Sense of Urgency

American society, particularly corporate America, values a sense of urgency: Get it done faster; Try harder; Make it happen.
When our hearts are pounding and our minds are racing and the end goal or decision is the only thing in sight, we lose track of ourselves and the present moment. We actually stop breathing (check next time you feel stressed and see if you are holding your breath).
Why does this matter? Because when we lose track of ourselves, our breath and the present moment, we lose access to our intuition and to important guiding signals available to us to help us reach our goals and make important decisions with less effort. It is enticing to attempt to control conditions through action and effort, but often what is needed is exactly the opposite: pausing, taking a break, allowing more time and listening to our inner voice (our intuition). When we "just want it done" and we feel a heart-racing sense of urgency-- one that causes us to rationalize skipping lunch or skipping our exercise routine-- that is the time to pause, breathe and step away from our goal-oriented activity. This may sound counter-intuitive, but try it. Try at least a 15 minute break with your mind focused on something else not directly related to your goal or decision and see what happens. You may actually reach your goal faster and with less effort or make a wiser decision. That is what access to your intuitive guidance can do for you. Meditation is an ideal way to recruit your intuitive guidance.

An excellent 10 day, free Vipassana meditation course is offered worldwide. For information, go to www.dhamma.org