Living in the Hum, Not the Humdrum

A friend recently said she was living in the hum. I love that! And at the same time I remembered often living in the humdrum. You know, the seemingly endless treadmill of work, errands, housework, eat, sleep, and get up and do it all over again. In a word, drudgery. Or the rate race. That's the humdrum.

I'm not talking about any big life-altering or life-threatening problem. That may require more than we can do for ourselves. I'm talking about the angst of to much to do and not enough time to do it.

Humdrum

And living in the humdrum can make us wonder "What's the point of it all?" I'm hearing a song by the Marc-Almon Band called "What Am I Livin' For?" that expresses it well. You're so tired from work, responsibilities, family, and the to-do list that it's easy to be engulfed in overwhelm and feel like we have no time for ourselves. That's the humdrum.

So we sit in front of the television to unwind and decompress. Or we go on Facebook or other social media to connect with people - some we know and don't have time to visit with in person, some we don't know. And before we know it, 2 hours have gone by and we are anxious because we didn't do a thing on the to-do list, let alone the dirty dishes int he sink. That's the humdrum.

Accessing the Hum

So whenever I feel this way, I've learned to take three deep breaths.

Three long, slow, deep breaths.
Ah... That's better.

 Sometimes those three breaths are all it takes to get back to center. Back to a sense of equilibrium. Back to a sense of "Oh yeah. This is me. This is who I am."


Sometimes I use mantra - repeating an inspirational phrase.

And from there, I can remember... You know, I have it better than 60% of the people on this planet. I have indoor plumbing, a safe place to live, a car, a job, adequate food, the right to vote, access to quality medical care, access to birth control and education. A lot of people don't have those basic things.

Tea Meditation

Dr Edward Viljoen has a lovely meditation he describes in his book The Power of Meditation about

making a cup of tea. Try it. It just might change everything for you.

OK. Great. Now... Now I have time to move up Maslow's Hierachy and start thinking about the bigger questions like "Who am I?", "What do I want from my life?"

Access Your Inner GPS

Here's one of my favorite ways to choose the next step. Sit quietly and breathe deeply for a few minutes to relax and let go of where you were today and what needs to happen later. Just stop for a moment and Be.

Now see or sense a path in front of you. A little while ahead is your future self. She or he is happy, fulfilled, peaceful. Add whatever qualities you think are missing right now. Your future self is looking back in hindsight at the you today. Ask your future self what he or she has to tell you to guide you on your way easily. And listen. Be receptive. You may not hear or see or feel an answer right away. Maybe it will come later as a thought such as "I wonder if..."

Wouldn't It Be Cool If...

When I'm feeling stuck and uninspired, I remember another friend of mine who told me about the

Wouldn't It Be Fun game. I call mine Wouldn't It Be Cool If. And I spend some time daydreaming like a child about all the terrific possibilities.

For example, if I don't like my living situation, I can imagine exactly what I want. "Wouldn't it be cool if I had a really sweet affordable quiet home with no traffic noise and no smokers anywhere nearby?" "Wouldn't it be cool if I had a home in the woods, with sunlight in the living room and a little organic vegetable garden?"

If I want my work or finances to improve, I can play with that idea. If I want my primary relationship to improve, I can play with that idea. If I want better health, I can play with that. It's a fun way to un-stick my mind from what is - the humdrum - and move in mentally to the Hum. The Joy and Love of all the possibility in life.

This takes me out of the question: How do I get there from here? It takes me out of the stuck-ness of my present situation, and lets my mind freely play in imagination where anything is possible. Then I can see a Prayer Practitioner to turbo-charge my dream.

How About You?

What's your favorite way to access the Hum?
What's your favorite way to get un-stuck mentally?
What would you create in the Wouldn't It Be Cool If game?
I'd love to see your comments!