Be Clear; What Do You Want?

"The in-breath is what you really want, and the out-breath will be an expression of that deeper want that’s given to others and the world."

Be Clear; What Do You Want?

To be clear about what you want is a superpower that will energize either the good or bad within you.

• The “Good” (positive/service) will be about what you can give, in service to the heart of life and the whole of humanity.
• The “Bad’ (negative/violence) will be about what you can take, to empower your perceived separation from the whole and build on self-importance.

The goodness of what you give will be the goodness of what comes back to you; to give is to also receive. In contrast, a life spent trying to take from others will result in the emptiness of a life that receives nothing of real value.

What Do You “Really” Want?

On the surface, there is what we seem to want in the world. Underneath that, there is a deeper want that has nothing to do with the world.

The surface-want will reflect the degree to which you are connected to the deeper-want.

The more disconnected you are to the deeper-want, then your surface-want will seek to control and take from others. The more connected you are to the deeper-want, then your surface-want will seek a form of positive service that supports the whole of life.

The Deeper-Want is, effectively, the same for all human beings, however, it can be communicated (painted) in ten-thousand different ways. There is no definitive way to communicate this deeper-want, as in, a statement that will resonate with everyone. Each statement is simply a different way of painting a picture that attempts to illustrate what it is.

The opportunity isn’t to find the “right” statement or sentence. The opportunity is to uncover whatever is most “sincere” for you. Whatever is most sincere is the most correct; whatever seems to be most true for where you are, is the perfect place to start.

It’s not uncommon to feel this deeper-want and find yourself unable to put words to it; yet, you feel it. This deeper-want is yearning or longing for something more real, substantial, and true. This yearning is what we can also call “the spiritual impulse.”

The Great Exploration

During this human life, we are engaged in a great exploration of this "play of wanting." Regardless of the paths chosen or roads traveled, they all serve the function of exposing the deeper-want. Some of us travel a path that takes us further away from it, helping us see what it's not, while some of us travel a path that brings us closer, helping us to see what it really is. And, of course, in our individual lives, we travel both roads.

As we see more clearly what it is, the deeper-want, then our surface-wants mirror how close we are to the real thing.

As we explore our lives on the surface, what appears to be our human experience on earth, we encounter a mirror that reflects what's happening on the inside of what we are. This exploration is a refinement process that ultimately helps us fulfill the primary function of satisfying the fundamental longing; the spiritual impulse.

Every experience we have, every difficulty or challenge, all the drama and celebrations, every failure and success, it's all intimately intertwined to serve this great exploration.

Input / Output

This mirror principle also points to what I refer to as the “inputs and outputs” of the human experience. Your “output” reflects the “input”; your input determines your output.

This is the in-breath and out-breath, expressed throughout all of the creation.

The in-breath is what you really want (deeper-want), and the out-breath will be an expression of that want in the world (surface-want).

• The more separate you are from what you really want, the more your surface want will reflect that separation, where your surface-want will be one of trying to take from others and the world (negative/violence/fear).
• The more connected you are to what you really want, the more your surface will reflect that connection, in such a way that there is nothing to take on the surface, there is only an impulse to give (positive/service/love).

Find Your Alignment

My surface experience of negativity, violence, and fear tells me that I am out of alignment with my deeper wants. I am disconnected from the sincerity of what I am really looking for. In this disconnection, I tend to take rather than give.

One of the most common ways this "taking" happens is through the expression of blame and judgment. Blaming and judging others is essentially trying to take their freedom. It is a declaration that says I am missing something, and it is their fault. This also incorrectly assumes that what I really want is in the world or in other people, and therefore I must take it from them.

Of course, this is the invitation and function of spiritual practices: to come back to the present moment and connect more deeply with what you are actually looking for. Here, we have the possibility to reduce the separation we experience, as we see more clearly, to some degree, that we already have it. As we see that we have it, to some degree, we transition away from trying to take it from others and shift it into a more giving/service way of living.

• Less fear of not having "it" equals more love to give "it" to others.

My Personal Examples

What I Want (My Out-Breath)

• I want to inspire you to see yourself, others, and life in new and beautiful ways that will open your heart and allow you to experience more love, compassion, and freedom.
• I want to educate you on what appears to be the mysteries and confusion around life and being human, so you can relax and more playfully engage in the miracle of your human experience.
• I want to support you by holding a space that encourages and deeply accepts (loves) your humanness, so you can feel safe and connect with the required courage to face your fears.

What about my personal wants like income, survival, relationships, etc.?

All of those things serve the purpose of my out-breath. I have found that when I am clear about how I want to give, serve, and love, these other things tend to show up right on time. It can be helpful to bring clarity to those things, but I personally do so from a place of how they can support my ability to serve. I am not looking to 'take' those things from others. I am looking to receive those things as a reflection of what I am capable of giving.

What I Want (My In-Breath)

These are paintings that point towards the undefinable nature of my human longing. This is how I feel moved to express it; right now.

• I want to SEE what I am: Purpose

  This is my longing to connect with something that is deeply real, authentic, sincere, and true; a sacred reverence for life and being human.

• I want to BE what I am: Passion

  This is my longing to be connected to that truth, to feel that truth move through the heart of what I am and inspire courage to live with less fear.

• I want to SHARE what I am: Play

  This is my longing for freedom; a freedom where I don't need to take anything from others or the world, and I can spend my life enjoying the play of just... loving people.

In Conclusion

Conclusion? Life is a profoundly amazing opportunity to learn, grow, and play.

Yes, I understand that at times it may not seem that way. And of course, I can only speak for myself. Yet, in the same breath, it feels deeply true that you and I are on the same journey, even if we might be traveling down different roads.

As you read these words, our paths are crossing. It’s nice to see you 😊, it’s nice to sit here and take a moment and say hello, while also sharing what I find to be so incredibly beautiful about life and being human. Ultimately, inviting us all to see a little more clearly how beautiful we already are.