Lose Yourself
I’ve heard it said that in the moments when you really lose yourself in something; allowing your spirit to take over, that’s when you are closest to God. This notion got me thinking about how many times I allow myself to become lost in anything. It sounds romantic, like something that might happen during sex – really good sex, or a concert, or even a great movie. I imagine artists, deep in their work, find themselves so fixated on the task at hand that they lose themselves; hardly noticing the miracle of their own creation.
I tried to remember the last time I let my spirit carry me away to some magical place. Was I becoming one of those uptight people unable to let their guard down, or feel spontaneous joy? Why don’t I let go more often? Fear of doing something stupid I guess. I decided I would pay attention to when and if I allow myself to be carried away from the constant chatter in my head.
I’m certain it’s happened before, even though I couldn’t think of any specific examples. The only thing that came to mind was a time when things went horribly wrong and I had no choice but to lay down my burdens and say, “I give. God, if you can hear me, I could really use some help.”
You know that song Jesus Take the Wheel? I love the lyrics because it reminds me of those fleeting moments when I really do “let go and let God.” I wish I could say every time I let go, I did it with complete faith, believing there was really someone or something to catch me. But in truth, the experience is usually born out of desperation; when pushed so far to the edge that there’s nothing to do but leap. Once I relax and take what comes, something – or someone always does. It’s been my experience that during this “letting go” moment, I learn that I am, in fact, not alone and it is such an incredible feeling to have my doubts and faithless notions swept away with the certainty that God showed up and caught me just in the nick of time.
What if, I could get that feeling during the better parts of my life, not just the crappy times. I’m assuming it happens more than I realize. Maybe I just need to pay attention.
I caught myself getting lost
I went to yoga, still thinking about the concept of losing myself, when it happened. I was a little tired, muscles kind of shaky, when a good song came on breaking through the normal spa-like tones of the instructor’s playlist. I had my eyes closed and when I opened them I saw my teacher smiling at me. She had caught me unconsciously swaying to the music. I was a little embarrassed but elated at the idea that I found a least one moment during the day when I really let go. I was dancing as if no one was watching – just like the poster!
When I got home I asked my eighteen-year-old son, “Do you ever catch yourself doing something without knowing it?”
He looked at me skeptically.
I added, “You know, when you get so lost in the moment that you forget there are other people around, maybe when you’re making something, or exercising.”
Blank stare.
“You’ve never . . . I don’t know . . . caught yourself dancing or singing out loud without realizing someone might be watching you?’
He turned a little pink, smiling and said, “All the time.”
I knew it! As a kid, you don’t care if someone watches you while you play; that’s your natural state. It’s only as you get older that you master self-restraint. No wonder people get grumpier as they mature. In doing so, do we close the door on guidance from the Heavens?
I think the love and guidance is always there whether I’m aware of it or not. But I might feel a little better if I got regular reminders. That means I’m going to have to practice allowing my spirit to take control during regular intervals and not just calling in the big dogs when things are going to Hell.
So if you happen to catch me deep in thought with my tongue sticking out, or singing out loud, or heaven forbid, dancing like I’m by myself, just know that I’m practicing the fine art of losing myself.
22 Comments
Daily Drip of Wisdom
"Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light." - Norm Rice
Today I was singing out loud in my car and eventually I noticed two people at the corner watching me and I knew they could hear me or see me because they kept looking back like they had to figure me out. I thought about stopping, but it felt so good and joyful to sing along that I just kept going. It brought me a little extra joy to know I was amusing these other people while lost in my own world… I didn’t want to stop the feeling just because I may have looked like a fool, I decided to just BE in the moment no matter what.
I love it. What were you singing to?
I found this an interesting and thought provoking piece Kerry. I think most people find that they more easily get lost in the moment when they are desperate – as in the Edie Brickel song – than at other times. In my experience, as you are finding, it doesn’t need to be that way though. Since retiring and coming here to France, I quite often find myself lost in the moment, in a good way, as I go about doing the renovation work.
It mostly happens when I am doing something which is going well and then I realise that I am utilising skills and an attitude taught to me by my father many, many years ago in Rhodesia. During the time of total economic sanctions, we often had to mend and make good things that were getting old, simply because it was not possible to just go out and buy another one. One of the key things that he taught me was that attitude was important. He rarely allowed himself to mend something and make do; the satisfaction for him was to allways strive to mend it and make it even better than it was!
Here is the link to the Edie Brickell song, Lost in the Moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YP4f1xe_NA
I discovered the song when I bought the album Picture Perfect Morning and I bought the album because I really like this song – Good Times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqL1BLzn3qc
Thanks, Anton. I love Edie Bickell. And I hadn’t heard either of those songs before. Here’s the song that caused me to start dancing in yoga.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uin5LDFr1SE – Sia before the crazy hats and wigs.
Inspired to lose myself now…
Thanks Rich, maybe you could lose yourself over a nice Colorado Pale Ale.
what a poignant reflection! i often think that, rather than getting “lost” in a moment like that – when we are witnessed doing something from our heart, from our spirit – we actually FIND ourselves in those moments. happy to witness your deep, authentic connection with divine energies anytime. 🙂
It’s a joy to find sooneme who can think like that
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