Comfort can be a trap. It’s not because we’re comfortable with things that they’re necessarily good for us. One may get used to a shoe that rubs the foot or a bad smell, but that doesn’t make it good or right.  When we’re truly dedicated to pursuing a spiritual life the universe conspires to accelerate our growth. Often this means being prepared for big changes that move us out of our comfort zone. Seeking comfort and security can be a trap. We opt for the decisions that appear safe rather than the ones that are right for us. Staying with a mate for financial reasons, holding onto to costly possessions, sticking to habits that may be detrimental, but are familiar,  are a few of of the comfort traps. 

A dream summed up comfort for me. In the dream I walk into my apartment with a light-filled guide – a higher, wiser part of myself. We’re standing at the top of some stairs looking into it. The room is a mess. It’s drab, dark and dingy. Chairs are overturned and papers are strewn about. Later I return with the guide who shows me the same place only this time it is perfectly clean and tidy. A round table stands in the center with a crystal vase full of roses. Light streams in from above. The chairs are set up as if waiting for a symphony to come in. It’s a beautiful makeover. I turn to the guide and say, “I liked it better the other way.” When I awoke, I had an ah-ha moment. I didn’t really like it the other way, I just felt comfortable with the mess. The mess had become a habit. The dream represented my inner life and the new, clean space represented the transformations coming through meditation and inner work.

Dare to explore the areas of your life that have become comfort zones and examine what’s really good for you. Look at where it will be helpful to move into new, unexplored territory. Sometimes we stay in relationships and jobs out of comfort though they may be stifling us. Even birds that learn to fly have to make a leap of faith the first time.

Bio: Debra Moffitt is author of Awake in the World: 108 Practices to Live a Divinely Inspired Life. A visionary and teacher, she’s devoted to nurturing the spiritual in everyday life. She leads workshops on spiritual practices at the Sophia Institute and other venues in the U.S. and Europe. Her mind/body/spirit articles, essays and stories appear in publications around the globe and were broadcast by BBC World Services Radio. She has spent over fifteen years practicing meditation, working with dreams and doing spiritual practices. Visit her online at http://www.awakeintheworld.com.