Allow

What’s the difference between making it happen and allowing it to happen?

Pragmatically speaking, making it happen is action based. Using your will and desire, you choose to do…possibly against all odds. Determination overcomes obstacles. In the end, you feel victorious or defeated…depending on the outcome.

Yet even in victory, you might feel…empty. You might feel like something is missing.

When you allow it to happen, you align with universal forces: those grand, unseen forces, which have the power to arrange unlimited resources and cooperative components.

When you allow it to happen, your choices matter less. Choosing is still significant, but the choice is less so. That is because you take yourself with you either way. Align with the path chosen and it’ll work out…regardless.

Knowing the difference between making it happen and allowing it to happen is only the beginning. Old habits die hard, but I am learning.

Some time ago, I had mentioned the effect Mars station retrograde had on me. Life slowed to a crawl around me. I watched project after project suddenly stall and delay. Forward motion noticeably waned.

About a week before Mars stationed direct, all of that changed. Anchors raised and forward progress picked up once again. I have acquired quite a bit of speed since then. My days now fly by quickly. Each night, I crawl into bed feeling that mostly-satisfying exhaustion.

Abraham tells us that when you align first, the action feels inspired (driven from within) rather than motivated (pushed from behind). Given enough alignment, your desire to act becomes so great, it is hard not to act. I can attest to this.

Alignment also creates flow…another word for momentum.

Motivation is like pushing a crate up hill. The friction of the road resists your efforts. As soon as you stop pushing, you stop moving the crate.

Alignment puts wheels under the cart and levels the hill. Now it takes less effort to move the crate. Furthermore, when you rest some, the crate continues to roll on its own. Cooperative components appear out of no where to assist. You can even climb up on the crate and let it carry you forward!

2016 is half over, and it has already been a year that has taught me so much. This week alone has been a prime example.

Months ago, my greatest desire was momentum. Shifting from boredom to interest, from anxiety to excitement, was challenging. It was like turning a ship on the sea. My momentum in one direction was established. I had to slow it down, turn, and then overcome the inertia once more. The old current was strong, but so was my guidance. “Allow,” echoed in my mind…as did, “Ease.”

A potential project peaked into my awareness. My first reaction to it was fear—so strong, it approached panic. Nothing needed to happen yet, so I calmed myself again and again. “Allow it to show itself in time, and see what it has to offer,” I told myself.

When the project did present itself for real, I was ready for it. I took advantage of every day I had in between to prepare myself, calm myself, and build trust and excitement. The project was desired for sure, but the fear of failure or overwhelment loomed.

When I started working on the project, I jumped in with both feet. Yes, there was anxiety there, but mostly the good kind. I was anxious to get started each day and each day I made visible progress. As I solved problems, my confidence grew.

Even with the good kind of anxiety, it can be too much. My pace was not sustainable. It would have been years ago, but not now. This weekend showed me that I needed to slow myself down and rest more…not just physically, but also emotionally.

When you want something badly, it is easy to fall into that old habit of pushing the river. Luckily, I caught myself. Well, honestly, my body figured it out first.

Being too tired to work, I found myself looking for something else to do. In that moment, I felt that old, familiar, “Now what?”

“Now what?” is an indication that something is missing. The thing that is missing is alignment. Alignment feels good. Alignment trusts, and is as happy relaxing as working. I got caught up in the doing and forgot some of my practice.

And then I was reminded.

Lying in bed, not tired enough to sleep, but not wanting to do anything in particular, I decided to listen to music—songs I hadn’t heard in a while. One in particular brought me back almost two years. It brought back the feeling of magic I had when I first fell in love with it.

And in that moment, I wished for that magic again.

The funny thing is this: back then, I wished for all that is happening now. And now, with a flurry of activity around me, I am wishing for the feeling of back then.

Pow!

When I loved and listened to that song, I was in alignment. I didn’t have the physical manifestations I sought, but I had the alignment. My practiced alignment then allowed the manifestations to flow in. I am swimming in them now. The momentum is evident.

And yet, even within the activity, I slipped out of alignment a bit. I started pushing, rather than flowing. I starting trying to make it happen, rather than allow it to happen. I’ve been too much in the future, and not enough in the present.

A quick fix is to focus on appreciating what is, which is actually quite easy. I am happy right here. I am happy with my day to day. I am happy with the changes that loom. I am happy with the momentum.

When I look too far ahead, I see the end of this project, and some less interesting work to do. When I look too far ahead, I feel fear and anxiety. When I look too far ahead, I question my success. When I look past the end of this project, I wonder, “What will I do then? What do I want to do next? Do I want to do more of this?” All of these questions bring with them a bit of anxiety.

But here? Now? None of that exists. Here and now is working out well. Here and now feels good. What’s just ahead is exciting. I am excited…and anticipatory…and interested…and engaged…and have plenty of time to do what needs to be done.

Many questions still exist around my work that I don’t yet know the answer to. But I do know what I like and I do know what feels good.

The specifics don’t matter that much. The Universe knows. And now I know better than before.