Can you find freedom in commitment?
By Maryanne Comaroto
My husband David and I were on the approach to The Golden Gate Bridge, on our way to the airport, when I had a “feeling” to check my cell. Sure enough, four calls within minutes, evidence someone was urgently trying to reach me. Validation that my intuition (i.e. that feeling) was working.
That’s what this blog is about: how our commitment to our practice of connecting to our inner guidance and wisdom, which David and I affectionately refer to as our “self-inquiry” practice, offers us the opportunity for real freedom. This might sound ridiculous or even confusing—freedom through commitment, yeah, right? Thirty years ago I might have agreed: I was simply not a fan of doing anything (except breathe in and out) for long periods of time, which in large part is what commitment implied to me.
So back to the bridge: here we were, careening down the freeway, bags packed, cat care, dog care, empty fridge of anything that won’t keep, phone charger, iPod headphones, 3 oz of EVERYTHING, and so forth.
So while none of these details occur to me as I get the updated schedule I could feel the freight train of momentum behind me come to a screeching halt, but I hardly flinched, and instead of derailing or even sitting on the swell, it actually did not come. It was almost weird, like slow motion—I saw it all happening in some altered state or zone. Even though I could feel the suck to kvetch, I let the train go down the track and took a left. Actually, took a North to be more exact!
Instead my head flooded with alternate thoughts, happy and magical ones at that. I wonder what this all means? What wonderful thing will happen instead? As soon as we arrived back home we decided to explore those questions more literally. We sat quietly in a soft meditation, in which I heard; Pick a direction. And by “heard,” I mean from the same place I had that feeling, that intuition to check my phone. I opened my eyes and promptly blurted what I had “heard” and since David speaks Maryanne without hesitation he closed his eyes and in a moment said “North feels good.”
After a few more questions refining our upcoming sojourn, we eagerly piled in the car and headed up North, filled with wonder about what was in store. Just prior to takeoff I had another hunch to do a Google search for boutique hotels in the area we decided to visit and stumbled across a gorgeous property, which just happened to have a last-minute cancelation in an otherwise fully committed weekend, said the reservationist in shock and awe. I squealed with delight. The reservationist squealed along with me; absolute joy is contagious! We were on our way.
To say we had a perfect weekend would be no exaggeration; one synchronicity after another unveiled the next stitch in the tapestry of this extraordinary and unexpected holiday.
Just when I thought I couldn’t have any more fun, possibly expand one tiny little bit more (How much joy is one person allowed to experience? I wondered), I remembered. Oh yeah: every day, in every moment is an opportunity for the universe to unfold in all its magical ways. All I have to do is be willing to stay on my path, which means being committed to my daily practice (going with the flow, letting the train go down the track, praying for guidance and direction, etc.) while at the same time getting out of my own way, instead of being bound by control issues or resentments or fear or anxiety or worry or blame ad nauseum. Real Freedom, freedom to participate, to trust and to behold life unfolding in its own amazing and glorious perfection!! Undoubtedly the gift of commitment. What a splendid way to roll!
Learn to celebrate yourself with Maryanne's video webinar series this summer, teaching you how to ask the right questions of potential dates BEFORE you agree to a relationship ~ honor yourself and what you deserve! http://bit.ly/cvsc90
My husband David and I were on the approach to The Golden Gate Bridge, on our way to the airport, when I had a “feeling” to check my cell. Sure enough, four calls within minutes, evidence someone was urgently trying to reach me. Validation that my intuition (i.e. that feeling) was working.
That’s what this blog is about: how our commitment to our practice of connecting to our inner guidance and wisdom, which David and I affectionately refer to as our “self-inquiry” practice, offers us the opportunity for real freedom. This might sound ridiculous or even confusing—freedom through commitment, yeah, right? Thirty years ago I might have agreed: I was simply not a fan of doing anything (except breathe in and out) for long periods of time, which in large part is what commitment implied to me.
So back to the bridge: here we were, careening down the freeway, bags packed, cat care, dog care, empty fridge of anything that won’t keep, phone charger, iPod headphones, 3 oz of EVERYTHING, and so forth.
So while none of these details occur to me as I get the updated schedule I could feel the freight train of momentum behind me come to a screeching halt, but I hardly flinched, and instead of derailing or even sitting on the swell, it actually did not come. It was almost weird, like slow motion—I saw it all happening in some altered state or zone. Even though I could feel the suck to kvetch, I let the train go down the track and took a left. Actually, took a North to be more exact!
Instead my head flooded with alternate thoughts, happy and magical ones at that. I wonder what this all means? What wonderful thing will happen instead? As soon as we arrived back home we decided to explore those questions more literally. We sat quietly in a soft meditation, in which I heard; Pick a direction. And by “heard,” I mean from the same place I had that feeling, that intuition to check my phone. I opened my eyes and promptly blurted what I had “heard” and since David speaks Maryanne without hesitation he closed his eyes and in a moment said “North feels good.”
After a few more questions refining our upcoming sojourn, we eagerly piled in the car and headed up North, filled with wonder about what was in store. Just prior to takeoff I had another hunch to do a Google search for boutique hotels in the area we decided to visit and stumbled across a gorgeous property, which just happened to have a last-minute cancelation in an otherwise fully committed weekend, said the reservationist in shock and awe. I squealed with delight. The reservationist squealed along with me; absolute joy is contagious! We were on our way.
To say we had a perfect weekend would be no exaggeration; one synchronicity after another unveiled the next stitch in the tapestry of this extraordinary and unexpected holiday.
Just when I thought I couldn’t have any more fun, possibly expand one tiny little bit more (How much joy is one person allowed to experience? I wondered), I remembered. Oh yeah: every day, in every moment is an opportunity for the universe to unfold in all its magical ways. All I have to do is be willing to stay on my path, which means being committed to my daily practice (going with the flow, letting the train go down the track, praying for guidance and direction, etc.) while at the same time getting out of my own way, instead of being bound by control issues or resentments or fear or anxiety or worry or blame ad nauseum. Real Freedom, freedom to participate, to trust and to behold life unfolding in its own amazing and glorious perfection!! Undoubtedly the gift of commitment. What a splendid way to roll!
Learn to celebrate yourself with Maryanne's video webinar series this summer, teaching you how to ask the right questions of potential dates BEFORE you agree to a relationship ~ honor yourself and what you deserve! http://bit.ly/cvsc90
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