Monday, August 8, 2011

Partly sleeping

Photo - www.senelfy.deviantart.com
Have you ever had the sense that after some unexpected experience hits your personal horizon, you look back and realize that part of you had been sleeping up until that moment?  I have reflected on this for years.  It has happened to me countless times and never fails to capture my attention with each new occurrence.

A simple analogy would be when you buy a new car and suddenly you see that same model, same color car everywhere you go.  Prior to purchasing that new vehicle, you never before noticed so many of the same car everywhere you traveled.  Your eyes and your consciousness have been newly awakened to that recognition, where before, part of you had been sleeping.

This holds true with endless layers of who we are, where our lives are heading, where we have been.  When a new person comes into our lives, and love occurs, we are stunned that we lived our whole lives without that love up until that meeting. This applies to friendship, to family and to intimate love, as well as to new experiences, studies, dreams, etc.  It is almost beyond acceptance, once the love is realized, to ken how we survived without it for so long.  Our heart was partly sleeping, waiting for that arrival of that person or that experience to wake up that spot that was reserved exclusively for them/it.

Talents lie partly sleeping also.  Sometimes they awaken with a jarring crash, startling us with the all consuming need to dive in and embrace the newness, turn it in our hands and make a mark on the world with it.  Other times, those talents are merely dormant, waiting for occasional awakening.  This happens for me with various artistic endeavors.  I can go for months at a time without any need to be creative beyond my daily writing.  Then something happens to awaken the partly sleeping Muse and I hit a frenzy of creativity, producing a wide range of artistic expressions.

To me, it is an endless joy to discover something new to love....about myself, and about the people around me.  Relationships are rarely static, and even in strife, we learn and grow.  Areas that had been partly sleeping within the context of relationships are regularly nudged awake.  We are never truly allowed to rest smugly on our laurels in that regard, and I see that as a positive.  Complacency hasn't ever been a behavior that I embrace.  I tend to be very active about communication so that all parties concerned can be clear and present with one another.  I fail at this, sometimes rather spectacularly, but the intent is always to be present and aware.  Because of this, I find that I am also equally aware when an area that had been partly sleeping suddenly awakens.  For me, it is a tangible thing, something I can physically sense and feel stirring.  I do my best to pay attention to that stirring, so that I recognize it for what it is.  It's when I ignore the sensation that I tend to bump my toes a wee bit, so I do my best to be mindful.

Recently, in perhaps the past six months, I've had a whole slew of partly sleeping areas come to full wakefulness.  These awakenings have spanned a wide range of experiences and relationships, some providing challenges to overcome, and all of them broadening my sense of Self and growing those newly awakened spots in my heart.  I have a fanciful image in my mind's eye of early morning hush coming softly awake, birds beginning to chirp, dew glistening on grass, trees and flowers in a private meadow that exists uniquely for my Soul to process these occurrences.  Oddly, this same meadow is a place I visit when I meditate, so who is to say it doesn't exist in some metaphysical manner.  The awakening of partly sleeping facets is the important thing to experience, to be aware of as it occurs.  I've never been a proponent of walking through life in an unconscious manner, so this awakening process is one that I enjoy.  I learn so much about myself as a result.  I've spoken about that endless refining of Self, of Soul, that we do on a daily basis.  The concept I am speaking of here, of "partly sleeping" is just a metaphor for that daily growth we all experience.

The world is largely expansive, rather than contractive, and so are we as people.  We are here to grow and learn, to push boundaries and embrace new experiences.  With that in mind, I imagine that we are gifted with endless ability to expand as yet unknown partly sleeping facets.  Traits, experiences, thoughts, loves and more.  It is a satisfying thought to me, because it means we are never truly finished.  We never learn it all, never experience it all....and at the heart of this thought is Love.

Through the waxing and waning, the ebb and flow of every experience, Love is the vital force at work.  Sometimes it lies sleeping for years before the awakening occurs, but that space for that particular love...be it a person, a place or an experience...that space was always there, inside us, waiting for that awakening.  We drift from one awakening to the next, continually learning.  And the beauty is that there will always be another moment when something that was partly sleeping is nudged, gently or urgently, to come alive and take full occupancy of that space in our hearts. I just really like that.

17 comments:

  1. Nice to see you writing again... I had to laugh about the new car, we have talked about that very thing. I understand that feeling of awaking and seeing something or someone that has been there but you see it or them in a new light. It can be an amazing moment.

    I tweeted, and +1


    http://jpweddingphotograpy.blogspot.com/2011/08/photographs-for-magnificent-monday.html

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  2. Hi Jim! Yep, I had a bit of a lag time again recently, but I grasshoppered earlier in the week and the kick started the Muse. :) I thought most people would recognize this concept if I used that car analogy; I think we've all done that at one point or another! Thank you for tweeting and +1'ing! Now I'm off to visit you in return. :)

    ~ Dawn

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  3. Comfortably Numb. Unlike yourself Dawnie, I believe I do walk through life in somewhat of an unconscious manner. I do not like that about myself...I miss out in so much of life!
    I was awakened in that dreamlike state this spring with what I thought was new-found love. All of my senses were at the tip of my skin. I had forgotten what it felt like. I was seeing the world through the lenses of pure love! I had shed those grave-clothes and put on clothes of beauty and bright intense colors.
    This chapter in my life had a very disappointing ending, but, it was for the best. For my good.
    I need to take off the cloak of mourning and move on to new adventures.
    Loved this Dawnie. I feel you wrote it for me as a reminder to wake up. xoxo

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  4. Janie, you just gave me chills with your words. I never know what people will think or feel when they read a given post that I write here, but the hope is always that it will produce a positive result. I think we all have moments - sometimes long stretches of years - where we embrace that "comfortably numb" mindset. It's a protective mechanism, and as such, shouldn't ever be criticized by people outside looking in. When you're ready, you wake up - we all know this. I'm sorry your new-found love ended in a disappointing manner, but I know for sure that it made you that much more beautiful. When your heart is ready to wake up again, it will, and you will shine in a manner that attracts a more positive potential partner. Shine on, darling girl! <3

    Much love to you, Janie.

    Dawn

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  5. I felt a lovely sense of recognition as I was reading this post. I love noticing those moments of awakening...I always feel a sense of awe and delight when I think about them...how perfectly they are orchestrated. I love knowing that we will continue to grow and expand, that we will never reach an end point. I love the perfection of life!

    Thank you for sharing your experiences with all of us.

    Bec xo

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  6. Bec, it never ceases to give me a joyful moment when something I write resonates strongly with someone visiting Healing Morning. I feel that sense of awe as well, when I notice those awakening moments. It is mind boggling, at times, when we ponder how infinite our ability to grow and love truly is. Thank you so much for visiting and leaving such a wonderful comment! I'm off to visit you in return.

    Namaste',

    Dawn

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  7. P.S. to Bec - I visited your link and am so rusty with MySpace navigations that I wasn't able to figure out how to connect with you. I will work on that in a couple of days and get in touch! :)

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  8. "'Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too?
    Thought I was the only one....'"C. S. Lewis

    Those “ah ha” moments are like awakenings too. When the light bulb comes on, we see what may have been there all along. Same as when you start to notice synchronicities left and right. Late last week my friend Sharon had a dream that she found disturbing. She was on a precipice and missed a sharp turn, was hurled from her car, and found herself looking down scared at the height from which she hung.

    We analyze the dream for several minutes, and then she realizes that, metaphorically speaking, this is a picture of her life. Then today, a writing friend comes out with a post on the subject of living on the edge. And now this!

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  9. Debra, isn't synchronicity the coolest thing?! I love that, how we interconnect. Those concentric circles overlapping and pulling us together...just really fascinating. And reassuring in a very ethereal manner. I am a huge proponent of dream interpretation; I find if I put effort into understanding my dreams, I learn so much and quite frequently, I am able to avoid disaster.

    You were one of my partly sleeping/awakening moments when we first met. My heart said, "Who knew we had a spot specifically for Debra? We do, and she fits perfectly there." And I agreed. :)

    Love to you, sweet girl. <3

    Dawn

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  10. Hey! No fair writing another post before I have a chance to read the previous one. My world has been turned over. :)

    You're right; the car analogy is a perfect one, because I can't imagine *anybody* not recognizing that one. I do it all the time too. I see Nissan Versa models everywhere now.

    Just like Janie, I do find that I walk through life unconsciously too often. I really wish I could stop that, as I sometimes feel the world is passing me by.

    But I do love that feeling when something does awaken.

    Doesn't happen often enough, though.

    Great post!

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  11. Okay, Dave, good thing I wasn't drinking anything when I read your comment. I'd have snorted and spewed said drink everywhere at the "no fair!" comment! Oh my word, how did I ever get along in life without your wit to make me chuckle? And see? That just underscores the point of this post - you were a partly sleeping facet that's now fully awake and thriving in my heart. Pretty cool, hmm?! And hey, get a load of me, posting twice in one calendar week, right?!

    I wouldn't stress over how you process things. You do it in your unique manner and that's what is important. I wouldn't change a thing about you, my friend. :)

    Much love,

    Dawnie

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  12. I love it when I walk into your rhetorical trap and unconsciously prove the point you were trying to make with your post.

    It gives me the warm fuzzies.

    And I do it all the time!

    Thank you very much for the kind words, hon. They're always a great pick-me-up.

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  13. I love when I learn that I have a rhetorical trap! Who knew I was that talented?! I think I'm kind of impressed w/ myself!! *Thinking* Yeppers, I'm impressed, 'cause that's pretty spiffy on my part.

    I am happy to impart warm fuzzies, Dave. I believe it's part of my Mission Statement and raison d'etre. Seriously. No, really! :)

    Dawnie

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  14. Dawn:

    It is after a long time that you are posting. The "car" topic always happens to me/our family. I have never dwelt on that analogy in the way you have described here. But I wonder how does one realise something when one does not even have an inkling of its presence. I can realise my resilience only when I go through something which has never tested my mettle. I wish I tap my inner self better without waiting for something to happen.

    Great post, dear Dawn.

    Joy always,
    Susan

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  15. Hi Susan! I did take a bit of time away from writing due to some family issues that required attention, but I'm back and happy to be writing again. I guess we're all different in the manner that we experience things. I agree w/ you about the testing of our mettle providing strong lessons. This post was focusing more on happier moments where love/enjoyment of a person or experience opens the heart up in a brand new manner with each instance. I am zipping over to your world now to visit you in return! :)

    Joy to you in return!

    Dawn

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  16. I love this from your last paragraph: "Love is the vital force at work. Sometimes it lies sleeping for years before the awakening occurs, but that space for that particular love...be it a person, a place or an experience...that space was always there, inside us, waiting for that awakening." Amen! We must keep our minds, eyes and hearts open because the experience, in whatever form, will come.

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  17. Mari, I read that section back and had a "Wow, did I really write that? I guess I really did!" moment! It's cool to come back and read through an article days later and still find that it flows and the message is strong. I definitely am an advocate for living consciously. As you said, those moments will come, and when they do, I want to be aware of them and engaged so that I can enjoy every facet and nuance. Thanks for visiting! :)

    ~ Dawn

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