by Nakul B. Patel
Life, in each of its glorious manifestations, from the most minute organisms to our sun and moon, would appear to be naturally orderly, even to a casual observer. There seems nothing disorderly in the world around us.
With effortless discipline and unfailing regularity, as if duty-bound, the sun rises and sets each day, and the moon waxes and wanes while governing tides on earth. Plants and animals also display behavioral patterns, individually and collectively, when left to their own accord, that appear to uphold invisible natural laws of being. An observation of ant colonies or beehives serves as evidence of the subtle orderliness that prevails—do we ever see an ant or a bee looking lost? We’d be hard pressed to find a living organism, aside from a human being, that seems to be having a hard time following its “dharma.” Funnily enough, only domesticated plants and animals appear to suffer human-like problems of disease and distress enough to need—at least, from our point of view—outside therapeutic intervention.
Humans, on the other hand, are the only life form that proudly, as if it were an outcome of profound intelligence, doubt and question our purpose and place in the universe. Meanwhile, life flows on in the perfectly orchestrated manner it always has, as if unconcerned with our trivial mental preoccupations.
Could it be that we too are “hardwired” to the same governing and essential order of all things, much like every other heavenly or earthly body? Why can’t we just instinctively know our dharma and live in synchronicity with everything around us, creating no misery in the process for ourselves (and consequentially others)?
The easiest and most natural place to tune into this order would be to sync with our eternal “consorts,” the sun and moon. Try these three experiments to live in synchronicity and dharma:
Rise at daybreak
Wake up before dawn, with the birds, and wait for the arrival of the sun, our light-giving companion who shows up so predictably, day after day. Sit quietly and comfortably, acknowledging the rising of the sun, or create a meaningful ritual (which could be as simple as reciting a short chant that resonates for you at sunrise).
Reflect on the seasons
Observe the new and full moon each month, as well as solstices and equinoxes that signal the seasonal transitions each year. Note each of these predictable, yet very significant events for all life forms on earth, on your calendar so you remember to simply pause and reflect, perhaps through meditation or journaling.
Rest at sunset
Going a step further, try to wind down the day’s affairs as sunset nears, and time your daily supper shortly after sunset. Call it a night in time to wake up before dawn the next morning, in order to feel fully rested. A good night’s rest results in clearer thinking and greater awareness, and imagine the positive ecological, social, and personal health consequences of just this one simple lifestyle adjustment, if collectively observed by many!
Nakul Patel is an entrepreneur and an explorer of life. An India native and Chicago resident, he spent the last decade in India, trying to unlearn what he thought he knew about himself and his world.
2 Responses to “Go with the flow: 3 ways to find your natural rhythm”
November 13, 2015
Synchronicity & Dharma | (un)workspace[…] Observe the new and full moon each month, as well as solstices and equinoxes that signal the seasonal transitions each year. Note each of these predictable, yet very significant events for all life forms on earth, on your calendar so you remember to simply pause and reflect, perhaps through meditation or journaling… https://illuminechicago.com/2015/07/18/go-with-the-flow-3-ways-to-find-your-natural-rhythms/ […]
November 13, 2015
Go with the flow | (un)workspace[…] “Observe the new and full moon each month, as well as solstices and equinoxes that signal the seasonal transitions each year. Note each of these predictable, yet very significant events for all life forms on earth, on your calendar so you remember to simply pause and reflect, perhaps through meditation or journaling.”… https://illuminechicago.com/2015/07/18/go-with-the-flow-3-ways-to-find-your-natural-rhythms/ […]