When The Flow Appeases You

March 6, 2011

Dear Friends,

One of the key principles for living life in the divine flow is letting go of what you think you know . . . and that includes letting go of any specific destination—any goal, dream, or desire—that you believe is best for you.

Any destination that you have in mind is, at best, just an approximation of what your heart desires—of what your inner spirit really wants to experience. And the fulfillment of that underlying desire is what the flow is continually trying to guide you to. If you remain rigidly attached to a goal that is different from what your heart wants, your journey is likely to be a difficult one, because the Universe is simply not supporting you in reaching that particular destination.

That doesn’t mean that it is completely impossible for you to reach a destination that is not divinely supported. You certainly can. If you row against the flow long enough—literally forcing your way forward—it is quite possible for you to wind up exactly where you want to be. But it is also quite possible that you will regret where you end up, because the destination you reach will turn out to be unfulfilling, or fraught with trouble.

Here’s an interesting question, though: What does it mean when you do seem to be rowing with the flow—when doors miraculously open for you, and opportunities miraculously appear—and yet the destination you reach still turns out to be extraordinarily challenging?

A few months ago I received that very question from Robin, one of my readers in Australia. Robin had fulfilled a dream of 25 years to own and operate a combination café/bookstore located in a small country town 360 miles from her longtime home in Sydney. Accomplishing her goal had been virtually effortless. Doors had divinely opened for Robin. And opportunities had appeared serendipitously. And yet, within one month, Robin knew that this was not what she wanted to be doing for the rest of her life. The work was repetitive and backbreaking. The locals preferred to give their business to other locals instead of an “out-of-towner.” And Robin greatly missed her daughter, her friends, and the culture of the city. Robin is now in the process of selling her business and moving back to Sydney.

So, paraphrasing Robin, I ask the question again: What does it mean when the Universe seems to be completely supporting your journey, and yet the destination you reach isn’t satisfying, or it creates a whole new set of problems for you?

One answer to this puzzling scenario is that you are, in fact, exactly where you need to be, because the challenges you are facing are something that—deep down inside—you do want to experience, so you can grow spiritually or mature emotionally.

The answer I want to focus on this week, however, is a slightly different one. It is the simple fact that sometimes the flow will help you get where you want to go, so you will finally let go of your fixation on that particular goal, and once again become willing to consider a different destination . . . a destination that is truly best for you.

You might think you know yourself pretty well, but there is always the possibility that you aren’t perfectly suited for the goal that you are pursuing. There is always the possibility that there is a destination out there that might be a much better match for your talents, abilities, and preferences—a destination that, in the end, would be much more rewarding for you.

Like I said at the beginning of this message, to row with the flow you have to be willing to let go of what you think is best for you. If you remain overly obsessed by one particular goal, the divine flow might eventually appease you. That is, the divine flow will help you get where you want to go, so you will find out—through firsthand experience—that you don’t really want what you think you do.

Sometimes, the best way to find out what truly makes you happy is to find out what doesn’t make you happy. And sometimes, that is exactly what the flow is doing. It is helping you become clearer about yourself—about what you truly do like, what you truly don’t like, and what you genuinely need out of life. And what a blessing that increased clarity can be.

Friends, as you row your boat down the stream toward the fulfillment of your dreams, please remember this. Whether you are experiencing turbulent waters and unexpected obstacles, or you are enjoying a journey of ease and grace, your job always remains the same: To spend a little time each day in prayer, meditation, and/or contemplation, seeking only your next right step, and then being willing to take that step . . . even if it becomes apparent that you are being divinely guided to a destination that is different from the one you originally thought was best for you.

Steven

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© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com