Today, during one of our ConsciousU community calls, we did a short envisioning meditation about life in the normal regime, the natural regime1, and a bridge between them, followed by individual sharing and a group conversation. It was a good exercise and a rich exchange which left me with a couple of thoughts and questions that I’m now trying to sort by writing this text.
During the meditation, I saw in my mind the normal regime on the one side and the natural regime on the other side. The normal regime was pretty gray, busy, stressed, and not very much fun. There seemed to be no time and space for pausing and there seemed to be no end to the tasks that needed to get done, always focusing on the next thing to do. The natural regime, in contrast, was much more colorful and slower, with deep breathing, time to be present, and space to truly take in everything around. There was a feeling of peace, joy, and aliveness, as well as a deep sense of gratitude.
Personally, I feel like I’m in the natural regime most of the time. So, when I envisioned the bridge between the two regimes, it almost felt like a threat – an opening that would allow the busyness, stress, and sadness of the normal regime to come into the natural regime.
After hearing from other community members and reflecting on my own thoughts and feelings a bit longer, I started to realize that dividing the world into the normal regime on one side and the natural regime on the other is actually not very helpful. It might just create more separation – and also more tasks and stress – if the goal is to ‘get to the other side’.
Now, that I’ve been sitting with this image and some related questions a bit longer, a different picture has emerged. It’s of the natural regime being the base – the ground and soil for everything. It is always there – supporting, fertile, full of life, and a sort of love and intelligence that surpasses our limited human understanding. But many times, it has become buried. Buried under the things and tasks that we see as ‘the real world’ – those that call for steady busyness, create stress, and a perceived lack of time. So, the bridge to the natural regime might actually be less about ‘getting from here to there’ and more about letting go of the things that are covering it up. These can be actual material things – too much stuff around that hijacks our attention and time – or things we think we have to do: because we’ve been told they are important, because we’ve always been doing them, because everyone else is doing them, or because we can’t imagine what to do instead.
And then, of course, there are all the beliefs and conditioning we have been subject to throughout our life. Many of these need to be tackled and shed in order to become able to truly tune into the flow of the natural regime. This means taking a look at the core of life, becoming truly present in the here and now, facing our deepest fears, uncovering our passions and inner calling – without turning this into another project on our agenda! – and, in my experience more than anything, reconnecting to a deep, basic sense of trust. The trust that life (God, the universe, Source, divine energy, etc.) will truly carry us in its benevolent flow if we only allow it.
This surely sounds like magic, and unfortunately, most of us were taught as children that magic doesn’t exist. But the universe might very well be magical instead of logical at its core, and I think (and hope!) that most of you have already experienced some magical moments in your lives – those moments when everything just seems to align in one’s favor, bringing people, information, and resources to us just as we need them. For example, having been graced with a lightbulb moment of true understanding just as we were about to give up because something seemed too difficult, or receiving messages by intuition and gut feeling (yes, there’s actually intelligence in the gut – science has now caught up to this!) which, if we follow through on them, can lead us to the most amazing encounters and magical moments.
The natural regime – in all its magic – is already here, underneath everything else, patiently waiting and welcoming all those who, consciously or by chance, are making a shift towards it. And it might not have to be an abrupt and complete change from one regime to the other – which actually seems like a rather perfectionist task, likely to set the stage for more overactivity, frustration, and doubt. Instead, we can look out for small moments and pockets where the natural regime already shows itself in our lives, and then slowly build on that. This way, sooner or later, a major shift will occur – one that fits our specific circumstances and individual needs. Because after all, there’s no script or ultimate truth as to how the natural regime shows itself in one’s life. What’s needed, where and how the magic happens – it’s all unique. And at the same time, it’s truly universal.
So, the main thing we need to do is let go, surrender to the flow of Life, and trust that we don’t need to have everything figured out. Let go of expectations, fixed imaginations, self-limiting beliefs, doubt and universal trust issues – and embrace this weird, paradoxical, uplifting, scary, beautiful, messy world with an open heart and deep curiosity.
And because ‘let go’ is much easier said than done, I would like to share some ideas and practices that have helped me on my path:
- Practice being present in the here and now. (Breathing exercises and meditation can be great for this, but also they are not for everyone; it could as well be taking a conscious walk, certain sports, birdwatching, etc.)
- Spend time in nature. (Get present, lean against a tree for a few minutes, feel the ground underneath your bare feet, activate all senses, observe the tiny movements and the large cycles of the more-than-human world, listen with your ears and your heart, embrace silence.)
- Watch young children play freely. (Free play is the most fundamental way of being in flow. At one point in life, we all knew how to do it, and by witnessing this process, something precious inside us can be reignited.)
- Practice listening to your intuition. (We all have it, but unfortunately it is often buried — if you’re in doubt, I’d recommend starting with very small decisions, like, for example, lunch choices, which book to read next, or whether to answer a phone call. Notice how your intuition speaks to you and let it guide you.)
- Get to know yourself. (Find out — through your emotions and body feedback — what you truly love to do, what’s the best way for you to learn something, how much structure or flexibility in your daily routine is good for you, when you need a pause, etc.)
- Be kind to yourself. (Listen to your inner dialogue and gently introduce positive and uplifting messages to yourself — the kind of loving words that you would tell a dear friend, partner, or child.)
- Reconnect to your inner child parts. (We all carry these young versions of ourselves within us — to recognize them and give them loving attention can really shift something. Internal Family Systems and Voice Dialogue are wonderful modalities to do this — you can try it on your own or seek professional guidance.)
- Face your fears. (Our fears are most scary while they remain in the dark — consciously exploring them can often be very liberating and open up new possibilities. For me, The Work of Byron Katie and the Reclamation Work by Peter Koenig have been the most effective tools for this.)
- Stretch your comfort zone. (Trying out new things, traveling to unknown places, talking to strangers, taking on a task that resonates with you but feels too big — all this helps to overcome self-doubt and build trust in yourself, other people, and the world at large.)
- See the world as a mirror. (You always have the choice whether you’d rather get upset or angry about other people’s behavior and external circumstances, or take them as an opportunity to learn and grow. Make sure you set boundaries when needed and possible, then take a deep breath, let go of the need to fix others, and welcome your inner wisdom.)
- Notice how you speak. (The ways in which we think, feel, and speak are strongly connected and influence each other. Pay attention to the words and phrases you use — which empower you, and which drain you? It’s, for example, a good idea to stop using ‘never’, ‘always’, and ‘real quick’, or to replace ‘I have to do …’ with ‘I want to do … because …’.)
- Deschool. (A lot of what we learned within the frame of conventional schooling sets us up for frustration — based on a very narrow definition of success and a very limited imagination of what life as an adult can look like. Start to question what you were told is important and look for examples of people who have chosen different paths — for example, grown unschoolers or alumni of self-directed learning centers.)
- Seek questions rather than answers. (Let go of the all-know-mind, embrace uncertainty, stay curious, find questions that feel close to your heart, and let them guide you through life.)
- Make mistakes. (We’ve been taught that making mistakes is something bad, but it’s actually the most effective way of learning. Embracing mistakes, and even failure, allows us to be more innovative, courageous, and simply to have more fun.)
- Find or build your community — and stay open to the world. (Even though many of the things in this list can be done on your own, doing them in good company can be more effective and also more joyful — after all, we are social beings who depend on each other. Connect with others who are on a similar path to you and support each other — but also don’t become too exclusive; you never know who might carry a message for you or become your next teacher — and remember that in the end, we’re all in this together.)
- Keep it simple. (This list might seem long and maybe even exhausting, but in fact, life is much more inclusive and less compartmentalized than our thinking. You will find that there are actually many overlaps, and often one thing naturally leads to another. Just start with the one or two suggestions that catch your interest or feel like a good starting point, and continue from there — following the flow and letting the magic happen 🌈)
- ‘The normal regime’ and ‘the natural regime’ are terms coined by Peter Koenig. The normal regime assumes we must work to make money to survive, often in jobs we don’t love, leading to consumption-driven lifestyles and unsustainability. In contrast, the natural regime proposes that by doing what we love, life supports us, reducing our need for consumption and fostering a regenerative way of living. ↩︎