I have heard it said that time does not exist in the sense we think of it here on the Other Side.

Now personally, I have kind of a phobia of time. The permanence of impermanence seems so exhausting. Each day feels like a gruelling effort to achieve my spiritual balance of helping others, sharing love, spending time just 'being,' etc. Occasionally I achieve this balance. But then it doesn't matter because I have to wake up and do it all over again.
It feels like I live one billion moments each day and the second I am in any of them, they are gone. Sometimes I feel trapped by time. I almost wish I could pick one good day and just live inside it, like Billy Pilgrim moves around inside one lifetime in Slaughterhouse 5.

I try to comfort myself by thinking that I am not moving further and further away from every good moment, but that the good moments stay a part of me and I'm just adding to the whole thing. Then I think, I'm content with what I already have, I don't want to keep adding forever. It's almost like the universe can't get enough, it just grows and grows ad nauseum without enough time to even take stock of what it already has.

Sorry if this makes NO sense whatsoever. Many look at me like I have three heads when I try to explain that I feel bound by time. But if anyone knows what I mean, or has an interesting perspective on time (either here or on the Other Side), I'd be interested to hear it. People generally have pretty interesting things to say.

Hi Justine,

In one sense, your question addresses not the concept of time specifically, but spiritual growth vs. boredom.  Someone once asked George Burns what his secret was to living to 100 years old.  He said something to the effect of: "just fall in love with whatevery you do, and keep doing it."  

I think that we all get into a rut in the earth life system at times, when we fall into patterns and routines.  The monotony and boredom can mount, no matter what we usually do.  

You say that you try to act more loving and achieve a spiritual balance.  This makes it burdensome in some ways, if the voice inside us tells us to keep trying to be more loving.  When we act out of love spontaneously, then we are most content.  Admittedly, we all have to prod ourselves to do so at times.  

Each moment is real, and the continuity of earth life makes it seem that all the trillions of moments are connected, when that is just our perception.  Our free will allows us to take many different directions to the same situations (and perhaps in different realities we do).  

For me, its a matter of reinventing ourselves.  If we are stuck in a rut; in a job we don't like, a relationship that drains us, we have the free will to change our course - difficult as it may be.  In this sense, we are truly masters of our own destiny, but we must take action.  

John Lennon wrote classic rock and roll music and ballads, and then, decided to get out of the madness after his time with the Beatles.  He wrote in a song: "I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round.  I really love to watch them go.  No longer riding on the merry go round - I just had to let it go."  This was his explanation of why he dropped out of sight for 10 years to raise his son and be a house-husband.

Our priorities change, our manifestation in the earthly world can change too.  It must be an active process - using our good intention to reinvent ourselves.  Then time is not a monotonous mericiless warden, it is irrelevent.  We change hats, change our focus, express love any way we can and find new challenges.

Matthew

Matthew-

Eloquent post.  Somewhere I remember reading that time is not truly measured by the number of years, but by the quality of our lives.  A full life could be achieved by 30, for example, if that time is spent in caring for others and showing compassion for those around us.

I think I sometimes have a similar issue with time, like you have described JustineS, and it can make me very sad and anxious. I think then I'm too much focused on what has been, on points of time of the past, rather than the flow of the present. It's much better when I'm working on something interesting, or when I focus on the "what never changes" (which I don't know exactly what it is, but somehow it's there and soothing), or on the flow, meaning everything is changing, and that way I become more free from the way to think in points of time, cause when I start to think of points of time, then I tend to try to keep them, hold them, and this hurts.

Spooky

It's an interesting problem, time. Perhaps in meditation make a request that things be slowed down for you a little, so that you don't feel so burdened. I don't think there is much of a solution beyond slowing down so that you can see that you don't actually carry the world, it carries you.

Find the sense of 'nesting' in the moment. Like a bird that settles down into this very moment/tree branch.

Resting on the branch, swaying in the breeze of the moment.

People walk too fast, talk too fast, think so many things are important when it's mainly their minds running on and on after the future or the past.

I love my life -- it's like a heavy ball I throw away from myself to make me stronger.

love, blink

All eloquently said.
I like Robert Monroe's method of the REBOL --- Resonante Energy Balloon. : Think of a huge bubble or balloon (with lots of fresh air) surrounding you like a personal force field. You are inside this bubble and "time" doesn't matter. Sometimes I take one deep breath and imagine myself with my REBOL shinning with all rainbow colors; glistening with light rays, protecting my physical.  Then I focus on a color (go online and get the colors of the chakras to help) and I send out that color to what ever negative energy is outside my REBOL.  As angry, upset or rushed with time I may currently feel, I send the color out with PUL and ask for quietness and/or stillness to surround me.

That usually is a quick-fix for me and inevitably "time disappears".
During meditation, time also disappears and I am often astonished that an hour has passed when I "come back" as it seems that I had just closed my eyes.

When I took Tai Chi, we did a series of deep breathing exercises and "blew" out the negitive with different sounds. One was a "Chew" sound like a train. Another was a swissssssh sound. I also do a horse sound,  blowing out the air through my pursed lips.  These are all methods to help "slow time down".  

These are also wonderful exercises for children. Children have bad days just like adults--- we so often forget.

Now take a deep breath, blow it out with a deep sound, and have a wonderful day.  Love Carol Ann

JustineS wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2008 at 6:20pm:

I have heard it said that time does not exist in the sense we think of it here on the Other Side. Now personally, I have kind of a phobia of time. The permanence of impermanence seems so exhausting. Each day feels like a gruelling effort to achieve my spiritual balance of helping others, sharing love, spending time just 'being,' etc. Occasionally I achieve this balance. But then it doesn't matter because I have to wake up and do it all over again. It feels like I live one billion moments each day and the second I am in any of them, they are gone. Sometimes I feel trapped by time. I almost wish I could pick one good day and just live inside it, like Billy Pilgrim moves around inside one lifetime in Slaughterhouse 5. I try to comfort myself by thinking that I am not moving further and further away from every good moment, but that the good moments stay a part of me and I'm just adding to the whole thing. Then I think, I'm content with what I already have, I don't want to keep adding forever. It's almost like the universe can't get enough, it just grows and grows ad nauseum without enough time to even take stock of what it already has. Sorry if this makes NO sense whatsoever. Many look at me like I have three heads when I try to explain that I feel bound by time. But if anyone knows what I mean, or has an interesting perspective on time (either here or on the Other Side), I'd be interested to hear it. People generally have pretty interesting things to say.

Dear Justine
I heard somewhere the statement"Time is necessary so we can experience ONE EVENT AT A TIME" Get it??In the timeless state which is beyond the Earth physical plane a higher part of our soul consciousness is perfectly at home with the experience of NO TIME.It is an integral part of our higher existence.In fact the Earth Plane actually exists as a bubble of time in the timeless.Down here this is what we experience as if it is cosmic reality.It is not I can tell you.I suggest you meditate deeply and ask for an experience of the timeless dimension its the only way you will gain some understanding of your concern.Then you will KNOW!! Then you will find peace.Time and Timeless can be fun because it will give you a knowledge of both.To experience a state of "No Beginning and no Ending always Was and always Will BE"Life Everlasting"In the Timeless All Knowledge is Known.All questions are answered and more than you know to ask.How about that??Meditate on this Justine and peace is sure to come to you.
Finally let me say that the only event that will help you is your own experience of Truth of the Timeless/Time...Our helpful words are only words they like a map its just a map.A map is not the Territory.You need to explore the territory for yourself because when insight comes it is infinitely more valuable than our helpfull suggestions.I speak from experience Justine not words.Words are a guide but will never give you want.
Love Devayan

Greetings Justine,

Nothing here to add to what's wisely been said, except to say you have a wonderful way of explaining!
If words are your thing, then maybe feeding your spirit with words by reading some classics of mystical/afterlife would help refuel you so that you don't lose the flow.

bets

Thankyou all for your inspiring responses. I'm grateful for your words and the light they shed. Communication is so powerful.
Spooky, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's ever felt this way.
Devayan, when you speak of exploring the territory, do you refer to meditation and other general spiritual practice to get more in touch?
Practically, the most difficult thing is that the brain seeks so much stimulation. Rather than sit still and appreciate the view, my brain demands I read a book. I am trying to meditate on what is going on around me, such as the presence of loved ones, to prolong my appreciation for it and cut down on my mind's demands for more stimulation.
While meditating I had a helpful image in my head. If you have read Jonathan Kabatt-Zin you have heard him say that the mind is like an ocean and the point of mindfulness is try to identify with the whole ocean rather than just the random wave cropping up at the moment. I then saw my life as adding little waves each moment that are part of the bigger sea of my life, and I felt safe in this sea.
love to you all