Finding Balance in turbulance
Warmth. I miss it. Did you all here in Wisconsin fail to get the memo of Spring? Come on you all.... think SPRING! Think of blooming flowers and green grass and trees. Think of the leaves starting to bud and flower out. The breeze blowing through the trees, making a slight howl with the temperature at a balmly high 60’s, low 70’s. That is what I picutred when returning to Wisconsin, however, it is not what any of us see.
I recently told one of my coworkers that I am imaging the snow falling as the white sand and that mother nature is just being hormonal throwing it around. I am still holding the sunshine and warmth inside and letting it shine for others to bask in.
I am trying to find my balance again after having such peaceful days among the palm trees. Closing my eyes I see them swaying in the wind, hearing the rustling of the frawns, witnessing the green glisten with the rays of the sun bouncing off. They find balance. They have to, structurally. For most palm trees, depending on the type, the root system only goes down 36 inches and no deeper. They are a fibous root system, which means multiple narrow roots extend outward and not in a downward fashion, like the taproot.
So, if you are thinking about the root system of a palm tree and how tall they can get, don’t you wonder how it is that they stay upright? It’s called balance. They have, what is called a root ball, which is held firmly in the soil and where the more superficial roots sprout from. That is their base. This reminds me of the neurons in our brain, sprouting off dendrites, which receive the billions of billions of synapses that travel through. Much like how the water is absorbed by all the small, narrow roots metioned before and travel to the root ball and so on and so forth.
We should all take that into consideration when living our own lives. So many times it feels as if on the surface we are just holding on and so much is being received it gets to be overwhelming. In that moment just take a breath, regain your balance. Go and look from a different perspective. All of the information that we are receiving doesn’t have to be handled all at once. We get to decide what we choose to tackle. The breath will help to slow you down to find that balance. As to quote my last column, “To take a full breath is also to find balance in yourself.”
So, I am breathing. I am gaining a new perspective on this crummy, cold, windy weather and keep my knowledge that soon warmth will be here. Patience is a virtue. The sun is peaking out every once in a while and actually is starting to feel warm. The stars have been brighter in the night sky. The days seem to gain daylight, which always causes me to smile. I find myself outside more, removing my socks and shoes to feel the melting of the earth. Koda, my dog, is wanting to go outside more and more to just sniff. The two cats are eyeing up the squirrels, birds and rabbits that grace our yard.
I am letting myself live more in the moment and finding my balance with the many different types of breathing exercises: alternate nostril breathing, Wim Hoff technique, lions breath, etc. Life seems to be more full of color, spice and everything nice.
“In the Bhagavad Gita they say, “The mind under control is your best friend, the mind wandering about is your worst enemy.” Make it your best friend, to the point where you can rely on it. Your mind makes you strong from within. It is your wise companion. The sacrifices you make will be rewarded. Life doesn’t change, but your perception does. It’s all about what you focus on. Withdraw from the world’s influence and no longer be controlled by your emotions. If you can grab the wheel of your mind, you can steer the direction of where your life will go.” - Wim Hoff, Becoming the IceMan
SEEKING
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ONDER
SAMANTHA Y OCIUS PHOTO-TECH