After a brief expression of crankiness, a friend indicated I may be experiencing "divine discontent"...a restlessness, perhaps creativity stirring within, a feeling of something bottled up and not being released, an undercurrent of creativity wanting an outlet.
The phrase spoke to me, and I wrote it down. With Google, I found a number of entries on the phrase.
On a blog, “Divine Discontent,” by Lisa A. Riley, she quoted Deepak Chopra: “Discover your own discontent, and be grateful, for without divine discontent there would be no creative force.”
She noted that religions and philosophies recognize the gift of Divine Discontent as a fountain of energy, which prompts us to grow and strive toward our full potential, to achieve a major breakthrough. Even after producing a creative work, we may feel a sense of lack and be driven to birth yet another new and important idea. If we welcome the presence of Divine Discontent we can allow it to be the incentive that drives us towards our creative potential.
By working with our divine discontent, we can tap into a productive source of energy instead of sinking into boredom or unhappiness.
As Thomas Edison said, “Discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.”
Years ago, when I was 24, a childhood friend my own age, with several children already, said to me: “Well, Mary Beth, you have one good year left.” So basically, life was over at 25? At the time, my divine discontent led me to join the Foreign Service, and I was off to Brussels, Belgium for great adventures.
That was 50 good years ago. It seems amazing that I’ve lived through so much of 20th century human history...World War II, Korean War, assassination of John F. Kennedy, the beginnings of television, computers, cell phones...all ubiquitous in today’s world. Marriage, children, widowhood, grandchildren, working life, ministry and more.
Lately, I’ve been questioning my life since my husband transitioned over four years ago. The divine discontent is arising as crankiness, boredom, and a still unfocused need for reinvention. So I’m observing...where do I put my energies with the greatest enthusiasm? Where, when and how do I feel most alive?
This summer I went to camp with my daughter and grandchildren...to Cazadero Family Performing Arts Camp, in the heart of the redwoods. By the end of the week I felt fabulous...was it the fresh air, the lack of cell phone towers and emfs, the camaraderie and creative expression? My focus was documenting the experience; I created a photo book, "Welcome to Cazadero" as a legacy project for my family. They love it.
Last weekend I drove to Pismo Beach to meet my son who drove down from Monterey, and we enjoyed a lovely weekend. Thursday I went with a friend to Santa Barbara to enjoy and photograph butterflies at the Natural History Museum. Again, the beauty of the surroundings...the ocean especially, was energizing and invigorating.
I definitely feel better when I am engaged in creative expression....for me, photography, and enjoying nature and camaraderie with others.
Sometimes divine discontent can challenge us to look at our Spiritual life, our own connection to the Divine within. We can listen to our own heart for answers of who to be, where to go, what to do next. We have the answers; we are never farther from happiness, peace, creativity and fulfillment than from our own inner being, our own intuition.
I’m seeing my divine discontent as a normal quality of being human, and know it is part of the creative process that fuels achievement and healthy change. My discontent opens a channel to receive God’s ideas through me, for me, as me.
As Theosophical Society leader Gottfried de Purucker wrote in The Esoteric Tradition:
"Everything grows and yearns to grow greater, to become grander, to rise, to advance, to evolve, and the objective is to become at-one self-consciously with the Boundless — something which never can be reached! Therein is infinite beauty, for there is no final ending for growth in beauty and splendor and wisdom and love and power. The Boundless Universe is our home."
So today, ask yourself? Am I bored, or restless, or discontented? What divine idea is waiting to be expressed through me?
And so it is.
