Sometimes individuals who suddenly find themselves dealing with struggle do not understand how they got there and are not able to include within the process of the mind the fact that life is a cycle, and in order to raise our standard and truly begin living, we must choose to move with the ebb and flow. Unfortunately, typically when a person reaches the ebb state, there does not exist the feeling of having enough “wiggle room” to allow the time and energy required allocate toward understanding why they are in that downturn state. Therefore, preparation in advance is the key to not only surviving but also to quickly reviving yourself and returning to the land of the living.
The best way to prepare for the ebb is to do so when you are in the flow. The flow is that good-feeling, forward-moving state in which, even if the individual does not hold within their hands every single thing they desire, they still have a high-flying sense of being fulfilled in the moment and, most importantly, feel fully capable and able of obtaining everything else they desire. It is that mentality which would be most useful to a person who is living in the ebb state. However, being human beings, it is often difficult to feel opposite of one’s state of being so, it may be best to simply come prepared to rock out the ebb state and make the most of what it has to teach.
GET IT INTO YOUR MIND THAT 'THIS, TOO, SHALL PASS'
Step one of surviving the ebb is to recognize that it is literally only temporary. The ebb typically presents itself in order to perform a purpose and a service to the person experiencing its presence. The ebb of life can come in the form of financial difficulties, health problems, family crisis, a general feeling of a more slow-paced progression, a period of not feeling able to plan or make decisions, or in any other way the psychological makeup can grab the person’s attention and coax them into moving at a slower pace so they can hear the lesson and improve their state of living.
The ebb of life is all about slowing down to look at who you are and who you have become and making sure that those two personas match. For example, during teenage years individual typically only express partial forms of themselves. In other words they have a private life which is hidden, for instance at school, and in its place, there is a reflection of how that individual wants to be perceived. They continue living in this faux manner because they do not believe that who they really are is enough.
This voluntary duality of living is a perfect example of why the ebb becomes present in a person's life. Often times after people reach a certain age they either assume that they no longer have a need to grow and continue to become a more advanced person on a semi-regular basis, or they are simply unaware of the fact that they are naturally doing so and, therefore, continue old habits which do not match. In not acknowledging that they have grown, they continue to live out who they were for the last three years, five years, 10 years, and feel discomfort in the form of physical disease or emotional dissatisfaction but not know how to deal with it nor why it is there.
What has occurred is that the person has, by force of nature, advanced and grown internally by the simple fact of living, moving, being alive on the planet. Interaction with other human beings over a period of time no matter how little it may be, creates mental and biological changes within every person. Cells regenerate quickly right down to the composition of the skin itself so people are always changing but sometimes they do not allow habitual actions and thinking patterns to change as well.
PREPARING FOR THE EBB...IF YOU CAN
Living in this way does not allow expansion to occur and, thus, the newly formed mechanisms of the soul are unable to come forth until the person is brought into the ebb state so the required transition can occur. In order to prepare for the ebb, ensure that there are a few standard elements present at all times.
For instance always having an emergency savings fund can help reduce the amount of time an individual continues living in the ebb. This is because if a person is trying to grow spiritually and is simultaneously living a frightening physical experience, it can be extremely difficult to focus on the spiritual while the physical is staring them in the face. If financial struggle is the tool the ebb is utilizing to bring the person back to life, well, that person had better buckled their seatbelt because it is going to be a very interesting ride. In that case, all they can do is hold on tight, feel-good as much as possible, and simply dig into the internal growth that needs to occur so they can leave that situation as soon as possible.
Another way to prepare for the ebb is to deliberately carve out time for self-evaluation and renewal. The faster the person is able to get to the root of what needs to be learned, the faster the flow can come and they can begin living again. So if the individual is already working 12-hour days and managing family life, some sort of schedule restructuring needs to occur immediately so they can have time for introspective review.
There are a wide variety of ways to “tune in” to what is going on inside, some of them include meditation, yoga, writing, and any sort of creative artistry like drawing, painting, or singing. These activities can serve two purposes. One, they help to quiet the mind and take the person away from things that are not benefiting the soul. Two, they allow an outlet for deeply ingrained emotional feelings to escape when previously they could not have been dealt with because of those 12-hour work days.
Being in the ebb is like trying to float upon the water. If one struggles, they sink. So the best thing to do is to first acknowledge what is occurring, and then make a decision to get into the boat and simply go along for the ride. Just be prepared that, even after the ebb is gone, different points in life may still welcome that portion of life to flow in.
For example, Simon Cowell, entrepreneur and music industry mogul, recently described such a time in an exclusive interview with Biz News Commentator, John Gapper. Cowell described a period of time earlier this year when he and everyone around him, he felt, was living in the ebb state. “I didn’t feel too great about things,” Cowell commented. “…everyone was running around in circles.” He goes on to describe how suddenly and without explanation, everything shifted. According to Cowell, many exciting things are now occurring and there is a “different energy here now.” And that energy, is the flow.
RECOGNIZING THE FLOW
The flow has a distinct feeling attached to it, particularly when a person is first emerging from the ebb state and returning to the world of the living. It comes as aura of air flowing through. To one with a heightened state of emotional sensitivity, the flow may present itself in the form of a feeling before the ebb has passed away in terms of circumstances. Grabbing a hold of that initial breath of fresh air can also help the ebb pass more quickly. When coming into the flow, a person feels great excitement even though nothing may have changed because they having an instinctual feeling that it certainly is about to. In the flow, ideas can come in more easily which will increase hope aid in the development of a plan of action that may lead the person to a place where they can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.
As the flow begins, it becomes easier to create that which the person desires and resources and tools to aid them in this creation will begin to appear within the person’s life. The flow needs little explanation because most people are already familiar with exactly what it is. The flow is those times in life when one knows exactly what they want to do, the steps necessary to take them there, and may give little to no effort in obtaining it but still find it sitting right there where they want it. The flow is the great stuff of life.
But let us not count out that the ebb, too, is a great thing. Without it, there could be no contrasting desire. There would be no understanding that whatever a person is living is not good enough for who they are, and, therefore, no advancement would take place. It could not do so. To where exactly would it advance?
As many say, it is often best to “go with the flow” and, in doing so, not only finds great relief from the ebb but they may also be able to create a life where they are able to more effectively keep up with their emotional and spiritual growth. When a person is keeping up with themselves, they will most likely be able to reduce the length of the ebb state and get back to living in the flow by simply being, at all times, who the life within them is now encouraging them to be.
Opinion by Bridgette Bryant
No comments
Post a Comment