Get on Board the Inspiration Train

Sometimes, between 3 and 4 am, as I lie in the receptive zone of creation between waking and sleeping, I receive an inspired idea in the form of an image. This morning, the image was a train engine. A train engine is symbolic of a powerful inspired thought or idea that drives a train of thought such as this flow or a sequence of hypotheses, theorems, and equations that leads to a provable theory like relativity or a political ideology or religious philosophy that guides the lives of millions. It is the mission statement of a business or nonprofit that drives every important decision.

What is the engine that drives your train of thought? What is the key inspired and inspiring idea that gives your life purpose? It could be several. At home, it could be the idea of being a loving and wise parent. At work, it could be being a productive employee. In your leisure time or retirement, it could be the vision of reestablishing the garden of Eden.

The thing is to latch onto an engine and do something and not sit still in idle thought or obsess over conflicting thoughts and go back and forth with them like a train that's blocking traffic on a road. You could have more than one engine, but they have to pull in unison. If one engine pulls in one direction but the other pulls in the opposite direction, as in a conflict between family and job commitments, you won't get anywhere. Similarly, if one or more of the cars, following thoughts, has its brakes on and resists the pull of the inspired idea, that will cause a lot of friction.

Once a train gets up to speed, it gathers momentum and become unstoppable. This is a good habit that was begun with an inspiration. For example, last weekend, I was inspired to begin fasting every Sunday. That led to a train of thought about the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of fasting, which led to my fasting for 36 hours. This train of thought and action will continue to gather momentum and become a lifelong habit.

So latch onto your engine, get on board your inspiration train, and get back on track to your destiny.