When this article by my friend Eric Klein showed up in my
inbox, I knew instantly that I wanted to share it with you.
Enjoy!
Our theme for March is Renewal. But, before you renew – you
gotta experience the goo.
Before a caterpillar can become a butterfly, it must become
goo. Yes, goo.
Within the cocoon, the form of the caterpillar totally
dissolves into a liquid that is rich with nutrients and
potential. It’s super goo.
From goo, the butterfly is formed.
Aside from the goo there are, what is called, imaginal
cells. These cells contain the image, the genetic template,
of the butterfly. The goo feeds these imaginal cells. And as
the goo is digested, it transforms into a butterfly.
All transformations include this gooey phase.
Whether that transformation is individual or collective, goo
is part of it. Whether you’re seeking transformation or it’s
seeking you – you’ve gotta get comfortable with the goo.
Let’s get personal – you can’t skip the goo. There’s no
skipping steps on the developmental journey. Every phase of
the process has its purpose. And that purpose must be
completed before you can move on. You can’t leap from newbie
to expert in a single bound. There’s sequence that you must
follow. And an organic process that moves according to
developmental time.
The cadence of developmental time contrasts sharply with the
pace of contemporary life.
We live in a nano-second culture where most of us are what
author Sue Monk Kidd terms “quick-aholics.” We’re addicted
to the instant response. The goo phase can’t be rushed. And
it will dissolve the addiction to speed along with
everything else.
How can you tell if you’re in the goo?Let’s make this practical, shall we?
Think about your life. And specifically an area in your life
where the old “form” is dissolving away? It may be that your
business is turning into goo. Or if not the business itself,
your motivation and engagement.
Here are some common areas of life where people get
goo-ified (check all that apply to your life):
Identity – I can’t go on being the person I have been, but
I’m not sure who I’m becoming.
Business – The business is changing – but I’m not sure into
what? Is it dying or being reborn? I can’t tell.
Role in the organization – My old role and my old skills no
longer work. But, I’m not sure what I need to do next or how
to continue to add value?
Relationship – Our old ways of being together no longer make
sense. But, how can I be in this relationship, when I don’t
even know what it is anymore?
Motivation – The needs and values that used to drive me
don’t anymore. I’m not sure what matters or how to even
re-connect to a sense of passion and purpose.
Beliefs – I’ve outgrown my former beliefs. But, now I’m not
sure what I believe. I can’t go back. But, I’m not sure how
to go forward.
Only by letting go of the old forms can you make space for
something new to be born.
In spiritual literature the goo is called the dark night of
the soul.
When you’re navigating through goo, your old ways of staying
on track no longer work. It’s like you’re adrift in an inner
sea without stars overhead to guide you. All you can do is
let go. It’s time to be a mystic.
Goo is the natural habitat of the mystic.
So, when some area of your life is goo-ifying – you’re
being called to be a mystic. Here’s what this means:
As mystic, you let go of the known and the past. You trust in
the darkness recognizing that “those who dwell in darkness
shall see the light.”
You allow the old structure of identity to dissolve into
formless goo.
It doesn’t matter whether you used to believe I-am-a-success
or I-am-a-failure. Whatever the form your identity used to
take – it’s over. And, as a mystic you consent to having it
become goo in full recognition that to hold yourself
together now is tantamount to fighting against your own
destiny.
The way forward comes through letting go and surrender.
To enter into total goo-hood you shed the layer upon layer
of thoughts, beliefs. These layers have insulated you and
comforted you. Now is the time to discard all coverings.
Now is not the time for action but for stillness.
As you let go and release your old identity the stillness
deepens. When you rest completely in the goo – without
clinging to the past or straining towards the future – the
template, the image of that which is to be becomes active.
If you’re longing to fly, to deepen your life, to expand
your horizon of awareness – embrace the goo.
About Eric Klein
Eric Klein is one of the few people on the planet who is
both a lineage holder in a 5,000 year yoga tradition and a
best-selling business author. Learn more about his spiritual
teachings by clicking here and his leadership work by clicking here.
And if you love the Dharma Doodle and the article, subscribe
to his newsletter and receive the no-cost ebook, 7 Reasons
Meditation Doesn’t Work (and how to fix them).
Image Credit: Dharma Doodle by Eric Klein
Why You Must Learn to Love the Goo
