“The goal in life is not to attain some imaginary ideal; it is to find and fully use our own gifts.” (Gay Hendricks ~ The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level)
There is a place within each and every person where the experience of total ease and effortlessness exists. I liken this to the sailing experience called, “the neutral helm”. This is when the crew finds the optimal constant heel for their particular boat. When the helm is neutral, the centreboard or keel is generating all the lift, while the rudder follows effortlessly behind.
The rudder is a hinged fin or blade mounted on the stern of the vessel, that turns side to side. It is controlled by a tiller, or a helm. It is one of the primary controls of a sailboat. When the boat moves forward through the water, the rudder causes friction on one side, which changes the direction of the the boat.
Each boat is unique and requires a sailor’s experimentation to find its ideal speed. When that is found, the rudder experience is one of effortlessness…. there is no resistance on the rudder, right or left. Instead, it is cruising forward with maximum efficiency, effortlessly travelling, straight as an arrow.
The principles of The Science of Mind are the perfect tools for finding your own ‘inner neutral helm’. A crazy part of humanity is that we are told life is hard, and that if we want to get ahead we have to suffer and compromise. These beliefs couldn’t be farther from the truth. I know, I know…the ‘work hard to get ahead’ ethic is a difficult one to shake. (If you are like me, it is in your genetic blood). But this is only a ‘belief’ that has been passed down through time. It isn’t ‘True’.
Many thought leaders have demonstrated and taught about a sweet spot, a place that is in perfect alignment with our Creative Essence. Author, Gay Hendricks, calls this our “Zone of Genius”. Metaphysician, Ernest Holmes, put it this way: “In that inner sanctuary of our own nature, hidden perhaps from objective gaze, nestles the seed… perfection.” What would happen if we accepted that life is meant to be easy? What if we are only truly ‘living’ when it is effortless?
In my coaching call this week, I was describing the time I spent on a project and the guilt I was feeling; wondering if I was wasting time. As we dialogued together, I realized that what was really happening was that I was enjoying this work, and the guilt was a story I was telling myself that it ‘couldn’t’ be this fun and easy. I was believing some idea that said I must push and struggle in order to be effective. How ridiculous!
Could it be that, after 24 years of study and practice, I have landed in my neutral helm?
Perhaps I am experiencing the results of 2 years of dedication to chanting this mantra: “I partner with the One Infinite Universe for ease in my life. I will do nothing to make my life easier. I will allow the easy flow of Infinite Wisdom to handle all the details, while I enjoy the ride.”
Part of me knows this is true… that I have arrived at experiencing my “Zone of Genius”. Yet, there is still another part of me, a lingering old voice, filled with deeply conditioned threats: “You will fall, you will fail, and you will disappoint!”
NO! I must trust and live my truth to demonstrate to others that it can be done, and that the rewards are beyond imagination!! It is by example that I choose to live, so I must BE the Principles in action, or else I am only a lecturer and a fraud.
Gay Hendricks has wisdom that resonates for me: “[This is]… new territory, and I’m learning to live in it. To do that, I need to overcome thousands of years of programming that adversity is a constant requirement of existence. [I ] need to savour [my ] success, first for seconds at a time, then for minutes that grow into months.”
This is the path to living a fulfilled life. I know it.
Like the sailor, I have faith in a constant wind, strong at my back. My vision is clear ahead. My boat is speeding forward and I am experiencing neutral helm… my life… in perfection.
~ What do you absolutely love, and do effortlessly? We all have something. ~ Pay attention throughout this week to notice when your energy goes up, or when your energy goes down.
~ Make a list, and then be mindful of doing less of the things that deplete you, and more of the things that feel fun and effortless. You too are heading toward your “neutral helm”.
~ If you’d like to share, we’d love to hear what you discovered! You can contact us via: (admin@the centrecr.org)