2020-01-08 Amy Jo Martin

Amy Jo Martin of the "Why Not Now" podcast and Byron Katie discuss the power of listening to the voice inside, the voice that provides simple direction in each moment for living a peaceful life. bk describes how we can get still and become aware of the thoughts in our minds that would talk us out of doing the simplest thing.
Amy Jo: The name of the show is "Why Not Now," and so the first question out of the gate is, Can you tell me about a time when you had a big decision to make, and you asked yourself, “Why not now?”
bk: It was a direction within me, and I didn't notice so much the direction being offered up, as it was so silent, and yet I did notice the excuses that were so obviously there to stop me, to hold me back, to keep me from moving forward. And the situation actually was, I woke up one morning, and I had the thought to brush my teeth. And I was so comfortable and relaxed in bed and I felt the direction as innocent, even benevolent, it was not as though an enemy was coming at me like I “had” to brush my teeth. It was a simple direction. I was being directed. And if I’m at war with something as simple and helpful as an inner direction such as “Brush your teeth,” it's easy to see why it is difficult to focus on my life's purpose.
So, the direction was just this simple, this gentle--the voice that offers up the "Brush your teeth" option. And then I experienced this onslaught of thoughts: "Not now." "I'm so comfortable here." "I'll do it later." And "It's okay if I put it off just for now." Then the mind spins into other topics, like "Why do I have to get up?" etc. Those thoughts can be so powerful, and yet I followed the voice that said, "Brush your teeth." What success am I in the world if I can't yet follow the gift of such wise inner direction? What good am I in the world if I can't just do such a simple thing? But it wasn't such a simple thing for me at that time. This may sound a little strange, but it was so difficult for me to get to the bathroom that I had to crawl along the floor. But I knew I'd do anything for that voice.
Amy Jo: For those of us who are trying to turn up the volume on the directives, "Brush your teeth," what is your first piece of advice? How do we turn that volume up?
bk: Get really still. We don't necessarily need to turn the volume up. It's a matter of just listening and becoming aware of the thoughts running through your head that are talking you out of doing the simplest constructive thing. Once we understand the cause of war-the internal war that keeps us from doing what we know to do--the cure for it is simple. Let’s say I come home, walk into the kitchen and see dirty dishes strewn about the kitchen. Familiar thoughts might be: "I'm too tired to do them right now.” "It’s not fair. They aren’t my dishes.” "I was the one who did them last.” "People take advantage of me.” We can identify those thoughts. Just write them down. Bring those thoughts that are running our lives into the world, into the light of day: on paper, where they belong. And then question them one by one with the powerful questions of The Work. Is it true? Is it true that I'm too tired to do the dishes? Write these stressful thoughts down, question them, and turn them around to their opposites. Inquiry is one very powerful way to understand exactly the answer to, “Why not now” and how we can finally move forward in our lives effortlessly.
Thank you, Amy Jo
amyjomartin.com and the "Why Not Now" Podcast.
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