Source 5  Connecting to the Universe

•   Action

.».  Opening
     You read all these words yet how to turn them into a change for your life.  For me I can feel some peace from the work I’ve done to date, yet… where is the action in my life?  Possibly we don’t want a dramatic change as this can be difficult (even if a good change).  Is the work working and we simply haven’t noticed?  Will you take a moment to check in, what do you feel?  Will you see action as the steps you take here in this life, Universe.

.».  To Practice
» What are my actions?
       » Pause, this at times is the greatest action you can take.
              First we learn to pause (S6. Stillness) then onto what to do with that moment (in time).
       » Listen-Feel-Act.
       Notice the three distinct steps here.  Not a sound, listen for the feeling-connection.  Add in posture and possibly smile (during) and you are golden.  
       + May you learn from this Topic action…       
       Note:  Pausing has nothing to do with waiting or hesitating.  Consciously understand the difference and you’ve taken a step forward in your life.  Pause is sort of a misnomer as well as time is moving.  You are essentially pausing the (unwanted) thoughts.  There is a lot of action in this pause.
       You may find S7. Meditative Questions helps clear a path to action.

» What are my actions to…
       my dream?
       my life?
       my evolving?
       Defining each is an action you can take and a path to moving your life forward.  Your dream may start with “I want…” yet what is your action towards that dream?  The middle one is a bit more tricky as all of it is your life.  The realization becomes what is my action to improving the quality of my life (starting with defining what quality means to you and realizing the foundation is evolving).  Some of us rarely contemplate the idea of evolving yet it’s through evolving we learn to deeply enjoy (E3. Joy) life.
       What are my actions to the life I would like to live?  Realize your dreams, realize your life, realize your evolving.
       Note:  I had the idea of my actions being:
              My dream:  Receive.
              My life:  Living more of my time presently (including not rushing, waiting, hesitating).
              My evolving:  To change something, actually change something.  Allowing something to be different is change too.
       I could wish to you ‘may you never reach your dreams’.  Beyond the shock value of the statement the intention here is the realization to live (action) towards your dreams, living all the steps of life while noticing (even allowing) how your dream changes (evolves).  Reach towards your dream and beyond it as your life becomes a mixture of dreaming (S10. To Dream), action (living) and evolving (rather than achieving a dream).
       Do you know someone who achieved their dream and felt hollow, lost after?  That sort of “now what” look on their face.  Have your dream plus an openness to understanding life is ever changing.  Change can be a good thing…

» What does my action look like to me…
       Am I willing to live out that action (in my view)?
       You define what action looks like to you and ask yourself if you are willing to live out that action.  Thirdly would be the actual action (the doing, the being).
       Note:  You may notice being as an action step and if you are willing to take that action.  Meditation, practicing the work is an action towards being.  Will you consider presence as an effective action for you?
       Action can be both towards the positive and away from the negative.  The action of defining your challenges (negative) and moving on from them (towards the positive).  Stepping away from your obsessions can be an action to take.  What do those obsessions look like, the ones that control you unnecessarily?  Passion and obsession can get confused.
       Note:  My phone, iPad and computer became more of an obsession than a tool or help at times.  Even after realizing this it took time to unwind (S5. Cost) with the deeper issues further down than the device, obsession or addiction.   The realization came, they were just ways to create pain (S2. Using Pain to Feel) and maintain the victim mentality (S2. Victim).

» How do I shift from using pain to feel (creating negative situations) to receiving?
       Do the work.
       Action.
       Releasing complacency you feel it, you get excited “yes ok I’m going to change my life, just after I sit down for a minute and look at something (distract)”.  This results in more sabotage; excitement –> distract.  Looking at something rather than doing.  Usually accompanied by a justification; “just for a few minutes”, justifying, waiting, hesitating.  Tons and tons of justifying; “I have this problem” or “I always do this” rather than positive action.
       What is your path to action?  Awareness.  First awareness that you are doing this, choosing to do this.  Then awareness that you would like to change.  From there bring the energy (rather than the fear) and awareness to everything you do, including resting and practicing the work.
       Note:  I found that my propensity was not to action.  It was to contraction.  Was this a learned behavior or how we are as human beings?  Deeper in it felt like that part of me that is logical brought on the hesitation.  That sort of “wait, let’s analyze this first” rather than taking that leap of faith.  A situation would present and I would stop to think.  This was the duality I was living for a long time, thought versus feeling typically brought on by fear (which creates pain).

» Focused Action:
       What does (your) action look like when you include taking care of the body?  What does action look like fee of guilt, blame, doubt, victim (shame), fear?
       Focused (S5. Focus).  You feel it, essentially you feel through the action.  You bring you (The You) with you through the action.

.».  Expressions 
Action is…:
» (Action is) Your movement through time.
       Set the moment in motion, through action.  The connection to make then is to not wait yet not force (stress) as both are detrimental to your time here.
       Note:  There is a connection of S9. Noticing Moments and S5. Time.  Each moment happens in time and it takes time for life to unfold.
» One of the greatest actions you can take as an evolved Being is to take (great) care of your body.
» Presence is a form of action.  Receiving is an action (to allow).
       See (S9. Presence) and (S4. Receiving) for more.
» My action is inspiring to me.
       To not step into victim or needing sympathy, not reacting, not giving in to the fear.  As you become stronger and don’t react to them (or react to certain situations) you many find it inspiring, this is the cycle to cultivate, nurture.  As you become aware (S3. Awareness) this is occurring then you start to see the benefit of the work, this may momentarily answer the why (am I doing this).  As you progress you will not need this question and simply do and be the work as it is who you are, who (and how) you want to be.
» Neutral (to that).
       No action, no thought.  For external events you don’t need to always take them in, act on them.  The act can be a thought too.  A loud person at a coffee shop are you required to act (think about) on their behavior?  
       + No, neutral is an option is an action.
       Neutral is different than avoiding or distracted and generally comes from living centered.  Neutral you retain awareness of your situation with the action being presence.

The action of living:
» What does it look like me committed to living?  
       + Action.
       Taking care of you and all the aspects of your life and practice being that action.
» The idea of living breaks me free of the pain, them.
       Living as in thriving…
       Them as in the collective thoughts  but also those who are negative.
» + The impulse to live (action is).
       Follow that impulse through step by step.  When you feel the impulse (life) you increase the opportunities, you increase the likelihood that you will (S11. Your Will) act positively.
       You may have read an Expression from this Practice and had a feeling come up, that feeling spurs the impulse to live to take action when you allow (S5. Allow).  Allow the impulse to take over your actions, drive out the ego.
» Knowledge without action never becomes wisdom.
       It is through our action we turn knowledge to wisdom (S5. Knowledge to Wisdom).  So read what ever you feel called to read yet take that information (knowledge) out into the practical. 

Space:
» My actions are the space for the person, the thing in my life.
       How you live now opens the space for them (it) then.  Your action is to open the space for the life you are to live.
» Ultimately it (all the receiving, guidance, support) comes down to an action from you… space.
       Your action is to open up that space…
» I wish I had… (same as I want, I desire) is closer to hopelessness, hesitation.
       I am open to (space for) is action.
       These different ways to live are outlined in (S10. Need to Service).
» What can I do?
       + Facilitate.
       This creates the space for the life you would like to live.  Do you know the life you would like to live?  This (defining) can be a place to start.  
» Walking around happy, open to possibilities, when done opportunities turn to action.
       The happiness is the space, the Universe provides the opportunities, you are the action (you take).
       You are the space (S11. Space) you open you are the action you live out.

Uninformed Actions:
» If you made a mistake pain for pain is not the way forward.
       So what is?
       + Compassion (for you, for them).
       How can I be worthy when I have made mistakes, you are asking me to judge myself?
       + No.  The Universe will judge you (karma, S12. Prayer of Forgiveness) you simply acknowledge your worth.
       So you are worthy even with mistakes?
       + (no answer here, this is the journey you live).  Realize (S4. Worthy) and you will have your answer.
              Note:  I will tell you from what I understand of worthy, yes you remain worthy.
» Is a mistake an action?
       + All movement is action.
» Let your actions and words match (energy).
       Action can be positive or negative.  Ultimately just action, it’s all simply energy (S4. Energy).
» What is the intention (be honest) behind your action?
       I just want to…  Are you lying to yourself, them?  When we pause for a moment and look at the intention, the true intention for our action what’s revealed can be the opening (space).
       Make your action intentional.
» Fault is to not take action (responsibility) and to blame (typically them, sometimes you).
       Look at the statement “it’s their fault”.  Where is the benefit in declaring this?  Imagine something teetering, is it better to declare fault or to stop the teetering (before it falls) regardless of blame.  This is you taking responsibility (S5. Responsibility) as an action for (your) life.
              Note:  Sometimes it’s not your responsibility.  There is no blanket statement declaring responsibility.  The more you know yourself the more you will know when (and how).

.».  Examples
     Imagine a big booming voice from above telling you the following is the secret to (meaning of) life.  So now you know the meaning of life, the reality is this really means nothing.  Going and living that meaning of life is the important part is the great mystery.
       Let this be the reminder to live, to turn the knowledge (in this example the meaning of life) to wisdom through action.  Allow all this knowledge (the Practice) to shape your life (this is your will, choice), is the action you make (S5. Allow).
       Note:  Live this, allow you to live this, you are worthy.  Smile breath posture as your action is a good first step.

       I went through a lot of frustration before I actually ‘did’ any of the exercises.  I read and re-read the Topics, wrote and created the Topics, yet…  I got it, understood it yet did not do the exercises while also noticing how my life was not changing.  I questioned the work: ‘does it work’, I lived with pain and frustration for quite some time.  There was no action in my life…

.».  Summary
       We use the word action in singular and plural.  Imagine as you progress further along your path there being only one action.  You may do many things but only one action.  Then you make (S5. To Know) the distinction between action in the Practice and doing in the Practice.  The action is to live (life).

 (S5. Action)  © 2023 Busacca