True Seeing

"The true seeing is within."-George Eliot

The Visionmaker's way is to pursue what is most meaningful in our aspirations, vocation, relationships and involvement in the communities in which we participate.

These are all matters of the heart. It is the heart that directs every Visionmaker towards meaning.

As you will recall from previous posts, Visionmaking is the discipline of following meaning through a journey of purposeful acts. Purposeful acts are the output of heart, intellect and will working together to exert change.

This requires clear focus and all of our energy, so it is important that we reflect regularly on what is most meaningful.

The most significant barrier to this practice is the status quo. The status quo seeks to arrest transformation and positive change. It is the state of mind that every Visionmaker opposes.

In Visionmaking, the status quo is defined as a state of stasis where there is neither motion or development and where there is little hope of change. It's like psychic cement.

The status quo can be overturned by reflection, commitment and action. Without reflection, however, clarity, commitment and action are hard to marshal.

Reflective practice is the Visionmaker's way of taking stock of what has heart and meaning and overcoming the status quo.  It demands discipline and practice. Morning and evening are the traditional times to look to the heart for guidance.

This can be accomplished almost anywhere that there is silence and no distraction.  Reflection can be done seated, standing, lying, even walking.  The more you practice, the better you get.

I hope the following reflective questions support you in seeing what is in your heart:

• What is currently most meaningful to you in your relationships, work, well-being, personal development, spirituality, and community service?

• What are you yearning for in your life that you have not yet experienced?

• In what areas do you feel trapped by the status quo?

• What do you need to start/stop/continue to do to break free of this illusion of being trapped?

• Where are you currently deeply engaged in your life? Where do you feel half-hearted? What do you need to do to restore full engagement?

I welcome you insights, questions and comments. Thank you for visiting Visions.

© Patrick O’Neill 2009. All rights reserved.