Year Four, Day 232: The Untethered Soul and My Awakening

I am on fire.  I woke up at 5:00 a.m. this morning. I felt sad. I felt irritated. I wanted to roll over and get some more sleep. But my eyes were wide open. Almost like they were being help open with invisible tooth picks. I was home alone - the rest of the family had spent the night with other family members.  Honey Dog would need to go out. And I could do my hooping and cleaning without disturbing the rest of the household.


(When my granddaughter is asleep we all tiptoe around, holding our breath, so cherished is her sleep time!)


So I popped up. I felt so much energy.  I didn't even need caffeine. I felt strong. Not stiff and groggy as usual.  Irritable, yes. But otherwise good!


So I cleaned the entire kitchen, made my bed vacuumed, hooped and even practiced some music on the piano I planned on playing for church later.


I still had time to spare, so I decided to sit down and get a dose of Thomas Merton. He has proven to be a soothing balm for me. Like trees.


I pulled YouTube up on the television. I looked at a few suggestions for Merton, and then somehow, I landed on an Oprah Winfrey program called "SuperSoul Sunday".

 "This inspirational series features programs that nourish the mind, body and spirit while offering insights into living one's best life. "Super Soul Sunday" explores issues that include spirituality, the afterlife and personal fulfillment. A regular feature of the program is Oprah's Soul Series, a series of in-depth conversations between the former talk show host and some of the most recognized spiritual thinkers of our time. Other segments of the show include feature-length documentaries and short-form content."

(https://g.co/kgs/eNwKG5)

I cannot recall what led me to Michael Singer. I think it was the Holy Spirit. I have been on fire ever since 6:00 a.m. I have been posting quotes like a mad woman on Facebook. I even sent some quotes via message to my son in prison.  I put his book The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself on hold at the library.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"It is truly a great cosmic paradox that one of the best teachers in all of life turns out to be death. No person or situation could ever teach you as much as death has to teach you.

While someone could tell you that you are not your body, death shows you.

While someone could remind you of the insignificance of the things that you cling to, death takes them all away in a second.

While people can teach you that men and women of all races are equal and that there is no difference between the rich and the poor, death instantly makes us all the same."

~Michael A. Singer, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

"When you walk through a beautiful botanical garden, you feel open and light. You feel love. You see beauty. You don’t judge the shape and placement of every leaf. The leaves are of all sizes and shapes and they face every-which-way. That’s what makes them beautiful. What if you felt that way about people? What if they didn’t all have to dress the same, believe the same, or behave the same? What if they were like the flowers, and however they happened to be seemed beautiful to you?"

~Michael A. Singer, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

"Your relationship with God is the same as your relationship with the sun. If you hid from the sun for years and then chose to come out of your darkness, the sun would still be shining as if you had never left. You don’t need to apologize. You just pick your head up and look at the sun. It’s the same way when you decide to turn toward God—you just do it."

~Michael A. Singer, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

And my favorite so far: 

"How would you feel if someone outside really started talking to you the way your inner voice does? How would you relate to a person who opened their mouth to say everything your mental voice says? After a very short period of time, you would tell them to leave and never come back. But when your inner friend continuously speaks up, you don’t ever tell it to leave. No matter how much trouble it causes, you listen."

~Michael A. Singer, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

Have I mentioned the negative voices in my head? How refreshing to find that many others have the same experience and have not been diagnosed with a mental illness.  I've struggled with those internal voices in my life so much I was afraid I was schizophrenic! Even my counselor was concerned. He said, "Talk about these 'voices'. I told him they were my voice, not like other entities telling me to do things. I told him I didn't think I was schizophrenic. He smiled and said, "I know. But you do realize I need to ask".

Anyway. I am so excited to read this book!

The episode with Oprah interviewing Michael Singer was so profound.  He talks about things I have pondered all of my life.  Not quite Merton, but definitely in the same league.

I already have gained tools for establishing inner peace when the world feels like it is out to get me.  After my wonderful "waking up" experience at home, I went not to Starbucks before church, but to THE GYM AND THEN STARBUCKS before church.

Who am I? I am Zita, just  me, full of energy and happy to be here. That's who!

My experience in church was musically absolutely sublime.  I had a bit of an encounter with the woman who gets on every single one of my nerves. But I kept thinking "untethered soul!" as we were talking. I said my piece, or my peace, with no attachment to how she received it. I said it firmly. But I don't think I was unkind.  She looked rattled. I apologized at that moment. I told her that I was just telling her who I was! She looked at me oddly and I did not give one care! I can find peace within without even leaning on a tree!

WOW!

There is such freedom in not being attached to every thought and emotion that appears.

Dude, I feel like I have just woke up!

And I shall leave you right here! With my hooping video.

Happy Sunday!

Love,

Zita

p.s. I do not know why all of my text is highlighted today. I tried to edit it to no avail. And I do not give one care! I only hope it is not annoying to you!