“Let your true self flow where it wants to go.” –Deepak Chopra
The other morning I was meditating with Deepak, and he said, Let your true self flow where it wants to go. I stopped the recording right there to write it down before I sunk into meditative bliss and a state of non-recollection because I knew I wanted to share it with you.
Now the term ‘true self’ can feel a bit daunting. Like who is this mystery self that lies hidden in the depths of my everyday self?
But I don’t see it like that.
My true self is the one who seeks joy. It’s the self that stands in service. It’s the self that gravitates towards play.
My true self is the one who knows that everything is going to be all right, no matter what, no matter how, no matter before, regardless of after.
I love my true self, I trust my true self – more and more every day – she’s the bomb, she’s also gender-less, but I like to keep some semblance of identity, why not?
And my true self is a master of living well – would that I listened to her always instead of frequently (and sometimes not at all, big mistake that one).
So what does it mean, Let your true self flow where it wants to go?
If you take it to mean on the ‘big picture grand scale’ it sounds an awful lot like, what’s your life’s purpose (cue the orchestra), which can be unnerving for some.
But I didn’t take it to mean only on the large scale – although there is that, of course there is.
Does my true self want to sail a yacht to the Mentawais on a month long surf trip?
Yes of course she does.
But she also wants to drink water first thing in the morning.
She wants to sleep well, and wake refreshed.
She wants to create, joyfully and without attachment.
She wants to be curious, and a little wily.
She wants to impact lives, and read books.
She wants to write them as well.
My true self has a million little pathways she wants to walk, and each day I’m given the opportunity to allow her to lead, or to leave her at the rest stop and strike out on my own without any reliable maps (disastrous, that).
And here is the most miraculous thing about it, I could leave her and go around the world twice, and she’d still be waiting for me to gather her up and bring her along.
She’ll never leave me. She doesn’t play hide and seek. She doesn’t judge. She’s just there, ready for me when I’m willing.
It’s comforting, really, to know I can’t ever lose her, and she always knows the way.
I’m always left with a sense of wonder when I allow her to lead, things just work out so well, usually, always at the close.
It begs the question, why would I ever not follow the flow?
I’m not sure why, but human existence has us somehow wired to push against it and, without some metric, some consistent practice, we can lose ourselves in the push and drop our GPS off at the truck stop.
For me, daily practices keep me aligned – those look like meditation, writing, visualization, affirmations, reading, movement, and gratitude, always gratitude.
Nothing slingshots me into the arms of my true self like gratitude.
In fact, the most powerful thing I say to myself is, I am blessed beyond measure, and then, to believe it.
Take it if you want, use it. It’s magic, that phrase, and, now, it’s yours.
Our true selves are such fun, and they just love to play. Take them out, let them lead, it’ll be the dance of your life.
PS – There’s still time to jump on today’s training, The Power of Play: Experience Explosive Creativity and Epic Results. Sign up today and catch it live, or at least the replay. It’s going to blow your top.