"Enthusiasm dances in the bloodstream of the great saints, and sages and all the true leaders of the world. Enthusiasm enables a person to reach (their) goal. Enthusiasm makes you soar!..."
Swami Chidvilasananda from her book "Enthusiasm"
en·thu·si·asm
inˈTH(y)o͞ozēˌazəm,enˈTH(y)o͞ozēˌazəm/
noun
- 1.intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.
- Origin
YES! This season is bursting with warmth and PINK TREES! The blossoming of the flowering
trees always gets me giddy. Nature is moving into full expression of her joi de vivre! Let us join
her!
So often we let dullness and the feeling of ordinariness prevail, whereas there are many
opportunities to be fascinated, to be in wonder, to be in enthusiasm! As noted above, the
etymology of enthusiasm is en;in & theos; god - to be in god, to have god within you (same
thing;) And so it is - whether you see God personified, as a man, woman or a force, as nature
itself, as Great Spirit, or source, creator, life itself.. flowing of life... So it is! Amazing! Life is
living its fullness through what we perceive as 'us/i/me'. It is the mind that tries to claim
everything, that gets in the way and tries to control things, albeit to keep us safe (thanks mind,
now, sshh!). It is the mind that dulls experience with habit and distraction, jumping around to
past and future. But we can live in the WOW! Now!, whenever we choose! So let there be
newness, wonder! Now more than ever it is needed in our jaded culture. Be fascinated by this
thing we call self! Let this cycle of nature call you into awakening! The birds and the bees and
the blooming of things calls us to celebration!
So often we will be like, "yeah, that was cool" when something feel good happens. Thats it.
Or even counteract a good feeling with doubting or dismantling stories. Meanwhile when
something does not feel good, that reptilian brain, subconscious protector will jump in and
automatic defense and intensity comes up. We tell the story over and over and get madder or
sadder each time or we hold it inside and tell ourselves all of the reasons why this happened
and what 'never' to do again. Or why we deserved it and confirm patterns of belief around
inadequacy, unworthiness, etc...
I have gratefully learned from my own experience and teachers like Candace Pert, Bruce
Lipton, & movies like, "What the Bleep Do We Know", even the teachings of the earliest Tantras
- that whatever we focus on grows. Literally. When we focus on the negative; stress hormones
are released, cells with 'sad chemicals', or receptors for them, are born which then perpetuate
themselves. So our feelings, if not released thru full expression via sound and movement, will
turn into a mood will turn into a way of being, may even turn into our state of life and/or a
doctors diagnosis of illness. OR we can choose to find the gold in each moment, in each
experience, we can remember our innate joy and enthusiasm for life. We can celebrate the
opportunity for beauty and connection in every experience. We can really sit with and wash our
bodyminds in love and gratitude. We can relish the flavor of yes, of satisfaction, of fullness of
life. I wish this for you and I vow to remember and practice this turning, this shift of focus, again
and again myself when anything gets mundane.
So as much as we let the drama, the pain, the sadness, loss story and build and perpetuate
itself, may we choose to let the wonder, the feelings of safety, celebration, the bliss, the
gratitude sink in!
Let the joy sink in! Let us live in enthusiasm!
