Stress is caused by being here but wanting to be there.
Eckhart Tolle.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale allow these words to gently settle into your mind.
Let the meaning of this quote slowly seep into your consciousness touching every part of your being.
Welcome to this series of meditation tracks.
In this series of tracks and the accompanying course I aim to talk about stress in a different way and create a space for insight and reflection for you so that you can see stress in a different light.
In today's track I invite you to consider what does this quote mean to you?
Stress is caused by being here but wanting to be there.
Take a moment to reflect on this and to notice any initial thoughts or feelings that arise.
How do you feel right now?
Are there areas in your life where you feel this tension between here and there?
Is there a sense of urgency or discomfort when you think about where you are versus where you want to be?
Where in your life is the most stressful?
Where in your life is this quote true?
Consider your daily routine,
Your work,
Your relationships.
Can you pinpoint moments when you are physically present but your mind is elsewhere?
Perhaps longing for a different situation or a different outcome?
What resistance do you have to this idea?
Do you feel a pushback or discomfort with acknowledging this truth?
Perhaps it feels challenging to accept your stress may come from within,
From your own desires and expectations rather than from external circumstances.
If it pleases you take some time to journal about these reflections.
Write down your thoughts and feelings,
Allow your pain to flow freely.
Writing can help you uncover deeper insights and bring clarity to your experience.
I'll give you a few moments to sit with these thoughts and if you wish write them down,
Otherwise just relax and enjoy the music.
If you're ready I'd love to share a personal story to illustrate this quote in a real world context.
Quite a few years ago when I was in IT,
And that means information technology,
Not insight timer,
I would go to work feeling overwhelmed,
Always wishing that I was somewhere else.
I was constantly thinking about,
Should I get a new job?
What would my life be like?
What about if I moved to a different city?
What about if I had more time for the things that I enjoyed personally?
The constant yearning for there created a persistent state of stress and dissatisfaction.
It wasn't until I started to understand about the inside-out nature of life and my own innate health that I saw that I'm either in my head or in my life and things started to change.
I learned when I was present I could feel,
Can feel,
Can feel,
Can feel,
Can feel,
Can feel.
Content in any job or situation.
I would notice the simple aspects of my job that I enjoyed and feel even grateful for the experience that I was having.
This shift in perspective didn't mean that I couldn't make a change if I wanted to,
It just meant that I didn't have to change my job to feel content.
And that gave me far more options,
Less urgency.
In fact,
Because my stress significantly reduced by being present and taking each moment as it came,
I had more clarity about what I really wanted and I ended up changing my life completely because it made sense not to run away from a feeling I didn't like but to consider what other options would be available to me.
I invite you to reflect on this story and see if it changes your own perspective on the quotes.
Do you see the meaning in a new light?
Do you see the meaning in a new life?
Consider how this shift might apply to your own life.
Could you be more here and less thinking about there?
I'll give you a few moments to reflect and perhaps jot down a few insights or realizations and listen to the music for a short while.
If you need more time,
Press pause on the app and come back when you're ready.
If you find that you want to go deeper into this exploration,
I invite you to take a look at my profile and find the playlist Stress Relief.
There are more tracks for you to enjoy and a course from Stress to Calm for busy people.
This will help immerse yourself.
The course is designed to provide practical tools and insights to help you navigate your busy life with more ease and grace.
Thank you for joining me in this meditation.
I know that you can find peace and clarity in the present moment.
Lots of love.
