Below the Surface

With so much going on in every corner of our world ~where the opposite feeling of Groundhog Day presses massive doses of rapid change into highly pressurized compartments of single earth rotations ~ how does one navigate muddy waters of life’s rapids? When a constantly overstimulated survival mind sets the course; when the sprint becomes the marathon; when vision blurs from foggy glasses and summer sun carries cosmic beams, where does one find respite?

The sediment settles only in stillness, as I follow my breath, the rise and fall of the chest, heart, thymus… This is where the slowing begins and the racing collapses into the heart of my true self. A momentary breath shifts the heartbeat into lower gear. This is where the heart takes the helm, with sights set on calmer waters… White water slows, bubbling gently into lighter clarity of slowing swirls, currents still strong enough to carry all necessities into the new reality of tomorrow.

One day at a time, we feel our way into the new paradigm. While there is no do-over, decisions offer an odd kind of solace, wisdom gained through direct experience, discernment of knowing that we live to see another day. Tomorrow may not be any easier, but the storms will eventually pass. Until then, beneath the roughness of the torrents dwell the heart and revitalizing breath, tethered to the soul’s north star. This is where I return again and again; to anchor in the heart; to seek love amidst the tough situations. Glimmers of faith and signs of hope, rarely appear in chaos, but below the surface as motivations, intentions, awareness. Outer appearances are mere reflections of submerged emotions that rise to the surface and create the storms in the collective human heart. Calmer days of healing, mending, rebuilding lie ahead. Weathering the maelstrom will be worth it.