On Urgency

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In the world of spirituality and mindfulness a very well known that main goal is to remain present in the moment. Living in the moment works tremendously in bringing our minds away from the future, when it is overly focused on outcomes and rather bring it back to the here and now. 

When the mind is in the future, worrying perhaps about what might happen, or simply fixated upon a future event whether that be five minutes, five weeks, or five years in the future, this creates a sense of anxiety in the body. 

Such a state is unsustainable, for it drives the fight or flight mechanism within our nervous system and can begin to feel overwhelming if active for too long. 

Thus, meditators and spiritual practitioners often will do their very best to remain present in the now, detached from future outcomes even as steps are taken towards them, for one can create from a more calm, centred and peaceful state within the present moment. 

There is a paradox that comes with this however, especially in our modern day. A perception of the future is in fact very much necessary and important if one is to be successful in life. Why is this? Because life and time do not unfold on a ‘straight line’ trajectory but rather, they unfold in cycles. 

‘’History repeats itself’’, you’ve heard this phrase before most likely. It is indeed very true, there are cycles that take place throughout the course of time, by examining the past we can foresee the themes that will arise future days to come. When what is coming is unpleasant, dark and perhaps very hard times for humanity, one may wish to prepare. 

In fact, one would find it extremely useful and sensible to prepare for hard times coming, for the professional athlete trains for the grand event years in advance to its date, as opposed to beginning his training on the day of the competition. 

We must be prepared for what is coming. The spiritual and mindfulness practices still hold their relevance and importance, for each day is a test and comes with it’s stresses and challenges. In order to cope with life properly and not degrade in our attempts to build something for the future we must keep on top of our mental health. 

Thriving mental health makes all things better. Performance is better, concentration is sharper, emotional regulation is more masterful, triggers are less triggering, health is better for there is less need to self medicate with refined non-foods, and relationships thrive too, for happy and bright people are more pleasant to be around and easier to get along with. 

One could say that in fact, thriving mental health is the ultimate preparation strategy for the hard times that are to come. However it requires a balance between living in the now, and preparing for what may come. 

Simply living in the now may bring us a sense of peace and calm, yet if we forget to consider the dark times that are coming we may fail to set our priorities clearly. It is all well and good being present in the now, relaxing, meditating and being at peace, doing nothing and feeling great for it… This however may bring destruction to us if we are not mindful of the future, based on histories cycles. 

If there are to be hard times returning, then not only must we thrive in mental health but we must too thrive physically, training ourselves with the capability to exhibit high levels of stamina, endurance, agility and strength, and financially, it would serve well to be somewhat abundant in finances as energy prices go up and food shortages maybe arise. 

It is important to learn how to fight, to defend oneself effectively, therefore a good way to prepare physically is by training in martial arts. That of Muay Thai, boxing or Jui-Jitsu. 

Financially, it is good to have stable income through full-time or part time employment however this may not be sufficient moving forward, especially if one wishes to provide for a family unit. Perhaps there must be more, in all honesty, I am not certain about this, for as a religious man I believe that The Lord provides always for those who believe, and perhaps it is not so important to have an abundance of finances in order to raise a family. 

Even still, let us consider the possibility where financial abundance is indeed necessary in thriving and preparing for the hard times. After all, if any of us were given the choice to have or not to have, we would mostly choose the former, trusting ourselves to be responsible. 

Financial wealth for many of us can come through business. Business is the act of serving others using ones skills and knowledge. A business man or entrepreneur is a problem solver, everybody has a problem to solve, therefore a business man has an advantage in the world, especially as peoples problems grow in both quantity and severity. 

The point of this thread is that urgency is indeed necessary. We can live in the moment, and should in fact choose to do so for the sake of our mental health and all that comes from that, however we must also hold in our minds an image of the future that is coming, one that is not based on emotion but historical factual evidence. 

The fact that history repeats itself does not necessarily guarantee a repetition of dark times coming soon, but it definitely increases the probability, significantly. If these hard times are coming very soon, then we better be prepared. 

In other words, we no longer have time to play small, we no longer can afford to waste away our time and must instead, invest our time in that which will assist us in thriving metaphysically, physically, financially, and socially. 

Social connections are a key resource that many of us may underestimate. Often times it does not matter what you have, what qualifications you have acquired, or what your status may be, what matters in most cases is who you know and what kind of human being you are. 

Are you easy to connect with, or is it difficult to be in a relationship with you? 

Consider social connections as a very important and essential component to the success equation. Who you know can make all the difference and with hard times coming I am sure that who we know will indeed… make all the difference. 

Death Awareness

A way in which we can all get more out of life is to remember death regularly. This may sound somewhat morbid and even negative, however there are great benefits in this practice. 

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To remember death and keep it close is to acknowledge that there is no plan of the future that is guaranteed to come true. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, one hour from now is not guaranteed, when you pay your mother or father a visit, there is no guarantee that there will be a next time. 

Just consider for a moment what this can do if practiced regularly and sincerely. No worry is guaranteed to be experienced in it’s coming true, for only God knows if we will even live to get there and find out. 

Out loved ones are not guaranteed to be living when we wish to next see them or call them to hear their voice, life is not guaranteed and anybody can die in the most unexpected of moments, including you. If this was kept close within your awareness each and every day, do you think you would take a single moment spent with your loved ones for granted? 

Would you not express your love dearly if the fleeting nature of life was in the forefront of your mind? Would you not forgive that which is to be forgiven, knowing that if you were to die tomorrow you would much rather have had that difficult, yet healing conversation before you time had come, or, even their time? 

It is much better to leave this body with a light heart, one that is not resentful, one that has forgiven. This is a heart that expresses it’s love freely and openly, with courage, for so many of us hold back our love out of the fear of rejection. 

Fear of rejection is a siphon on the authentic love  we wish to share, which is ultimately a large component in determining whether or not we will be pleased with our experience of life when the end of our time comes. 

Many people wish on their death beds that they had loved more. If what stops us from loving more is the absence of death remembrance and indeed, the fear of rejection, that let us keep death close and also obliterate this fear of being turned away, for it is far too costly to hold back our love, much more than any rejection whilst living. 

If you were presently aware of the possibility of death would you not be kinder today? Would you not be more courageous in your actions? Would you not let go of the fear of failure and do that which you wish most to do anyway? for death without having fulfilled one’s dream and mission is surely a bad death. 

This is the positive form of urgency that comes with death remembrance. It is not anxious, it is courageous and honest about what could happen at any moment, life could end. If you have ever lost a dear friend or loved one unexpectedly, you will know exactly what I am referring to. 

To remember death is to remember how temporary and precious life, our interactions with others, and our chance to experience this life really are. In our finite time here we have the chance to contribute to the lives of others positively, or to waste our time away doing trivial tasks, chasing money, getting into trouble, self medicating with drugs and substances and more… 

Therefore, the best way to use one’s time is to use it as though one might leave their body today or even tomorrow. Surprisingly this will not however motivate you as I once thought it would, to immediate jump on a flight to the other side of the world and see something we always dreamed of out there. 

What if death was so close that there wasn’t enough time for that. The question changes from ‘’what would I do if this was my last day’’ to ‘’who would I be if this was my last day’’. Imagine going to a place you always dreamed of, yet your mind was not at peace, you were troubled and plagued with problems, unable to settle into the moment and fully enjoy the experience. 

They say in life, it is not about what we choose to do or what we get that measures our success. It is who we become in the process. 

So, who would you be if this was your last day? How would you be? When I ask this question myself I am answered by qualities of character such as: I would be patent, kind, loving and honest. I would be generous, present, detached from all material forms and compassionate. I would be courageously honest, to forgive and love as I wish to, this would also allow me to say no to those who I would not prioritise being with, choosing instead to be with those who are most dear to my heart, such would be the end of people pleasing. 

I would abandon all fear of future outcomes, for I would clearly not be meeting them and would therefore instead immerse myself in the process instead, doing what I wish, regardless of how the outcome might turn out. 

I would be clean, I would be in continual worship of The Lord, through my internal dialogue and also my deeds. I would apologise and ask forgiveness for whoever I needed ask, releasing any thread of guilt that was still attached to me. 

How or Who would you be if this was your last day, or your last day was extremely close? 

Consider this closely and remember, anybody can leave this world at any time, including ourselves, therefore this practice is not abstract, it is very much rational and realistic, reaping tremendous benefits and upgrades in one’s quality of daily life if remembered well. 

A Good Death

One day I was attending an Islamic gathering at a place by the name of Felicity House. It was a weekly gathering in the name of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him). We recited verses and chanted into the evening. When the event came to an end, I was introduced by one of the brothers to three young men who were visiting the city from Birmingham. 

They were on a quest, a spiritual quest in the name of establishing a deeper connection to God and learning from the most revered teachers across the land. Upon my introduction I was asked if I could show them around the city somewhat. 

This was a blessing for me, for I had been somewhat lonely for some time and was indeed seeking the experience of genuine human connection. Of course, I took them to get some delicious food, which we enjoyed very much so whilst discussing our stories and sharing our learnings on Islam and Spiritually with one another. 

The night passed and the brothers left for Birmingham a few days later. In between that time I met with them once more, we attended the mosque together on Friday.

Some months later at the same gathering I was surprised to see two of the three brothers there once again. It brought great joy to me to see them. ‘’What are you doing here?’’ I asked. ‘’It was a spontaneous one’’, they replied, which I was happy to hear, for this reminded me of my travelling days filled with spontaneity. 

The brothers needed a place to stay that night and reached out to me to see if I had a place where they could stay. My mother was happy to allow them one of the spare rooms within our home, so the brothers informed me, grateful in their voices, that they would be round immediately. 

Hours had passed… there was no sign of them. I was both concerned and upset, for this felt very much disrespectful. Here we were, offering our home to some strangers who I barely knew, in the spare of the moment, it was getting late, and I was staying up waiting for them to show. 

‘’How rude’’, I thought. Yet I battled the resentment with remembrance that this was indeed an act of good will for some sincere seekers of truth, travelling about their way. 

They arrived in the dark of the night, one of the brothers said ‘’I feel so bad!’’ To which I stoically responded ‘’this is good, you should, it shows you have a conscience and maybe this will teach you something, however when you’re ready, forget about it’’.

We prayed together, slept and in the morning they were off by the break of dawn. 

I found out shortly after that one of the brothers named Dawud was travelling to Yemen to pursue deeper knowledge and depth in his Faith. This brought a smile to my face, for whilst visiting in Liverpool he had let me know this was something he was indeed considering, yet he felt doubt and apprehension going into the deep unknown. 

My advice was to go, for he had sincerity in his heart, and the unknown is indeed where the magic of life is to be experienced. 

After that point we lost communication, I assumed he was on his path, pursuing his destiny, which he was. One day, after he had been out in Yemen for some months I received a message informing those within the Islamic community that our dear brother Dawud had come to meet his Lord in Death, having died in a car accident. 

He was twenty-three years old. So young, so sincere. This was the last possibility I expected to hear of through a message that day. It was in no way within my expectations or predictions that this might happen. Shocked I was indeed, and reminded in fact that death could always be closer to any one of us at any moment. 

If a twenty-three year old young man could pass away so suddenly and unexpectedly, then surely, age is no metric we can use to predict when our death might be. It could happen surely tomorrow. Wouldn’t it serve us to be on our purposeful, sincere pursuit like Dawud was? He was taking clear, direct and courageous action towards that which his heart truly desired, a deeper connection to Allah and his Prophet (peace be upon him). 

This is what triggered me to take death remembrance more seriously and in fact, it is why I am writing about it today. I hold the image of Dawud in my mind and when I remember him, everything I do is more sincere. 

He left us gifts in his passing. Through being committed to his path, following his heart, and pursuing a deeper connection to our Lord, I would consider this in fact a Good Death. This may startle most to read, but when I consider how brother Dawud would have felt about his life ending whilst on his journey, I can only see him smiling, for he knew he was on the right path. Perhaps he had not reached a specific destination or attainment of enlightenment, yet he was committed, sincere, and moving with deep intention and that is what matters most. 

From this I can understand once again that it is not about what we get in life or what we do. It matters most who we are, and the intentions fuelling our actions up until the moment for us to leave our bodies. 

If we have sincerity in our hearts, clarity and honesty in our intentions and courage in our actions when death comes to meet us, this is surely a Good Death… 

Using Time Intentionally 

With all being said about the remembrance of death in moment to moment life, the question that fuels how we show up in each day is not necessarily, ‘’what should I do?’’ But ‘’how and who or what should I be?’’ 

It is not the task that matters, it is ‘how’ we go about the task that makes all of the difference, and ‘how’ we show up to do the hard things, even when we don’t feel like them. This is the definition of discipline, and discipline originates from he same root as the word ‘disciple’. 

The be a disciple of something is to be in submission to it, whether that be God, a creed, group or prophet. Submission is to let go of one’s own will and infuse oneself with a higher will, that either of a leader or of God Himself. 

When I live my days this way, surrendering my will over to The Most High, doing what I must do in regards to the responsibilities of a man to become provider, protector, penetrator and prostrator, and I keep death close within my mind allowing myself to be reminded of how exactly I would like to be on a more energetic, emotional and character level, things seem to align very well. 

Distractions are avoided, unhelpful programming is refrained from whether that be through the eyes or the ears. Food is not abused, for I do not attempt to escape through the comfort of taste and texture and use my mouth to instead worship, speak good words and uplift others. 

So, how can we compile this into a practical guide that allows us to make the most of our time on a day to day basis? How can we use our time intentionally and meaningfully in the best possibly way. 

1- We must first consider that death may well be around the corner for any one of us, and any of those whom we love. In considering this closely and feeling the reality of it, we can come to a place of true, authentic gratitude for being here, having woken up, and having access to the luxuries of running water, warm showers, technology, food, family, clothing, shelter and safety. 

This fills one’s soul with gratitude, and the actions that one is willing to take in a state of gratitude are far higher in vibrational quality than those of perhaps feelings of apathy, guilt, shame, fear or anger. 

Our state drives our action, therefore the second principle after death remembrance is to harness a powerful state of either Gratitude, Love or Intense Passion for life. 

2- Next, it may be important to mention that some schools of thought and religions have passed down guidance on how to structure one’s day. For example in Islam there are five phases to the day, just as there are five daily prayers. In the Chinese system there are five phases of day also, associated with the five Chinese elements. 

We can use such systems to structure our day, aligning with the nature and element of each phase of the day, and taking up the tasks, duties, responsibilities and activities that are in harmony with each of the phases as we go through the daily cycle. 

The question arises, how do we make sure that we show up to do the things we must? And what if we don’t know what we should be doing with our time? How can we then maximise our day with intentional action and wise use of time? 

3- Such is an invitation to mention three things in particular. Those being, the clarification and visualisation of one’s meaningful, compelling dream and secondly, the ability to break one’s dream down into actionable, measurable chunks, thirdly, the ability to keep faith close whilst things are unknown, remaining connected to an empowered state and trusting in the goal seeking nature of the nervous system when in conjunction with higher intelligence.  

4- Get clear on the character qualities you see and feel from yourself in your visualisation of a brighter, meaningful and compelling future. Who are you to become? What traits can define that? Courage? Wisdom? Patience? Resourcefulness? Whatever they may be, intend to embody them today, these will influence your choices greatly, keep these character qualities close in all moments and use visualisation multiple times per day to reconnect to your vision, filling the cup continually. 

5- Align your actions with your biology. If you are a man, there are actions that will serve you greatly in becoming the man you are meant to be. Provider, protector, penetrator, and prostrator. If you are a woman, do what is necessary to be The Nurturer, The Beautifier, The Healer and The Receiver. 

6- Make use of the practice of fasting either for a period of the day, or once to twice a week until sunset so you may reset your reward system regularly, cleaning your physical and metaphysical space. 

7- Forgive and move forward when you do not meet your ideal standards. We are by design imperfect in the sense that our true nature can not be fully expressed in our human, limited form. Dwelling on any short fall is not productive or useful, accept your imperfections and move forward remembering that one positive action leads to another, just as one destructive action leads to another. Harness this and build momentum, this will carry you forwards and rebuild momentum each time you find yourself falling short, being kind to yourself, rising back up, and trying again. 

Intention makes all the difference in how we live our daily lives and therefore has massive impact on the future we create. Keep intention close, choose with awareness and forgive the short falls. The depth of your intention will fuel the quality of your actions and therefore your life. Write your intentions out, take not of the character qualities you are to embody and remind yourself of them regularly using whatever means are available. 

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