Why Does It Always Rain On Me

The time, energy and financial resources that go into organising these shoots are, in relation to what we have, really rather significant. We had kind and supportive comrades gathered for the shoot, we had given up our only free weekend in months, I had prepped night and day to get it all setup, and then of course there was the energy invested by the talented director and camera lady whose dedication to the cause were extremely touching. So to have Mother Nature seemingly urinate on our parade could have easily activated that despairing sensation, \’why me?\’, \’why is life always against me?\’ etc etc.

We all know that feeling of wondering why we bother putting ourselves out on a limb and investing our heart and soul into something when others, or the universe, rarely seem willing to reciprocate. It is a crushing feeling that generally leaves us in 3 spaces: either we wish to fight it, firm in our resolution or desperate to show the world we are not to be defeated; we suck it up and carry on albeit slightly weighed down by yet another kay-boshed plan; or we are crushed by the whole event and it becomes fodder for our negative thought patterns and emotions, it becomes another reason why it\’s simply not worth trying. But what about a fourth reaction and that is one of acceptance, trust and adaptability? Surely this is just as relevant and far more effective in many of the cases?

It\’s an interesting dilemma we face, for we also seem to register the negative outcomes far more acutely than the times when it all goes to plan. And the memory of the times it went wrong seems to make us more risk averse as we get older. So, we find ourselves stepping out less frequently and rarely taking any chances. But at what cost? What about the joy and the abundance that follows when it does go right? And what about the missed opportunities that may have arisen if we\’d only allowed ourselves to accept the situation without emotion and to think on our feet?

In our case last weekend, we simply adapted and asked if the kind audience would be willing to do a piece to camera to talk of their experiences of meditation so as to help inspire those who have not yet taken the plunge. And what came out of this was something so powerful that it was almost better than the original thing we were due to film! So compelling were their messages that the camera assistant wanted to immediately sign up for a course. And what was even more interesting was that the Director, whom we\’d taught a month ago, suddenly realised that a lot of the things she\’d been experiencing in the past month, such as feeling so much more connected to life and less stressed, must have been due to the meditation. It was a real penny dropping moment for her and beautiful to witness.

Fundamental to our personal experience of that weekend was trust. Trust in our capability to handle changes of expectation and adapt accordingly. And trust that the universe always seems to organise things in the most optimal way, even if it doesn\’t always feel thus.

Since learning to meditate, my adaptive capabilities have changed enormously, and to be perfectly honest, it needed to! I used to be good at planning things, but not so good at adapting to circumstance. Now, whilst I still love having a clear vision of how things are likely to pan, the challenge in working around tricky situations can actually be rather enjoyable. And since I\’ve genuinely embraced the feeling of trust and have trust in my ability to deal with a situation (and not simply hoped I hadand then fallen when the chips are down like the best of them!) – it is amazing how much better it always pans out.

It is countless the amount of times I was caught wrong footed and tricked into bemoaning the unfriendly nature of the universe, and then, things would suddenly materialise in a way that was so much better for all parties. But my lack of trust, and the friction it had created meant that the ride was a painful process. We\’ve all experienced that many times over, but we are so quick to forget.

Now, as everyone was assembled and the rain was falling, I could see in my mind\’s eye all the potential reasons why it was beneficial that this shoot was postponed, and that was even before everyone started waxing lyrical on camera about the wonders of Beeja meditation! I could detect the subtle mechanics at play, could see a clearer vision and knew it was for the best, despite the logistical challenges afoot. And it has since turned out to be the case.

Science can offer some interesting insights into some of the workings at play here. One of the things that Beeja meditation does is increase your oxytocin levels, which as the wonderfully charming scientist, Dr Paul Zak, has written, is an incredibly powerful molecule for bringing about feelings of trust, morality and empathy. Experiences which certainly make life much more worth living and the world a better place. His book on the subject is well worth a read.

Not only does the meditation give you a significant and joyous boost in the production of this key neurochemical, it also brings with it an enhancement in your perceptual capabilities which allow you to see within your own perception the Universe bringing things together in an incredibly elegant way. In combination, these developing phenomena are a potent cocktail that help you arrive at a much more settled place, where life no longer feels against you, but with you, even if in a sometimes roundabout way! And you can stay creative and find in-the-moment solutions that positively rock!

Even if you don\’t believe in a bio-friendly universe as I now do, at least opening yourself up to the possibility that this may actually be the case may help keep stress levels down until further information and experience arrives to validate this possibility. And its probably worth noting that when I say \’believe\’, we\’re not talking some philosophical concept that some dude, once upon a time espoused and that we are then expected to accept or dismiss. It\’s more a case of repeated experience rendering the notion of randomicity far too improbable for any credible model that you live by. The author and scientist Paul Davies has written some interesting books on such topics, which strike me as being a reasonably close intellectual view of what we begin to pick up sensorally as we progress along our journey.

In terms of what we can do in the here and now of changing circumstance? If you find that everything about you is not happening as planned, take a breath, stay cool and calm and quickly survey the situation. What are the possibilities and potentialities that could arise that may match or exceed your present endeavours? What can you do to help facilite what is trying to manifest? What is it about the timing or execution of your present activity that could be enhanced if you accepted the change in timeframe or change of situation? And if all still seems unclear, then surrender to the process and trust in the outcome (a fascinating exercise in its own right).

By taking this view, rather than tearing our hair out, we can optimise circumstance and maintain our serenity. And in doing so we can take inspiration in how far we\’ve come and inspire others to potentially follow our lead.

If you\’re ever struggling to keep a cool head or to think creatively, then simply meditate for 20 mins and let the hormones and neurons find equilibrium and let the sub-conscious formulate a brilliant plan for making the most of a supposedly unhelpful circumstance.

And once complete, observe the effects of how this adaptive, trusting approach worked versus all those other times when you let despair or frustration take over.

All species survive through adaptation. And all species thrive through adaptation. Perhaps we can let that be a guiding principle in all our journeys. Meditate, Observe, Trust, Adapt. And Thrive.

Each time we do this, we make another step towards living a more fulfilling and uplifting life.