“It would be easier to roll up the entire sky into a small cloth than it would be to obtain true happiness without knowing the self.” – Upanishads

When I started meditating, I was filled with anxieties and fears. I felt a sense of depression and anger. I call that depression and anger the Suffocating Rubber Clown Suit of Negativity. It’s suffocating, and that rubber stinks. But once you start meditating and diving within, the clown suit starts to dissolve. Then when it dissolves you have freedom. Anger and depression and sorrow are beautiful things in a story, but they’re like poison to the filmmaker or artist. They’re like a vise grip on creativity. If you’re in that grip, you can hardly get out of bed, much less experience the flow of creativity and ideas. You must have clarity to create. You have to be able to catch ideas.”

David Lynch from the book “Catching The Big Fish.

And I quote:”Anger and depression and sorrow are beautiful things in a story, but they’re like poison to the filmmaker or artist.“

This sentiment, my dear Labbers, is ingrained at the very heart of my core philosophy. Byron Katie expresses a similar idea in different words: “Working with your mind leads to self-love. And being in self-love, you can be open to every human being, cat, dog, and tree.” I add that you also become open to creativity and your unique essence and self.

When we work with our minds, and bring awareness to our constraining patterns, our goal is to delve into the space of unique freedom in expression, breaking free from imitation, frustration, and negativity.

During this summer’s residency, I witnessed remarkable transformations. Through introspection, individuals underwent a reimagining process. They ceased battling themselves and began cooperating with themselves. They shifted from fighting against their essence to embracing it. Once you establish this as your groundwork, the realm of creativity and imagination becomes your playground, where your talent effortlessly blossoms.

So here is my invitation! Let’s embark on this season with a fresh mantra for our daily meditation: “Who Am I right now? What are my current needs? Who am I at this specific point in my timeline?”

If you devote daily meditation to these questions, you may be astonished by the changes you notice—how your requirements for fulfilment have evolved. You might also find it astonishing how much you’re still running around to meet old needs. And this could lead to frustration, sleepless nights, or even the sort of anger and depression that Lynch describes as the Suffocating Rubber Clown Suit of Negativity.

Stay receptive, continue to evolve, and, most importantly, allocate time to understand and actualise progress. This is the path to attain the freedom for the good things to happen.

Let’s all have a beautiful season, and remember to revisit the ‘refresh button’ within.