There are as many ways to avoid what we do not want to do as there are people. The examples that come to mind the quickest are the enjoyable time wasters like social media, online games, TV and movies, or various hobbies we drop into so we can tune out. Then there are the more virtuous avoidance avenues such as housework (method of choice for writers and those who work from home), DIY projects, and yard maintenance/gardening. Moving on from there are the things we seem to absolutely have to do which, like sponges, expand to take up our entire day. Things like errands and transporting friends/children/significant others from here to there and “getting things done” so that the household can function.
Which brings us to the most virtuous of all avoidance techniques, the career. There is nothing that shines brighter or glows more richly than the person that sacrifices everything to make a business go, who puts in 60-90 hours a week to be successful at their job, who has found their passion and sets everything else aside so they can indulge their talents and desires in order to make the world a better place. This particular method is such a double bind for everyone involved because the product, what is created through these endeavors is most often positive. These methods create jobs, bring about change, help and support people in need, and make the world a better place inspiring others to step up as well.
In all of these the issue is not in what is done, but what is not done. Needing to tune out after a hard day is healthy. Tuning out because we don’t want to feel our feelings, take responsibility for our actions, confront a difficult situation, or acknowledge a reality happening around us is using our ability to manifest, create and be in the world to form the Avoidance Engine. This engine generates a need for us to attend to it rather than what we wish to avoid taking the responsibility for choosing away from us. The Avoidance Engine needs us more, is positive, creating happiness, doing no harm, and helps us to be a good person doing good things in the world. And it’s loud enough to drown out the requests, protests, and demands of everyone around us. It’s loud enough to keep us from hearing anything, even our own soul’s voice…at least for a while. The question is, what happens when the Avoidance Engine runs out of fuel, gets shut off by circumstances, breaks down and we’re left standing in the ringing silence? The soul is patient. It will still be there waiting…