We hear the expression life is a journey. The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” and it has become a common Chinese proverb. The quotation is from Chapter 64 of the Tao Te Ching.
However, I am going with Wayne Dyer when he said
“Life is a Dance”.
Here are my thoughts. A journey begins at a moment in time and ends in the future. If the only reality is the present moment, then there is no journey. Just here and now…the wonderful precious present moment! Further a journey involves planning and a “destination”. This also means it involves carrying baggage i.e., things you need in the future. Isn’t amazing how much baggage we carry just in case we need it. Imagine the angst that will fill you when you look back and see you have only journeyed 550 miles. What about the anxieties of looking ahead only to see the mountains in front of you. Wayne Dyer went on to offer that we are always on a journey seeking. However, we never seem to arrive. What is arrival? Has anyone actually arrived?
Ram Dass had a similar thought when he observed that “[h]as anyone told us what happens when we reach our destination. “What is the “There” that we are trying to get to?”
Why can we not just arrive and “be”. “Be Here Now” as Ram Dass often exclaimed
Wayne Dyer describes that the purpose of a dance is to enjoy the moment. It is to dance, twirl, spin, dip and enjoy moving with the flow. Dance is expression through movement. The only reality is “this dance” …this moment…the present moment. When I am dancing, I am free of fear. There is no grievance haunting me from the past. No anxiety about what will happen in the future. While dancing I am free to give up my doubt-filled fearful small self and just be me…”just me”…with my own unique gifts and my own special talents.
How wonderful it is that you get to choose the dance. Some days it will be a slow graceful waltz. Some days it will a manic grind to heavy metal. And just maybe you might even find a day when a sexy tango is in order. Other days …just twirling! How wonderful it would be to have a life of present moment experiences where you are free of fear and anxiety.
Wayne Dyer encourages me: “Attitude is everything, so pick a good one!” I will pick a good one for 2025. Here is my thought for an overarching theme for 2025 … “I will begin to live as “Life is a Dance “and then just keep dancing”. Enjoy the Dance!
