5 Human Capacities
Lesson 4
Use Your Discernment — To Act or Not Act
You've learned to listen to your physical body, your feelings, and your connection with others. What do you do with all that information?
This is where another human dimension—discernment—comes in. In a best world, we would all make all our decisions from here. With our feelings and interconnectedness digesting inside our bellies, we would know, from a place of what you might call emptiness, exactly what to do. It is called the E dimension, pronounced as "eh."
Why not try it now, in our imperfect world? Now, in the middle of a pandemic? We can know what is called for. We can know how to act. We can feel and choose. Such a choosing goes beyond simple desires, beyond the multitude of ideas. In a CurrentSee, we talked about it as a pause, the space between stimulus and response.
Discernment is a magnificent human dimension. We close our eyes and feel, and, if we're willing to go beyond the competing desires and ideas churning within us, we can sense what's called for. A phone call, a rest, a reaching out, a drawing in. The ability to discern goes beyond thinking. It goes beyond the stories we tell ourselves. It's a certainty. And you have it.
To get to it, first tap into U dimension. Once there, feel in A dimension, searching A for a clear feeling. Then let yourself enter the emptiness of E dimension. It's the place from which to act. Do you advance or do you yield? You'll know what to do.
Want to feel the E dimension through its sound? Close your eyes and, with spine straight, drop your attention to your belly. Start with your teeth touching and your lips opened sideways toward your ears. Then, for the E sound, open your mouth, with your lips still spread wide. Say "eh" with your full voice for as long as is comfortable within a single breath. Do not let the sound continue for a very long time, as in a mantra. At the end of the sound, again touch your teeth together.
Repeat this method for the sound of "We." Notice how you feel after each sound. Where do you feel the sound in your body?
This week, see how often you can access your E-We dimension in your daily activities. Try it for deciding what to have for breakfast, which street to drive on, or when it's time to leave the grocery store. Pause, breathe to your belly, and allow the "answer" to come in.