Going Back to Basics
by Nanci Bradley
My spiritual path these last few months has been somewhat uninteresting, to be honest.. And the reason why is that I made a pledge to myself to master the basics, before rushing forward into the next new thing.
This journey began when I realised that I was struggling to stay centered in my heart, that my ability to build love in my heart was decreasing rather than increasing. I had become stuck and I hadn’t even noticed!
It was emphasised even further while I was reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, which centres around becoming more present. Getting better at Being rather than constantly living in the past and future.
I came to the realisation that my spiritual path had often involved rushing ahead without fully mastering the basics. So, although I love meditations focusing on manifesting, making attempts to astral travel, and learning more about different types of past lives, I decided to focus fully on mastering the basics.
The Beginning
At the start of this journey, I had a great deal of enthusiasm for my goal. Everyday I woke up excited to practice bringing love into my heart and becoming present. I would practice this multiple times a day, sometimes finding it easy and other times finding it more difficult.
Stumbling Blocks
After a while, I became a bit complacent. After all, trying to master the basics can very quickly turn into time for daydreams, thinking about the books I am reading, or simply planning the future, especially when I allow my concentration to falter.
At points, I got quite frustrated with myself for not having mastered the skills, especially if I had a meditation filled mostly with daydreams, but didn’t even notice until it was over. Practicing staying present without a guide and in the early morning when I am still sleepy can definitely be a challenge at times.
But each time I stumble, I pick myself back up and continue practicing. And although the journey has not been a linear one. Sometimes it feels like one step forward, two steps back! Over time I have noticed some improvements:
- I look up from my work and appreciate the world more often
- I actually take time to be in nature and recentre myself, even if it is just in my backyard
- Most of my meditations have at least one moment of conscious presence, and some of them are mostly spent in the present moment!
- I spend much less time lost in the daily habits and routines of life
Moving Forward
This process has taught me so much about slowing down and consciously trying to master something, as much as I possibly can.
Where in the past, and even now at times, I would compare my spiritual journey to others, wondering how I can achieve experiences more like their profound ones. Now I simply remind myself that I have the time, that my journey is my own and will go at the pace it needs to. When, or if, it is time for more profound experiences they will come into my life. I trust in this more and more every single day through this practice.
While my journey will probably be different to your own, I would love to invite you to look within and ask what you have been trying to rush through.
Is there part of your journey that could benefit from slowing down to more fully learn what you need to learn?
Begin your journey today!
Send me a message, I would love to hear from you.
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