Karmic Lubricant

Let’s talk Karmic Lubricant … we all have it and we all use it; some more liberally than others. I have a person in my life that goes through quite a bit of it. As a quadruple Sagittarius, I have such a hard time watching this person grease the wheels of their life with the liberal application of it instead of speaking and facing the truth of their actions. Now, that’s not to say that I don’t a have tube or two laying around in my own life, let’s get real here.

What is Karmic Lubricant you ask? I actually saw this term as part of a quote from the most unlikely of television shows and just couldn’t shake it; so much so, I really sat with it for quite awhile and found it to be a truly a brilliant modern euphemism. Karmic Lubricant is what we use to compartmentalize an action or behavior we are ashamed of or feeling guilt for. We justify this behavior or action; we make an excuse for it; we become our own best lawyers in order to produce the karmic lubricant we need to squeeze this unpleasant experience into a tiny compartment in the back of our mind in order to forget it, or sweep it under our own “mental rug” instead of dealing with it, owning it or being accountable for it.

So why does the behavior of a person in my life who uses Karmic Lubricant so liberally in their own life so irritating to me … simple, because I use it too and maybe more than I’d like to admit. Oh how life slaps us in the face with the behavior/wound that needs to and is ready to be healed. The people in our lives that are most to irritating us, become our best mirrors and teachers. It made me think of a quote from Brene Brown, “Loving ourselves through the process of owning our own story is the bravest thing we’ll ever do”.

I guess it’s time then. My own supply of Karmic Lubricant must be running low, as it seems to be presenting itself. Part of “owning one's own story”, and all of it, is finding the compassion for those around us that aren’t ready to own their story and are too afraid to put the lubricant down. Just because it’s time to learn to love my own life, as it is in this moment, doesn’t mean everyone has to do it too. Sure, it makes it much easier when others are walking on the same path as we are, but I rarely think that happens in real life and postponing one’s own journey because it’s uncomfortable to do it alone, defeats the purpose in the first place.

Karma is a funny thing though, the more you stack up, good or bad, the more the Universe responds to what you put out there. Beware what you put out into the world, as it has a way of finding its way back to you when you least expect it. So lesson here is to “own your own story” … it doesn’t have to be pretty, it doesn’t have to have a happy ending, it doesn’t need to read like a fairytale or a reality show filled with drama at every turn. It is your beautiful, messy, sometimes disappointing, loving story that you don’t need to justify or compartmentalize. Just own in and do better tomorrow.

Finding the Trail Head ...

I have been spending a bit of time contemplating how to find better balance in such chaotic times filled with such disappointing behavior from humanity; or rather finding better balance in my own life and contributing to joy instead of swimming in the river of modern day dysfunction and contributing to its growth. How do people do it?!?!

So, with this stewing in the back of my mind, I woke up early this morning, got online and happened across this amazing video, "Look Up". It brought tears to my eyes as I was so disheartened by its truth, but at the same time found it so inspirational; if that makes any sense at all. http://blog.petflow.com/this-is-a-video-everyone-needs-to-see-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-im-speechless/

I don't think it's by chance that I'm here during this time. I believe from deep in my soul it is a choice to show up on this planet when I did. For me, I think this journey is a matter of remembering how to find a peaceful existence in the day-to-day chaos, remembering to connect and not getting sucked into the ebb and flow of the dysfunction that has become the norm. Because let's be honest, that crazy ebb and flow can be intoxicating at times, which I think it's meant to be; it has its purpose. But at the same time, that very intoxication is so incredibly damaging to your soul, as it sucks the life out of you leaving you feeling hollow, unfulfilled, lonely and lost in the end. The choice then seems to be either disconnect and withdraw (my personal escape route) or dive into the river of dysfunction and frolic around with the rest of the soulless chaps and hope for the best.

So begins a new chapter, a promise I've made to myself "to remember" ... How do I find the trail head of this journey? The answer came from this morning's meditation: "Mastery of Emotional Objectivity", which incidentally connects perfectly with the video I came across this morning online. No accidents here! Time to reconnect. I then turn to the writings of Angeles Arrien (my beloved mentor who has sadly just passed), and read her take. She speaks of emotional mastery so eloquently, as "being able to work through jealousy, manipulation, seduction and possessiveness while offering emotional longevity and loyalty to others in a objective and non-possessive way while keeping a firm conviction and not abandoning oneself emotionally." Perfect I think to myself, "Look up", "Connect". I think I see the "trail head" now ...