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| Photo: Pars Sahin at Unsplash.com |
Not at all. Not
if they are prepared to seek their Uncomfort Zone.
This is not easy, as our western culture and lifestyle
stress the seeking and maintaining of comfort.
From the time of our birth to the time of our death our lives are geared
towards comfort and the elimination of anything uncomfortable. Once inside our comfort zone we seem
extremely reluctant to step outside it, even in small ways. (A quick aside: our personal “comfort” zone may actually be
depressing, miserable, or unhealthy, yet somehow our undeveloped psyches tell
us that this is where we are “comfortable.”)
By way of example of what I am writing here: Recently
I was part of a conversation amongst a group of men and the topic of camping
arose. I queried how much “camping”
was involved if one towed a large caravan and took with them all the comforts of
home, including TV, fridge, stove, and a warm, comfortable bed. I was met with remonstrations that “I like to feel comfortable,” or similar.
Sadly, such unwillingness to seek our Uncomfort Zone
is all too prevalent within western culture.
Our Uncomfort Zone may not necessarily have to take us
into extreme territory. The following
simple physical acts may be enough to begin our exploration of Uncomfort and
perhaps embolden us to go further:
· Step
outside on a cold winters day and feel the chill against your cheeks, rather
than remain inside and switch on the (fossil fuelled) heating system.
· Take
off your comfortable (and comforting) footwear and walk around the block in
bare feet. Feel the different sensations
of differing terrain.
· Walk
or bike the five kilometres to the local shops, rather than getting into a
comfortable car and driving. Perhaps you
will meet a neighbour, or hear birds singing in the trees.
· Camp
overnight with just a tent, sleeping bag, and a simple cooker to heat your
food. Maybe the stars will startle you,
or perhaps you will hear an owl hoot.
When simple actions like this are undertaken it can be
surprising what questions come to you.
Questions about your own lifestyle, or perhaps broader questions relating
to your place in the cosmos, or maybe questions related to the
inter-connections of everything. These
questions will be different for everyone.
These simple physical actions are just the beginning
of our journey into our Uncomfort Zone.
There is much much more to explore, farther to go, deeper into our Zone
of Uncomfort. But, there is no need to
rush, the zone will always be there.
And that is just the physical journey into a Zone of
Uncomfort. How would we go about
journeying into an emotional or spiritual Uncomfort Zone?
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