The Coordinates
The first thing that I do when I’m helping someone cultivate a successful meditation practice is direct them back to their own values.
What matters most to you? What is most real and true? What is so important that you’re willing to dedicate a precious 10 or 20 minutes every day in order to do nothing but honor it? What do you wholly and completely and unquestionably love?
When my teacher asked me these questions I was almost annoyed at him. I thought, "Well this is a waste of time! It's all so obvious!" But when he stuck to it, I had to admit that what I really had at hand were a bunch of sound bytes, clever platitudes and half-digested truths.
But that wasn't all. Under the debris of other people's lofty opines lived thicker forces, vague yet deeply felt. A huge reservoir of love and wisdom that I knew was there but had never earnestly explored. A quiet but constant yearning for healing and growth. An unstoppable drive to gather all my resources and devote them passionately toward the creation of a more beautiful and harmonious world.
I have learned that no recitation of mantra or memorization of text or repetition of ritual could alone transform me. Not so long as those deeper energies continued to go unacknowledged, unhonored, unharnessed. I have learned that, clinging to other people's answers can be much worse than having no answers at all, because they fool me into thinking that I understand. Following someone else's path can too easily pull my dearest resources toward goals which were never mine.
I offer you The Coordinates. It's is a self-inquiry tool for those wanting to get their bearings as they navigate the spiritual path. Through it you will explore your personal values and influences, your unique gifts and obstacles, your deepest truths and dreams. It sets off a process of discovery and transformation, helping you get clarity about who you are, what you're made of, what you're really doing here and why. With this clarity comes peace with the past, ease in the present and guidance for the future.
I am offering it to all of you here today at the request of a few folks who found it so helpful that they wanted to share it with loved ones who aren't doing coaching or workshops with me.
My hope, as always, is that it can reach the people who need it and be of service. Please check it out, comment on the blog, share, etc.
In developing these I was inspired by many sources. To name a few: the study of Holistic Management that my partner and I undertook when we started planning our farm; inquiry and contemplation practices which I have studied with my teacher, Adyashanti; the branding resources which abound these days; and my own lifetime of discovery through meditation, journaling, art-making and business-building.
This process quite comprehensive and it feels overwhelming to a lot of people. Don’t succumb to overwhelm. It’s a tricky ego trap! If looking at this makes you cringe, then I recommend trying one of two tactics, both of which require you to put away your inner-editor and trust your gut.
- Etch out 30 minutes and do a super rough sketch of the whole thing in one setting. Don’t linger too long on anything. Then walk away and return to it later and refine.
- Scan the list: MY VALUES, MY SOURCES, MY SCIONS, MY TRUTH, MY STORY, MY VISION, MY FEAR, MY MISSION, MY NEXT-STEPS. Which one calls to you most? Work on that one first. Give yourself some time to really contemplate it—a week maybe? Then move onto the next one.
I work my ass off developing tools to help sincere seekers thrive on their path. If anything you find here is beneficial there are lots of ways to return the love. You can sign up for one of my paid services, send me a testimonial at aaron@forevermarvel.com, comment below to get a convo started, share this website with a loved one, or tag me on social media, @aaronkdias on IG or Forever Marvel on Facebook.
Thank you and happy travels!