It is my pleasure again, to introduce to you another highly inspirational “Evolving Being in Action“.
This month’s featured evolving being is Chris Edgar of Work Consciously.
Chris is a coach who helps people, especially professionals, find and live their life purpose. But this was not always the case. Chris used to be an attorney. As I came across Chris’ site a few months ago, I realized that Chris has been on a powerful and very transformational personal journey of evolution. I immediately thought to myself, what an interesting story he must have to share with others, of how a person shifts from a fast-paced legal career, to a mindful and peaceful way of living to help others.
Today, Chris’ success is measured by so much more than the rank of his job. Today, Chris has found so much more fulfillment and satisfaction from life. That is why I am thrilled to invite Chris here, to share his story and inspire more people out there, to live the life they truly dream of.
And now, I give the floor to Chris to share with us his story of evolution and inspiration for us all:
What area(s) of your spiritual/emotional life have you decided to change and why?
Earlier in my life, I was basically focused on keeping my life comfortable and familiar. If we think of my experience of living like a radio, it’s as if I was trying to make sure I only listened to a really narrow range of stations-only smooth jazz, for example-and that I never had to listen to rock, classical, R&B or any of the other music out there.
Eventually, I realized there was a part of me that actually longed to try the other stations-even the ones that played music I “didn’t like.” I discovered this when I started taking up mindfulness practices to de-stress from my work as a lawyer. The meditation, yoga and other things I started doing often focused on learning to be with difficult sensations. The best example is yoga, which for me has been about learning to tolerate the feeling of a really intense stretch. It was like tuning the radio to a station with music I hated, and learning to sit with that feeling of really disliking what I heard, without turning it off. Expanding the range of experiences I could be with, I found, was actually kind of exciting.
I also gained a different perspective on the suffering that happened in my life. I used to think certain experiences “made” me suffer-maybe the breakup of a relationship, or someone getting angry at me, and so on. But what I started to see was that no experience can actually “make” me suffer-it’s actually my resistance to the experience that creates the suffering. So when I feel sad, it’s not the sadness itself that creates suffering-it’s my belief that I “shouldn’t” feel sad, or that radio station WSAD is no good.
What strategies have you implemented to change, who inspired you, person or organization, book, etc.?
Until a few years ago, I was an attorney, doing litigation work for corporate clients. That path in life grew out of what I talked about earlier-the desire to keep my experience within a narrow band. I was pretty much addicted to people telling me I’d done a good job, and because law was something I was naturally talented at, it gave me an opportunity to get a regular “fix.”
Like I said earlier, I got into mindfulness practices to ease the stress and anxiety of my job. I began using forms of meditation, movement and conscious breathing in real time, as I sat at my desk, to keep myself focused. What I started to find, as I got deeper into these practices, was that situations at work that used to really throw me were becoming easier to tolerate. I started getting more creative and productive at work, and actually having fun doing my job.
After several years of exploring these practices, I began to realize how much others in stressful work situations could benefit from learning these techniques. I noticed that, while there are a lot of books and other products about spirituality, and many books about business, it’s rare for someone to write and teach about bringing spiritual practice into the business context. Seeing that I could offer a lot of value by playing this role, I finally left the legal profession and became an author, speaker and personal coach with the goal of teaching this material.
There’s definitely a long list of teachers and authors I’ve found influential and inspiring. Some of the biggest examples are A.H. Almaas, Michael Brown, Peter Levine, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Richard Moss, Osho, Marshall Rosenberg, Hal and Sidra Stone, Eckhart Tolle, Ken Wilber and Stephen Wolinsky. As far as “in-person” mentors, I did a year-long training with the leaders of a transformational workshop called the Arete Experience in San Francisco, California, and they remain an amazing source of support in my work and life.
How have the changes benefited your overall life happiness up to this point?
I’ve felt so honored by the opportunity to work with people, whether in a one-on-one or group situation, and to have them share with me their desires, challenges and deepest truth. There’s something about having an interaction with another person where we’re being completely open and honest with each other that warms my heart. And now I get to do it for a living!
I’m also very grateful for the opportunity to write whatever I want, without having to worry about losing my job. While I was working as a lawyer, I built up a lot of creative energy that I didn’t really have an outlet for. When I left my law firm, I had so much of that energy that I wrote something like ten articles on my first day of exploring blogging, and I feel like I’ve still got that kind of momentum in my work today.
What are the next steps or goals in your life as an evolving being?
I’ll be publishing a book in September 2009 called Inner Productivity: A Mindful Path to Efficiency and Enjoyment in Your Work. I’ve released e-books before, but it’s been a dream for me since I was a kid to create a full-length, hard-copy book, so I’m definitely excited. For a while after that, I’ll be deeply involved in letting the world know what the book has to offer, and this will mean a lot more opportunities to communicate with people about and support them around their goals and challenges.
What message do you have for others who are struggling or embarking on a similar journey?
No matter how amazing your life becomes, you’ll still probably have moments when you feel sad or frustrated, and no technique for making yourself happy seems to perk you up. In these moments, I invite you to take a moment and notice the sensations you’re feeling in your body.
What sensations are coming up that let you know you’re feeling sad, angry, or whatever other “negative emotion” is arising for you? For instance, perhaps you’ll notice that “sadness” for you means a tension in your shoulders, or a sinking feeling in your solar plexus. In other words, “sadness” is a label you’ve been putting on a group of feelings in your body.
Now, if you notice a specific place in your body where the feelings are arising, take a few breaths into that place. What I mean is to focus your attention on the area where you feel a lot of sensation, and breathe so that part of your body rises and falls with the movement of the breath. Notice, as you breathe into the place that’s full of roiling energy, that the energy starts to move-that the area of your body you’re focused on relaxes a little, and the sensations start to change.
The point of this exercise is to see that emotions are really just currents of energy that move through our bodies from time to time, and we don’t have to fight or run from them. When you have this realization, moving forward in and staying focused on what you’re doing, whatever you might be feeling, becomes much easier. We might say this is about learning to appreciate more radio stations, like I talked about earlier, than you may have before.
20 Comments to “Evolving Being In Action: Chris Edgar”
Oh I love Chris’s site and his writing, and this interview was fantastic. Thank you for sharing it!
Chris, good luck with your book – it has a winning title and winning author. You can only succeed!
The radio station analogy was great, especially as you applied it to yoga and/or any other unpleasant situation. Sitting with things gives us a chance to recognize the transience in all of life. I had a similar (eye-opening) experience two months ago where I finally broke free from my conditioned mind, which used to have me jumping up to put a stop to unpleasant sensations right away. I never dreamed I could sit through them dissipate or change on their own.
I loved reading this! A great way to begin Tuesday for me.
@ CHRIS – A big, warm thank you again to you Chris for sharing your story here on Evolving Beings!
I have no doubt it will serve as an inspirational post for many, who are looking for ways to find more meaning in their life and attain more balance.
I personally really resonated with your story, as I just left the “career” world and am now working on my own. So every little bit of help, wisdom and experience from others who have “been there” makes a big difference.
Thank you again Chris!
@ MEGAN – Thank you so much for stopping by and reading Chris’ story :) It is amazing indeed what changes result within us, when we allow instead of resist, whether it be emotions, thoughts, etc. When we become “one” with our thoughts and emotions, we began to transform in that we “own” these things, instead of being scared of them perhaps, or being controlled by them in any way. We acknowledge what is, and then adjust accordingly to what we want as the results.
Chris, it’s wonderful to be able to know you better. Thanks for sharing your insights.
It’s funny; that whole “no one can make you” thing is like a mantra in my head; I’m remembering my dad telling me this over and over when I was a kid. It’s not until middle adulthood when I finally truly understood what he meant. Why’d it take so long?! I love, just love, how you brought the mindfulness into this, and yoga is such a perfect example. It wasn’t until I began practicing that I truly understood its incredible value. It really does teach us so much about living our daily lives.
Congratulations on your book! What a wonderful achievement for you!! I wish you all success. :)
Hi Evita — I’m honored to be featured on this site, and I hope this interview offers some inspiration to people in their own journeys. Happy birthday to the Evolving Scenes blog, by the way!
Hi Megan — thanks for your comment and I’ve really enjoyed talking with you over the past few months. I think breaking free from the conditioned mind is a good way to put what I’m really after, in the guise of writing about productivity. :) It sounds like it was a powerful and liberating experience for you.
Hi Julie — yes, I think that’s when yoga really becomes valuable — when it starts to change our relationship with how we experience daily life, as opposed to just being a bunch of weird stretches. :)
I love the interview and Chris’s closing words!
Chris, good luck with your book – it sounds marvelous. It’s really all about letting go of the conditioned mind.
Our goals and paths are similar. I’ll check out your site! Thanks!
Thanks Kaushik — I’ve definitely appreciated your material as well and I hope you enjoy the site.
Hi Chris and Evita!
This was awesomely interesting and I feel quite a thrill for Chris.
(Er, I think that is the first time I used, “awesomely interesting…” in a comment – but you deserved it!)
I’m loving that you’re living your dream; it flows through your web presence.
You’re on fire! ;)
I will look forward to checking out your book this month.
All My Best!
Thanks Lori — I’ve enjoyed discovering your site recently. I do feel that way about my work right now and I’m glad the enthusiasm is contagious.
Chris,
I so excited for you and your new book. If you’d like for me to put something on my blog about it I would love to do that for you. The exercise you tell us about at the end is something I used in counseling with my clients. It’s amazing how fear disipates when we allow ourselves to experience our feelings.
And getting out of the corporate world is like freeing your soul. Congratulations!
Thanks Tess — I’ll definitely send you a copy and I’m looking forward to your feedback.
Hi Chris and Evita,
I really enjoyed reading this piece and getting to know more about you, Chris. I know you have mentioned at various blogs how you were a lawyer and it was nice to read more about your journey. I can relate to some of it. My spiritual journey began in earnest when I was in law school. So it is always nice to meet another lawyer who saw the “Light”. :)
Congratulations, too, on the upcoming book. I look forward to reading it. Do you have a release date yet?
And Evita, thank you for featuring such amazing people.
Evita — I was so excited to read this interview with Chris. He’s one of my favorites. So, thank you for letting him tell us more about his life:~)
Chris — I learned a lot more about you in this interview. Congratulations about the book — it sounds perfect for you and I’m sure it will be a smashing success! I was also interested to see that you follow Osho. I have enjoyed many of his writings.
Isn’t it amazing how we start at one place and end up at such a different one. Spiritual evolution is such a wonderful process. Thanks for sharing yours in this interview:~)
@ KAUSHIK – Hi and thanks so much for stopping by! Indeed Chris’ closing words are very valuable! The part I loved the most is how our emotions play such a major role in our life. Of course we have the choice always whether to tune into them and learn what they are trying to tell us, or the choice of tuning them out.
@ LORI – Hi Lori and it is a pleasure to have you here to share in Chris’ story!
@ TESS – Hi Tess and great to see you here :) I am glad you enjoyed Chris’ story and I can’t wait to read his book as well!
@ NADIA – Hello Nadia and it is really my pleasure to know all these amazing beings, if only on a small scale, and be able to learn from them, with them, and as well share their stories with others. Thanks for coming over and appreciating their journeys :)
@ SARA – Hi Sara, and how awesome to hear that! And it was truly all my pleasure not only to feature his story, but to be able to get to know him and his journey better as well!
Chris,
A big congratulations on your upcoming book – that’s so exciting! And, that you’ve evolved to today where you are doing this work that is meaningful to you, that’s so empowering – for you, I’m sure. Also, though, for those who witness this, see what you’re doing, and how you connect to that – and just how “good” meaningful is.
Great to learn more about you and your journey, Chris!
@ Nadia — law school isn’t the easiest place to begin your spiritual journey, I imagine — that must have taken some commitment! The book should be available on Amazon this month — I’ll let you know when I have a clear date.
@ Sara — thanks for the appreciation and I look forward to sharing the book with you.
@ Lance — thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed reading about my journey — I definitely hope what I’m doing inspires people around what’s possible in their work.
@ LANCE – Fantastic Lance that you had a chance to read Chris’ story! I love how we can all be a part of each other’s journeys, learn more about one another, life, and of course ourselves because of all of this, along the way :)
Chris, I really enjoyed reading about you and all the great information on your site. I plan to visit more often, as soon as I catch up with life here at home. I think with the kids back in school things should get a little easier, one would hope. Anyway, so far I’ve read several of your articles and I’m glad I did. So much to learn. Thank you so much Evita for bringing such fantastic people into our lives.
Thanks SpinDiva — it’s good to meet you and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the articles.
Thanks for sharing glimpses into this stage of your life journey. It is encouraging to others to realize that bumps in the road are only temporary and the learning curve is perpetual. Your uplifting outlook is inspiring!
Thanks for the appreciation Liara — yes, the time I spent as a lawyer was such an important contribution to what I’m doing today, and I think it does show that everything is ultimately a learning experience.
By the way, I wanted to let you all know I’ve released the book — I’ve created a new site for it (along with my brother the web design guru) at http://www.innerproductivity.com where I’ve posted, among other things, some informative and amusing video clips and interviews.