Trusting Your Inner and Outer Guides
To find meaning, freedom and flow
“The most dangerous persons on the planet are the ones that are guided by no-one.” - Zen-inspired Christian contemplative Thomas Merton
This past weekend my Zen community began a three-month practice period with a two-day retreat at the Contemplative Center outside Boulder. We had thirty people participating in-person and online, including several out of state and one out of country.
Sitting meditation, working, eating and sharing our lives in this way is incredibly enlivening. Common stressors drop away quickly and our deeper qualities and capacities emerge.
This environment is one specially designed to “amplify the voice” of our inner guide, while being supported by outer guides.
One mode of my Zen work is to meet people in face-to-face interview. In this form, I witness and support the deeper knowing that wants to come forth in the person facing me. By resonating with their deeper knowing I help them recognize the voice of their inner guides, and help them “decrease the volume” or otherwise work with, the more superficial, conditioned, and false voices that tend to control us.
I am able to do this because of my years of Zen practice and teaching. Over the course of twenty years, I met with my teachers in face-to-face interview an average of four times a week. I had countless sessions where I walked in as one person and walked out another.
In my ten years of teaching I’ve taken the other seat, as witness, guide and alchemizer, with the intention of helping people wake up to their true nature, beyond all conditioned thoughts of themselves.
For me this has been a long and deep process of learning to trust myself. My outer guides — teachers and coaches — have been there to reflect back to me which parts of myself are trustworthy and which were not reliable.
As I’ve practiced in this way, my work has evolved very naturally. I’ve been able to find meaning, freedom and flow while doing the exciting work of founding startups, leading teams, and creating products, but more importantly while doing many hours of time-intensive tasks I did not enjoy. Having difficult conversations and recovering from setbacks, dead ends and failures.
In my Zen@Work one-on-one coaching, I have adapted the traditional Zen interview form for this context, helping people “step up” to their work-in-the-world. As you gradually become more who you truly are, you become more conscious of your deeper calling. It emerges from your own unique conditions of your upbringing, your talents and your interests (your karma) and is infused with the dedication of a bigger Self that knows itself to be an active participant in the universe.
You can call this destiny, or purpose, or vocation, but I sometimes think those words are too daunting. You don’t have to go on a long vision quest to find your good work. (Although that may be just what you need). But you do need a committed practice of discernment.
It is very difficult to find your way to your highest functioning and deepest work without a guide. The outer guide is a trustworthy companion who can help you discern your path and move through obstacles.
Having worked with scores of individuals over the last two years, I have come to see that most people are challenged at work in at least one of the three essential areas for fulfilling work-in-the-world: meaning, freedom and flow. Usually all three.
As a guide, I offer you a clear picture of what meaning, freedom and flow look like, what they feel like. And how to find them. Without guidance, you may not quite see what’s holding you back.
As Thomas Merton expressed, those who are “guided by no one are dangerous.” The reason is that they are most likely unconscious of their deeper motivations, which may be extremely self-centered. They may be in thrall to their idea of who they are supposed to be or how their life should go. They may be internally committed to an ideology, an ideal or an idolatry.
Those without a guide are liable to take the easy route and bypass obstacles, which always leads to failure and frustration. All shortcuts are cul-de-sacs.
In my one-on-one work, I guide you in this discernment process along with the foundational awakening practices of Zen. The work is designed to help you develop and discover meaning, freedom and flow.
I have two coaching slots open right now and am working with people in flexible models (2-4 times per month, for 1-3 months).
To explore working together, sign up for a free 30-minute Discovery Session. I look forward to meeting anyone called to work together!
Image by Cloé Gérard from Pixabay