Tuesday, August 17, 2010

ON HOLD

Have you ever felt as if Life has placed you on hold?

I recently called a particular company with what I suspected would be an easily answered question. “I will need to place you on hold, Mr. Stevens.” After a period of time, the very pleasant representative came back on the line with much apology and no answer to my inquiry. “Would you mind if I place you back on hold, sir? Please hold.” The second round of apologies was followed by the announcement that during my next hold, a supervisor would be summoned. I assured the slightly harried sounding woman that I indeed did not mind being placed on hold. As a matter of fact, I was rather enjoying it. “Really? I never hear that.” And she would not have heard it from me in the not so distant past.

I have learned a great deal about myself in the past few years from the way I choose to be while I am placed on hold. I certainly have enough experiences of it. When I am blessed enough to actually encounter a living, responsive human being on the other end of a telephone inquiry, it is common to be placed on hold at some time during the interaction. As I have had for many years a wireless telephone complete with headset, the time on hold became an opportunity to either remain at my desk and busy myself with other pending activities, or I would take off into another area of the house to fill the void with something that I could then label constructive. I had yet to learn the value of actually being on hold when you are placed on hold.

The mind certainly does not relish this notion. Our technology today offers us non-stop mental stimulation. Unless there is some type of massive power outage, we never have to be without internet, world news, social networks, chat rooms, and of course, e-mail. This is often occurring while we are also talking on the phone and even driving the streets and highways. The never ceasing mind content is reflected perfectly in our ever busy information age. To be stopped and to be placed on hold has an often jarring effect on the hyped up central nervous system. And it offers a great opportunity to really experience the current state of our own inner atmosphere.

I learned a long time ago the value of listening to Life when it is seeking to place me on hold. When I am getting the message that it is time to slow down and to take a pause, I know the wisdom of heeding this call. Not that I always like to listen. Not that it is comfortable. My activity tends to equate to my prosperity. Slowing down when the bills are due can create quite an inner rebellion. And yet I have found that when I am being summoned by my Soul to put things on hold, I can either do that voluntarily, or circumstances will do it for me. How often do we push through these inner urges only to find ourselves being stopped by illness, accident, unemployment, etc? The Universe doesn’t punish us for not listening. Our own Souls do know, however, what is most needed at any given time, and they will ensure that those needs are met. The Soul is not interested if it makes sense to the linear mind, or if it feels convenient. Enormous inner expansion often happens when we are on hold. As in all of nature, seeming inactivity gives birth to many a resplendent manifestation.

So the next time you are placed on hold, consider thanking the gifting representative. And then stay on hold. This is valid whether it is a telephone interaction or a Life opportunity. We all sometimes feel as if Life has placed us on hold. Inertia is rarely a welcome friend. And yet it is a necessary part of emergence, and it offers us the gift of reflection and renewal. Being on hold and staying on hold grants us spaciousness and serenity, and those are fervent states of being. You will know when it is time to re-enter the activity. And you will be far more creative and productive for having been on hold.

SEE TAYLOR LIVE ON SITE FOR CURRENT CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND ALSO TIMES ON HOLD