What Do You Do?

©2012 Joan M Newcomb

The other night I saw a documentary, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" about an 85 year old Japanese Sushi Master, who has been in love with his work for his entire life.  He spoke about his vocation as a true artist would, totally committing every waking moment to perfecting his craft.

His dedication may reflect the values of old Japan, but it also embodies what it is like when You are expressing Your true Essence here in physical form.

When you meet people, it seems like the first thing people ask you is, "What do you do"?

If you're not working, if you've been fired or laid off, it can be challenging to answer.  I mean,  you can't just answer literally, with what you're doing at that moment.  "I stand at parties with a drink in my hand and talk to people."  "I shop for groceries."  "I send out 3 resumes a week to qualify for unemployment benefits."

Especially here in DC - this area is all about power and status and definable identities.

It's been hard for me to respond, since I put my radio show on 'hiatus'.  It was such an easy answer, 'oh, I host a radio show, I interview interesting people, I talk to listeners.'

The other work I do isn't commonplace. I still do readings, Mystic Coaching, and Matrix, but I don't have the energy to explain what they are.

And yet, I don't want to say I'm caring for my mother who has Alzheimer's and cancer.  Who's dying and doesn't know it.  It's kind of a downer, and doesn't really explain what I am doing.

When you look at what is happening throughout the world, more and more people are 'out of work'.  People have 'unemployed' for years.  The headlines say the economy may never recover.

These people are actually doing something, they're just not working 8-5 in their chosen careers, bringing in x- income.

It seems to me that paradigm is disintegrating*.  That we all need a job, a career, a title, a resume, something that we DO.

Originally people were hunters and gatherers.  Me hunt, you gather.  Pretty simple.  Everybody did it.  There wasn't any difference, Ugma's cave wasn't any bigger than Wugma because he got a bigger bison.

As we evolved, people became compartmentalized.  There were farmers.  There were soldiers.  A caste system developed, some things people did were lower than others.  And because people did what their families did, you were born into it and there was nothing you could do about it.

Then people became affiliated with their trades.  There were blacksmiths and silversmiths.  There were printers and bakers.  You could leave the farm and be apprenticed to a tradesman.  You could leave the family identity and take on something new.

Somewhere along the way we lost the connection to passion, to what we feel compelled to bring to this world.   Our careers have become about status, and income, and who you are, externally.  Our work no longer expresses our innermost creativity.

As Consciousness, we're bringing ourselves back into balance with this whole unemployment story.  People who are enmeshed with their work label are being laid off.  It's an opportunity for evolvement.  For your true Self to shine through.

People in stable cushy jobs and desperately unhappy.  Their Inner Being is crying out to express Itself authentically.

The more attached you are to external definitions, the more painful things are right now.

Eckhardt Tolle went through a period of (chosen) unemployment where he basically spent a couple years sitting on park benches smiling.  All his Germanic programming to work hard, be productive, evaporated into a blissful state of Being.

How do you answer the question, "What do you do"?  Does it line up with your Inner Being?  What is unfolding in your storyline?  Have you "lost" your career?  What are you creating instead?

Whatever is happening is a gift, helping you to expand into your True Self.

*As I was searching for an Eckhardt Tolle clip on his park bench story, I came across one he's recorded on "The Current Economy" which I'd never seen before.  It pretty much sums up what I've been talking about since 2008.  I'll let you watch the video, and let Eckhardt have the last word today.