17 August 2010

The Urge For Change . . .

"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." Abraham H Maslow

There are certain times in life where things bubble up from that deep unconscious wellspring within us, feelings, urges, impulses for change. These are not usually logical well thought out rational plans, they are creatures of the heart, of the soul. Instinctive and primal they demand we heed their call. They belong to the right brain and the left brain can not always fathom their origins but the body, the emotions feel the call.

It is as though some internal timer has ticked itself around a dial until suddenly there is a ringing, alerting us to action. We may try to stifle these moments, bury them and sometimes our bodies will react, showing symptoms, reminding us of the things our conscious mind is preventing us from acknowledging and taking action on.

I believe that these are times when we should decide to reinvent ourselves, to mould our life, our activities, our surroundings into a more accurate representation of who we have evolved into on an internal level. We update our wardrobes, our cars, our home decoration. . . sometimes we need to do this with our lives.

"Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown. " - George Shinn

We all have comfort zones, we feel at home in our reality and change can be a frightening place, especially if we are unsure what the change should be. But if we are honouring our inner impulses, our inner guidance, soul connection, call it what you will. Then we trust that if we are willing to take a risk and are prepared to move forward when the inspiration/ knowing arises, then we will lead ourselves to a new expression of ourselves. We will be a willing participant in our internal evolution.

Sometimes our old skin gets too tight and we have to shed it, at first we may feel vulnerable and exposed without our old casing. That is when we have to have faith in our inner promptings, and trust that soon we will emerge into the next phase of our lives - feeling brave and alive with tremendous energy running through our veins.

Until then . . .

I am an empty cup,

a shallow bowl,

a deep hollow in an ancient rock.

I am an unused envelope,

a blank page,

a primed canvas.

I am a rain barrel,

a vacant house.

a cavernous sea cave when the tide is out.

I am the space created by nothing,

I am expectation,

I am waiting to be filled.


Words and digital image - Susannah Bec
More of my poems can be found at Out of My Ocean

13 comments:

Suz said...

how did you know I was feeling that way!
yes, a great urge for change
could it be the season changing?
Im not too eager to let summer go
I love your poem

Susannah said...

Hi Suz, it seems a lot of us are feeling that way.

The astrologers would say it is due to the current intense planetary aspects, but whatever it is I am feeling it too.

I think we all pick up on the general zeitgeist, perhaps we are feeling what's in the air, perhaps some transformation is under way! - 'as above, so below' and all that.

I am glad you like the poem. :-)

Good to see you Suz. x

Jennifer said...

Great post Susannah. I have always loved the symbolic image of a vessel. I think it's a useful symbol for all of us.

radio said...

Hi Susannah :)
Change comes whether we want it to or not, and more so these days. It is best if we make friends with it, or at least know it isn't the enemy.
I've seen big changes in my life, faced my biggest fears,and now know, though it's good now and then to be reminded, that no matter what, it will work out.

Susannah said...

Hi Jennifer, it's always good to see you, thanks for your comment. :-)

Susannah said...

Radiorev, wise words about making friends with change.

I think as you and I have both found out through the big changes in life and living through and facing fears that things do work out in the end.

And as I once said to a very good friend, If change is trying to take something from you it is best to let it go.

Flow in the direction the stream is flowing and you will end up on some new shore, ready for another adventure. :-)

Always good to see you, thanks for the visit. x

brenda w said...

Susannah, This is a wonderful contemplative post. The poem you end with evokes something zen.

I'm happy you found my blog, because it led me to yours! :)
~Brenda

Susannah said...

Hi Brenda, isn't blogging wonderful! The places our trails lead us and the people we meet through it. I am glad you stopped by, it is great to meet you. :-)

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Wow, Susannah, how great to have stumbled upon your joy site!!!! A veritable feast! Thank you for what you wrote on my Shine piece - it touched me a lot. Coming from such a good writer, it is high praise. I am so grateful to have linked up with other writers, wish I had done so years ago. But I have NOW, and it is awesome! Keep writing, keep reading, and I will too:)

Sherry Blue Sky said...

A wonderful post and I so love the poem you ended it with......."a shallow bowl, a deep hollow in an ancient rock....a blank page......." yes, and even a new poem!!!!! Wonderful writing, and wonderful KNOWING!!!!

Susannah said...

Hi Sherry, I am so glad you found your way here. x

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

stunning imagery,
cute take on small item in life,

keep rocking.

Scarlet said...

This beautiful... you have expressed it well.

Love these lines:

a blank page,
a primed canvas.
I am a rain barrel,
a vacant house.

Didn't like so much this line:
I am expectation

I think when we expect something, we might get disappointed if we don't get it. Maybe its better if you say,

No expectations

I am waiting to be filled ~

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