| I live in the middle of the Great Smokey | | | | adequately refers, is to FEEL that emotion. |
| Mountains, just minutes from the Blue Ridge | | | | ALLOW it to rest inside my chest, inside my gut, |
| Parkway. Needless to say, the area that | | | | and give it space to run it's course. Yes, every |
| surrounds me is known for its unique beauty, | | | | time I do this, a part of me does not want to |
| peaceful breeze, and calming stillness. Having the | | | | experience the accompanying pain, anger, |
| fortunate opportunity to spend my days amongst | | | | sadness, __________ (you fill in the blank). |
| the quietness that nature affords, my churning | | | | However, by resisting the sensation, I only create |
| thoughts, ironically, have become louder (no longer | | | | more suffering, more repression, more chaos and |
| hidden under the distraction of city nightlife, | | | | confusion in the long run. This is a practice. It is an |
| surface-scratched relationships, and media | | | | allowing of "letting go", of "not controlling the |
| outpourings.) | | | | situation", of surrendering to the universal flow |
| This can be at times so very annoying. The | | | | that is. What does it look like? Well, I sit quietly, I |
| sounds of judgment, negativity, and chaos circle | | | | direct my focus to my body. |
| their way in and out of not only the collective | | | | I feel the emotions and allow them to flow |
| mind, but this individual mind as well. Oh, when | | | | without judgment, without naming anything... |
| solace is all around me, my search leads me to | | | | simply noticing HOW the sensation feels. And |
| one conclusion: I must accept these aspects of | | | | oddly enough, with this process, the "unwanted" |
| the human being before nature's solitude reflects | | | | emotion dissipates - on its own. It's as if I am a |
| fully within myself. | | | | nurturing mother, who is allowing the child to be |
| So, what's the magic word, what's the quick | | | | as she must in that moment, without telling her, |
| exercise I can practice, so with the snap of my | | | | "Stop that! Be this way instead. It's better." No. |
| fingers peace is felt? Friends, if I could give you | | | | That doesn't work. I must allow her, I must allow |
| "Abracadabra" as the ultimate remedy - I so | | | | myself, to simply be. |
| would. But, that simply isn't the terrain of my | | | | Accept that part of me as it is, and give it |
| journey. Instead, I find that I must sit with these | | | | attention, loving attention, the best way I know |
| negative thoughts of the mind that invoke stress | | | | how. Peace is not accomplished through force, or |
| and tension within the body. Rather than dwelling | | | | by mimicking an outward perception. Peace is only |
| on the thought and attempting to find an answer | | | | experienced when we surrender to the universal |
| through logic and deductions of reasoning, I have | | | | flow within. Through non-judgment and allowance, |
| determined that the best way for me to deal | | | | of self and others, peace on earth, and peace |
| with these "waves of mutilation", as Superdrag so | | | | within, is a true possibility. |
