What You Seek is Seeking You

Art print of yellow flowers

What you seek is seeking you. — Rumi

Here I go again, quoting Rumi. So much of what he wrote is like a bridge between the inner and the outer worlds, the unconscious and the conscious. So when it comes to inspiration for people who are seekers, his words often resonate and inspire.

Who are seekers?

They are deep souls who take responsibility for not only who they are, but for who they are becoming. They are artists, writers, and artisans who express the beauty, mystery, and harshness in the world through what they create. They are people who feel connected to—and part of—something bigger than themselves.

Often, they are sensitive people whose focus is deeper than external, day-to-day events; they are like finely tuned instruments that resonate with the music of being alive.

Although seekers are deeply connected to their own original experiences, sometimes it can be difficult to share those experiences with others. That’s why practicing some sort of creative expression is so important.

Staying connected to our inner voices can be challenging when the demands of our lives pull us in so many different directions. If you are a seeker, an original thinker, an artist, how do you stay true to your values and your vision when you’re feeling fragmented?

Start by listening to the deep, still voice inside you. What is it telling you? What of your experience do you want to express? What is your spirit seeking?

Remember that, despite the external challenges in your life right now, whatever you are seeking is also seeking you. Like the tree within an acorn, your innate gifts want to be brought into this world. By following your own path, you bring your gifts to others who seek them.

What inside of you wants to be brought into the light and shared with others?

How do you stay on your path despite the distractions of daily life?

Don’t Go Back to Sleep

What does this portion of a thirteenth century Rumi poem tell us about living a conscious, authentic life?

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the door sill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.

Red arch with blue sky

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. We can wake up to our inner wisdom the way we wake from a dream to this world. But just like remembering a dream, we have to hold it in our consciousness.

Don’t go back to sleep. Stay conscious; don’t forget what the wiser part of you knows.

Many times I’ve experienced an insight, only to have it fade and slip away. Sometimes, a lost insight returns some time later, and although it’s not new, it feels like I’m experiencing the insight on a deeper level.

Write down your insights. Write down your dreams. Go back and look at them. They’re stepping stones to your growth.

You must ask for what you really want. Fully participate in life. Have the courage to feel vulnerable, be honest, and take action to live your life authentically.

What do you want? Sometimes, how you describe what you want is really the result of something else. For example, if you want to feel fulfilled, that feeling is the direct result of living in alignment with your values, with who you are. And that takes action.

The clearer you are about what you value and how you want to live, the easier it is to find the path you need to take.

Don’t go back to sleep. It’s tempting to slip back into a status quo life. It’s familiar, and it seems safer. But the cost is sleepwalking through your life. Stay awake!

What you want is the result of how you live your life, every day. What changes do you need to make to have the life you want?

People are going back and forth across the door sill where the two worlds touch. We can go back and forth between an old view that no longer matches who we are, or an expanded perspective gained through looking deeper. It’s our choice.

An expanded view is not only possible, it’s necessary to change your life, to take next steps.

The door is round and open. You can step through the open door from your fears to a place of possibilities. It takes courage, support, and ultimately, a commitment to yourself.

Don’t go back to sleep.