel, that I was incapable of any action till I got to the root of the feeling.
I was eventually able to access clarity and understand that I had such an intense experience of discomfort when that belief was activated because inadequate is not, in fact, who I am, and my higher consciousness knows that. My matrix-self wanted to cling to the idea of inadequacy because the matrix needs people to think they are inadequate and unworthy, so it was the discord between my long-held belief of inadequacy and my current knowing that inadequacy is a false concept, that flooded me with discomfort. And it was my commitment to feeling good that motivated me to examine the not-so-fun feelings and let go of a limiting belief.
The Challenge
My case, in short, is this: if we are all infinite consciousness, then we all know that no matter what happens in our physical lives and even to our physical bodies, there is no threat to our existence and therefore no reason to fear. Furthermore, there is no reason to feel any of the unpleasant feelings on the fear spectrum (anger, frustration, despair, etc.), except to acknowledge them for what they are: indicators of not being aligned with our higher selves. In contrast, feeling love, joy, or peace indicates we are in alignment with our higher selves.
As a final point, consider this: are the decisions we make under stress or in anger usually the ones we are most proud of? Or, are the decisions we make and actions we take when we are feeling love (unconditional love, that is), joy, or peace the ones that reflect our best selves?
With that, I challenge you to make a case for not seeking joy in every moment. Good luck, and thanks for reading!