The Curse of Complacency (and the Gift of Desperation) ©2017 Joan M. Newcomb
One of the times where we can get stuck on our spiritual path is when everything seems to be going well. We have enough to get by, just not enough to achieve our desires.
We’re not in complete survival, but we’re not completely happy or satisfied. But we’re so better off than (where we were, where others are, where we could be)…
It can actually be a pretty horrible place to exist. And people can stay here for years.
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| Sweet Briar College, 1920 |
Complacency is like a big, goosedown duvet covering you and your life – on a warm, summer’s day.
Sometimes we’re stuck in complacency as a result of trauma. We’re not really complacent, we’re numb. We’re afraid to move. We’re terrified of risking our status quo.
A clue to being in this state is – how clear are your dreams and desires? When we’re in fear, our vision for the future is a winning lotto ticket, prince charming, someone or something to instantly get you out of this situation.
When we’re complacent, we may not even have dreams and desires, we’re so disconnected from our essence. Everything looks just fine. What have we to complain about?
Sometimes, as Consciousness, we create an opportunity to break out of this state. Something disastrous happens. A betrayal, a layoff, an accident, a national disaster… it wakes us up.
Sometimes the opportunity creeps up on you, you develop an illness that forces you to tune into your body, a loved one’s addiction is revealed, shattering your denial.
Desperation can be a gift, it gets us moving. It gives you the energy to start making positive changes. You can feel more alive in an emergency, because you’re more fully present and alert.
And yet some people get addicted to the adrenalin rush of chaos and drama, and instead of breaking out of their rut they dig themselves in even deeper.
Complacency mustn’t be confused with the neutrality of Consciousness. At the highest level of Consciousness, there is no good or bad, you’re completely detached from pain of what is happening in the physical world. It’s like viewing the planet from the International Space Station, you’re just in awe of the beauty and wonder of the world.
As Consciousness, we provide opportunities to wake up, and no opinion if we choose to stay asleep. As Consciousness there’s no time, so no judgement of how long it’s taking.
However, our core purpose for being here is to experience life in the physical, and express ourselves as Consciousness. If we’re numb with complacency or spinning our wheels in continual crisis we’re not fully experiencing or expressing from Consciousness.
Now, when we’re in our bodies as Consciousness, it feels good. We’re enjoying ourselves. We inherently know it’s a benevolent Universe. We’re amused, we’re curious, we’re creative.
Our desires look different when we’re creating our life as Consciousness. We don’t need to be rich and famous. We are rich in relationship, we have prosperous lives.
Our own egos/personalities will hold us back, fearing that if Consciousness is in control, they will die. In truth, an aspect that we may have identified with will dissipate, but we will feel freer and more expansive afterwards.
When we operate as Consciousness, we achieve outcomes greater than old personalities could have imagined.
So if you’re in complacency and reading this, know that you have an opportunity to wake up without waiting for a breakdown. You can have a ‘high bottom’.
If you’re in desperation, use this information to propel you forward to new choices and actions.
You don’t have to know how to solve your problems or fix your situation, just take the first step towards the light. Intuitively step towards whatever feels lighter, brighter, clearer, more open. The light is You.
When you connect as Consciousness, you’ll find that the answers and solutions have been in You all the time.