Sever The Dark
November 14, 2018
Beth Blair
“Sever the dark.” Sounds pretty ominous. This was the message from my morning reading. I thought I had processed it and digested it, after my morning studio time. Clearly, the Universe was not done teaching me. Everything is an opportunity for learning.
I had some time this morning to do a few chores around the house. I pulled out my trusty Oreck vacuum and headed down the hall to the dog room. It had been rainy the last couple of days, and the house was smelling a little doggy. A few drops of orange and sage essential oils on the vacuum bag and I was ready to freshen the energy and aroma of the house. I started to vacuum and the dog hair was clumping on the carpet…”that’s odd,” I thought. I figured, it must need a new bag. I grab the bag and change it, add the sage and orange again…just another few drops. Start to vacuum and it is still doing the same thing…leaving clumps of hair and not sucking! It must be clogged…what a pain… I have to preform surgery on this dang thing!! I cleared the tube and tried again. Still not sucking. Now that may seem like a good thing, unless you’re a vacuum! Surgery round two. I grab my tools, a screwdriver, tongs, a skewer and a butter knife. As I start to clear the clog in the bend of the power head, I see it…the cause…
So, what is the dark that needs severing? Where are the clogs that collect, like fur and dust? What are the obstacles, the attachments, the judgements, the thoughts that keep a person from living a fulfilled (full and filled) life? Each person must take an inventory, and decide for herself, what exactly is the dark in her life and how to clean it up!
As I was performing my second vacuum surgery, I remembered that a few weeks ago I vacuumed up a piece of the rubber strap from my computer power cord. At the time, the vacuum grabbed it and it was gone, just like that! I was surprised in that moment, but it wasn’t a big deal because the vacuum was still sucking! And, I never used that strap anyway! That the was the dark that needed severing. As I maneuvered the surgical tongs into the neck of the vacuum I started to laugh. All I was trying to do this morning was a “simple” chore…now I am all heady and stuck fixing the vacuum and clearing the dark that needs severing. That task, is not so easy.
Sometimes, I avoid what is right in front of me. Sometimes, I put off until tomorrow, next week, next year what should and could be handled now. The dark can be a scary place! The message from this morning’s reading gave me the prescription. It was a tall task! Here are the instructions… one, cut the bond with the dark force abruptly. Pull that band-aid off fast! Two, keep your integrity! “A sage can preserve her purity while severing herself from the dark force”. Three, embrace non-attachment. Now to me, that sounds like an oxymoron. Embrace non-attachment. Hold and be unattached?
While I was still messing with the vacuum, I was reminded of another vacuum story. My son was in middle school. I had asked him to vacuum while I was out. He said he would. I came home and sure enough there were lines on the carpet! He did what I asked, right? Uhhh, NO! He told me later, he “fake vacuumed”! YUP…you read that right…”FAKE Vacuumed.” He had gotten caught up in TV or a video game and time ran out. He knew I would be home soon, so he quickly pushed the vacuum around creating the appearance of the house being vacuumed. We still laugh about this today. Actually, it is a valuable lesson here. Sometimes, in the effort to improve, grow or change…it seems easier to “fake vacuum”. It still leaves all the dirt, fur and dark all over the place. There is a false sense of accomplishment that fades pretty quickly. Can you think of a time in your life that you “fake vacuumed?” I can think of a dozen. What strikes me about “fake vacuuming” is that the only difference between that and actual vacuuming was plugging it in and turning it on. Same square footage gets covered and uses the same amount of effort. Sometimes, the energy I put into avoiding something is just the right amount of energy to solve, grow or achieve. Many times in my life, I have spent more energy on thinking something through to avoid it, than the time it would take to actual do the task. What about you?
Life and learning are messy. Identifying what needs to be severed can be a challenge and scary. Finding the right tools, support, timing and awareness is crucial. Embracing non-attachment is the key. It really is about letting go of the preconceived notions, patterns and “fake vacuuming” habits that we hold so close to the vest. Vacuum maintenance is also key! Use your tools, wisdom and integrity wisely…
Just Sayin’!!!!
Beth is a candid presenter and teacher. She is available to speak for your small groups or create a workshop that is right for your organization. Contact Beth for more information and rates.