Equilibrium Revisited

The Summer holiday is over and we're at that in between season where the weather is still mostly fine.  In the Pacific North West we have misty mornings and mellow sunshine afternoons, with spectacular sunsets.

Let's take a moment to reflect.  I invite you to take a breath with me and  bring your awareness into your body. 

What is the very first thing you notice? 

Is it a sensation, or a pain, or an emotion?  Or are you deeply relaxed?

Acknowledge what you're feeling and then take a deep, full, relaxed breath.

So how was your Summer?  Was it restful?  Was it busy?  Did you have some fun?  Take a few moments to breath in the scents and memories of what Summer means to you.

And now come fully into the present moment.  How does that feel?  What sensations are you feeling in your body, when your awareness is fully in this present moment?  Is it different than when you were reflecting upon your memory of Summer?  And if so, in what way?

That short exercise was meant to bring you into an awareness of your Experience of Yourself.  How did you do?  Did you get any insights?  Were you made aware of anything you may not have been noticing?  If nothing else, you just meditated for a few minutes…and that in itself is very rejuvenating.

During this Season consider taking the opportunity to realign yourself.  To come into balance and find center.  Equilibrium.  Stability.

In Chinese Medicine, the Summer season is affiliated with the Fire Element and the Earth Element is aligned with this in-between season.  The season known as Late Summer.  This season of harvest, and abundance.  Still productive. Not quite Autumn.  This allows the opportunity to Earth the energy of the Fire Element, storing it to see you through the colder seasons.

This is a great time to align yourself seasonally with the Earth, and follow Her example as She comes into balance.  To Ground the Creative Fire Energy and bring it to Earth within yourself.  So you may be productive and create a state of balance and stability within yourself.

In that state of Balance you have clarity.  You have breathing space.  You have deep reserves from which to draw upon.  There you will find wisdom and peace.

Enjoy Your Quest. 

Being Your Own Hero

Sometimes the unexpected happens and we are given the opportunity to observe our responses to unusual circumstances.  If we pay attention to how we operate in times of trauma, we can gain some insight.

It was shortly after 7 pm when I looked out the window and noticed that it was starting to get dark.  It had been raining all day long, and the light was fading faster than usual.

My hens always put themselves to roost in the hen house at the end of the day, and all I have to do is close the door, so I went out to do that, calling over my shoulder to my husband, Mike that I was going out to "tuck the girls in."

I had secured the door and was on my way back to the house.  The ground was saturated and really slippery and the shoes I use for "chicken herding" are old and don't have much tread left.

I took a step, and felt a wrench as my foot slipped out from under me and I hit the ground.

Agony!  My knee?  I decided not to analyze it.

I lay on the ground in the pouring rain, and tried to call to Mike.  In about a minute I realized that I was not going to be heard.  I made a tentative effort to stand.  Which was unsuccessful.  

My inner hero woke up and I realized I would have to help myself in this situation.

I'm an energy worker.  So that's what I did.  I’ve been trained in the BodyTalk System, which teaches a technique called "Fast-Aid" designed for emergency situations.  So I started out with a brain balance, and the first thing I realized, is that my inner dialogue, in other words, my thoughts did not want to calm down.  So at first it was hard to find my focus.  I just persisted with it, and was able to get into the routine of the technique.  With this technique, I was able to calm down, and actually take steps to help myself.

My next priority was to get to shelter.  It was dark, and I was getting drenched.  I tried calling Mike once more.  Nothing.  So the next step was to send out a beacon.

What do I mean by that?  Bodies are senders and receivers, much like a broadcast system.  We all have this technology if you will, built right in.

I could see one of my cats watching me from the window, so I asked her to get "Daddy" and I was also sending Mike a message to come find me.  (Afterwards Mike told me that my cat had started meowing persistently at the door and wouldn't stop until he got up to open the door.  Once he opened the door, I was able to get his attention.)

But in the meantime, I continued to help myself.  I probed my leg with my fingers, and realized there was no detectable swelling, and there was nothing out of place.  It wasn't hurting unless I moved it wrong or tried to put weight on it.  So I started scooting myself along the ground, keeping my injured leg in the air, trying not to think about all the chicken poo I was coming into contact with.

Before I had gone very far, I heard the door open and called to Mike, who helped me stand and then supported me as I hopped on one leg into the house.

After I got cleaned up and settled in on the sofa for the night, I did a healing session on myself, where I heard a small pop, and felt something shift gently.  I still couldn't walk on it, but I felt really good.  Happy, blissful, and like I was healing.

In the morning I woke around 4 am.  I still couldn't walk, but did another session and slept until 7 am.  

I was able to get up and walk unsupported, (but carefully) and without pain within 12 hours of the injury.  All of the other aches and pains which had threatened to manifest shortly after my fall (like back, neck and hips), never amounted to anything.

I learned some things about myself from this experience.  The first thing being that when confronted with the possibility that I might have to make a trip to the emergency room, my reaction was basically "Oh, hell no!"  Which was good, because it got me from traumatized victim to able bodied Hero (though slightly dented).

I also learned that I could rely on my own tools to stimulate my body to begin healing on a fast track, and that I could even use my mind to call for assistance from my husband and that he would somehow get the message.

Mostly I learned that I get to choose how I will respond to circumstances creatively in order to change  my experience. 

Equilibrium

The Summer holiday is over and we're at that in between season where the weather is still mostly fine.  In the Pacific North West we have misty mornings and mellow sunshine afternoons, with spectacular sunsets.

Let's take a moment to reflect.  I invite you to take a breath with me and  bring your awareness into your body. 

What is the very first thing you notice? 

Is it a sensation, or a pain, or an emotion?  Or are you deeply relaxed?

Acknowledge what you're feeling and then take a deep, full, relaxed breath.

So how was your Summer?  Was it restful?  Was it busy?  Did you have some fun?  Take a few moments to breath in the scents and memories of what Summer means to you.

And now come fully into the present moment.  How does that feel?  What sensations are you feeling in your body, when your awareness is fully in this present moment?  Is it different than when you were reflecting upon your memory of Summer?  And if so, in what way?

That short exercise was meant to bring you into an awareness of your Experience of Yourself.  How did you do?  Did you get any insights?  Were you made aware of anything you may not have been noticing?  If nothing else, you just meditated for a few minutes…and that in itself is very rejuvenating.

During this Season consider taking the opportunity to realign yourself.  To come into balance and find center.  Equilibrium.  Stability.

In Chinese Medicine, the Summer season is affiliated with the Fire Element and the Earth Element is aligned with this in-between season.  The season known as Late Summer.  This season of harvest, and abundance.  Still productive. Not quite Autumn.  This allows the opportunity to Earth the energy of the Fire Element, storing it to see you through the colder seasons.

This is a great time to align yourself seasonally with the Earth, and follow Her example as She comes into balance.  To Ground the Creative Fire Energy and bring it to Earth within yourself.  So you may be productive and create a state of balance and stability within yourself.

In that state of Balance you have clarity.  You have breathing space.  You have deep reserves from which to draw upon.  There you will find wisdom and peace.

Enjoy Your Quest.