What Was That and Where Did It Go?
The ups and downs of the spiritual journey
Hey there! Thanks for dropping by. I appreciate that you’re taking the time to read this article. I’ll endeavor to keep it real. I know there’s a ton of great content out there and believe that my greatest contribution is sharing about my unique experiences, flavored by the wisdom of the teachings I’ve digested and metabolized. If that sounds appealing, pull up a chair and let’s dive in…
After a rather intensely hot spell, we’re having a beautiful day here. (LOL, I wrote this over a week ago and we’re back in another intensely hot spell, so it amuses me to read that sentence.)
I set out to the woods for my soul food infusion and was met by the cacophony of summer camp for wild children. It seems to involve Nerf bats, aka weapons, and a lot of yelling and running around. I suspect this whole gang is teetering on the brink of full Lord of the Flies mode. Hopefully they are being well fed because I shudder to think of what will happen if they get hangry. 😳
(That’s somewhat relevant as I don’t want to paint a picture of having the perfect environment for transcendent experiences. I don’t think there IS a perfect environment other than the one we’re in at any given moment. I do my best with the situations that present themselves and try not to take it too seriously.)
Anyway…
Once I made it past this gateway into the relative quiet of Nature, it was easy to drop into a peaceful zone and open to the medicine all around. The occasional jogger or biker intruded, but mostly it was just me and and the birds and the trees.
My hip started to ache, and I chose to sit down before it became problematic. Given that the return trip was entirely uphill, I didn’t want to overdo it and suffer later. It was sooner than I had intended to stop, but I’ve learned to listen when my body speaks to me like this.
I found a shaded bench overlooking the creek and settled in. It was just magical; dragonflies dancing above the water, birdsong, chipmunks scampering, clouds forming and dissolving, a delightful breeze, the water gurgling lazily over the rocks.
I visited my heart nourishment practice and fed some of that life-force energy into my hip and felt the tension there begin to soften. I relaxed into the present moment, free of all worries about the day or memories of the past.
A voice emerged from within: This is everything.
I really drank that in. That simply being immersed in this moment, at one with Nature, my own body included, was indeed everything. There was nothing lacking and nothing I needed to do. Moments passed in this delightfully between and betwixt space.
Until…
The ego-mind pipes up: I’m having an ecstatic experience!
And poof! That was the end of it.
Curtains.
The moment was over the second I put a label on it. I knew better than to try and hold on to or chase the feeling. My previous experiences with grasping have been disappointing at best.
So, chuckled quietly to myself and took a few more breaths before heading up the hill.
It would be easy to catalog this as A Failure to Maintain the Bliss, but I know it was really a victory. A moment submerged in the here and now can never be a failure. These moments aren’t necessarily meant to last, and when I can at least notice the blessings of being as one with my soul and the divine expressed as Nature, then I am victorious.
On the way back up the hill, I noticed a hitch in my gait that was causing strain. Simply bringing attention to this imbalance caused it to shift, glute muscles to engage differently and discomfort to abate. This awareness of my body and movement patterns was enhanced by this ephemeral experience and somatic clarity emerged. I have a pretty good intellectual understanding of body mechanics and physiology, but this was different- feeling the body from the inside out rather than thinking about it.
What I’m trying to get at here is that spiritual and healing experiences can be had in our everyday lives. I’m privileged to be able to mingle with my tree friends several times each week and I take full advantage of the opportunity. Instead of going to my favorite spot (a 20-minute drive away) or exploring the state parks (an hour or two away), I consistently go to the closest spot (a three-minute drive if I hit all three green lights) and search the nooks and crannies for just the right spot.
Instead of waiting for a meditation retreat or tropical vacation, neither of which are in my budget this summer, I’m finding beauty in my neighborhood and soaking it up as best I can. Add to that the intention of slowing down, being present and tuning in, well that’s when the magic gets activated.
I’ll add that my goal on these little hikes is to immerse myself in Nature. Yes, I’m also getting some exercise and oxygen, but that’s secondary. I’m definitely not listening to music or a podcast or gabbing on the phone. That would be a distraction from the main event. I’m there to listen to the birdsong, the squirrel shenanigans and the wind in the leaves.
While my eyes are mostly glued to the rocky trail so I don’t trip, I often stop and look up and really drink it all in. Sometimes I work with a mantra, but generally I just let my mind be; sometimes it wanders or processes issues or spins around in circles, but eventually it comes to rest.
Because Nature is my muse and a portal for me to connect with the divine, I bring my full attention to my time spent there and reap the full benefits of this devotional practice.
Nature might not be your thing. I get it. A friend says she thinks about ticks the entire time she’s anywhere near a tree and it makes her anxious. Other people don’t feel safe venturing out on their own and some just aren’t able to navigate the lumpy terrain. Those people have different things that are just as powerful as Nature is to me.
So, you needn’t worry about dusting off your hiking boots if the woods don’t appeal to you. Just be open to finding your thing. It will definitely be something that you enjoy and that feels good for your body and has no negative consequences. (That rules out margaritas, btw!)
It might be napping or singing or gardening. It could be finding 3 consecutive minutes to sit quietly and breathe or sip your coffee in peace. It could be bubblebaths or preparing nourishing meals or learning to play the guitar.
If you get quiet and pay attention, you’ll be guided. I’ll also mention that your portal to ecstatic experiences could shift over time. I often find myself repeating behavior that once led to bliss but no longer does, clinging to an outdated mode of transportation when it’s time to upgrade. Somewhere there is a balance between devotion and evolution that allows us to change things up to suit our new levels of awareness and freedom.
But we all start where we are right now. We don’t need to see the final outcome or make a five-year plan or map it all out. Just choose one small thing that would feed your soul today, something that is doable and accessible, and start there. Breadcrumbs will soon appear.
I love to hear from you! What’s your favorite mode of connection with that which is larger than this mundane world? What does nurturing a relationship with the sacred look like in your life? Are you still exploring? Do tell!
I needed this right now. Thank you 💜