“Somewhere, right at the bottom of one’s own being, one generally does know where one should go and what one should do. But there are times when the clown we call “I” behaves in such a distracting fashion that the inner voice cannot make its presence felt.”
C.G. Jung
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I love the image of the “distracting clown”! 🤡
For, in my dealing with this unhelpful Ego piece, I find it much easier to access my true self and to focus on presence if I am simply “noticing”, but not pursuing, these silly characters of thought bumbling about with no true understanding or sense of connection with what is truly authentic in each of my moments.
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But first . . . Who ARE these “Clowns” who might appear in the Big Tent of our minds?
We each have various ones that make repeat appearances . . .
How about I introduce a few of my own?
(Maybe you’ve even seen them yourself?!)
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Perhaps my “favorite” Worry Clown appears.
She can be found most often peering stealthily around the edges of my thoughts, creating havoc with slight-of-hand doubts. She is very good at pulling my focus away from the main events at hand.
“Look!! Over HERE!! Hey!! Aren’t you afraid you might miss something else?!”
What I’ve learned? There actually is no “something else”. What is truly important is ALWAYS the “Main Event directly in front of me.”
So . . . don’t believe the Worry Clown: keep watching your Main Event.
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Or maybe my Busy Clown shows up for some fun: she actually leads me out of my seat and shows me so many “more important” things I “just HAVE to” to get done and then her twin, Panic Clown, joins in, drawing me into the actual actions so I can check off my boxes….
“You’ll feel a lot better if you’ll just do ONE more thing,” she promises. Only she’s not telling the truth either.
Because Busy and Panic are creating their own Side Show called “The Tyranny of the Urgent”, where I find myself so easily slipping into becoming a frenetic clown myself!
And these Twins are always delighted whenever I join in.
The lesson here? “Side Shows” are never as gratifying as the Main Event . . .
Ever.
Even with only these few Clowns, I sooner or later regretfully discover I’ve again missed the
“Once-In-A-Lifetime Show” that is going on right before me.
And then Guilt Clown pops up as I think
“Oh.
If only I’d stayed in my seat.
And just watched.”
And then . . . ?!
Well, you get the picture:
You rarely return to your seat with a Clown Maelstrom going on.
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Unfortunately, over the course of the day, we find little bits of our day will go “missing” . . .
And later, we learn there is yet another way to interpret
“The show must go on.”
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“Oh LOOK!
Here comes another CLOWN!” 👏 😀
WAIT!!!!!
When you SEE the clown?
Pause.
Clowns are actually your prompt to . . .
Stay in your seat!
(Or if you’ve started to rise up?
Sit back down.)
Remain looking in the center ring at what is before you in the moment.
Because this Show of the Moment?
Was created just for you.
Just for Now.
Never to be repeated.
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So just sit tight.
Choose to pause, sitting in the Big Tent of Your Mind, and simply notice the clowns as they show up . . .
Calmly confident you need not follow a single one.
Let your clowns cavort about . . .
While staying seated
In the moment.
And
You will
Always
Enjoy the show!