Vacuum Cleaner
An everyday example of working with what is.
I vacuumed this morning. Over the last few weeks, the vacuum cleaner has not been able to pick up even loose fur and dust on the carpet, and I noticed a reaction come up. I also saw clearly that I could just allow it to unfold within space without sticking anywhere - it would just come and go within space and awareness. But this time, I chose to engage with the energy and expressed it through grunts and words. Bringing it our this way allowed the energy to be channeled, and I unplugged the vacuum cleaner, turned it upside down, got a screw driver and took it apart. It turned out to be a very worn belt that seemed to be the problem, which is easily fixable.
So there was a situation which triggered something in my human self. Normally, I would just allow it to unfold within space w/out sticking or be experienced as a disturbance, but this time I chose to engage with it and allow the energy to be channeled into action and fixing the vacuum cleaner.
If I had resisted the experience, I would most likely have experienced the whole situation as a problem. I would have added a blind reaction to what was happening, and I would probably have made myself grumpy through it. Instead, through engaging with it and following the energy, it was made into constructive action and a sense of clarity and direction.
There is of course a stream of all three throughout my daily life: (a) Pushing away what is, even subtly. (b) Allowing it all to unfold within space & awareness, without sticking anywhere. (c) Choosing to engage with what is and channel the energy in a certain direction.