The Big Picture

This Life is a test.
It is only a test.
If this had been a real Life
You would have received instructions
about what to do and where to go.

-Anonymous

Sometimes it feels like life happens all around us and we're just along for the ride. Especially when we are stuck in the same routine day after day. You know... wake up, wash up, dress, grab breakfast, get to school, sit through classes, come home, eat dinner, do homework, go to sleep. Then do the same thing all over again tomorrow.

They feel trapped! They race around, going through the motions of living and don't seem to be enjoying very much of it. Many adults are still trying to figure out what they're going to be when they "grow up." Maybe they plan to have more fun some time in the future. The problem is that the Future doesn't really exist. As soon as we get there it becomes Now.

Have you ever wondered,

There is more than what we see. There is a place inside of you called your Center. When you are there and "centered" everything is cool. You know exactly what you're supposed to do and you do it without fear. And like magic... things always work out (one way or another, they always do).

We've all had that centered feeling. Sometimes it lasts for a couple of minutes. Sometimes for 12 whole hours! Then we say we had a really "good day." As if Fate randomly picked a lucky card and gave it to us.

You hold your own deck of cards called "Your Life." The cards are your reactions to the stuff that comes your way. And every moment of every day the entire deck (with its infinite number of cards) is totally available to you. Lose your homework assignment? What can you do? The options are unlimited. You could:

Cry

Scream

Tear your room apart.

Tear your brother's room apart.

Forget about it and give the teacher some lame excuse.

Call a friend.

Take a shower.

Make a peanut butter and banana sandwich.

When you are centered, problems become opportunities. Whatever happens is okay because you know you can deal with it.

Where's the Center?

So, if everybody can be centered and slide through life with calmness and serenity, then why don't they? Well, there's a couple of reasons:

• Because there is a "payoff" to being stressed. Either you are getting attention for it ("Oh, poor baby! You are so tense!"). Or the stress makes you feel important ("Oh, I can't talk to you now. I have soooo much to do!").
  
• The other part is that most people don't know how to get to their Center or they have forgotten that they even have one.

When you are in your Center you experience:

• yourself as something much bigger than your usual routine
• emotions, but you don't allow them to drag you down and take you away from being right here, now!
• your Power

What kind of power are we talking about?

The power of Life, that gives you the ability to connect with people in real ways. And charges you with creative energy to make good things happen. The power is inside of you, at your Center. Spirituality is the journey to that Center and you can make that journey no matter what religion you or your family practice.

How do you get there?

There is nothing mystical about this. It's simple. You get to your Center (any time you want to or need to) by slowing down and looking inside. Just close your eyes, take slow deep breaths and quiet the noise inside your head. Continue breathing, relax your muscles. Focus on that place inside that is You. Lose your fears. Let the love flow out of you.

You've got the power to change your life from a traffic jam on a noisy, smoggy freeway into a Dance on a sunny beach.

Go for it!