The Wisdom of the Trees

October 18, 2013

wisdom of the trees

One particularly lovely day, as the sun set, I asked the amazing trees nearby, who had stood like sentinels for decades, what they would tell me if they could speak. This is what they said:     Be.     Here.     Now.     Simple yet powerful advice!

Be.

I interpret this part of the message from the trees to mean to stop worrying so much about doing, accomplishing, filling my days with tasks and pleasures. Just be. Just breathe. Spend more time simply existing.

Here.

I realized that I spent quite a bit of time in my head, wishing or imagining I was somewhere else. Part of the power of the present moment comes from an acute awareness of where I am — the power of getting out of my head and into my body, coming back to Earth, so to speak. Being grounded in the here is the first step in being grounded at all.

Now.

Our personal power is focused in the present moment, right now. The ability to enjoy the present fully and create the future we want starts, literally, now. It’s fun to think about how the direction my life will take in the months and years to come is hinging on this very moment — this exact second. I neither want to strain for the future, nor do I resist going into it. I am not looking back to the past to relive “the good old days” nor am I straining to leave it behind. I do I see the past nor the present as my source of defining moments. I am who I am now and only now. I know, it gets a little hokey sounding, but it is true! My entire life to come is balancing on this moment, teetering, and I can easily decide what direction I want it to take: more kindness, peace, fun, and adventures! 🙂

Be.     Here.     Now.

It is the doorway to a deeper peace, profound assurance and trust that the world is a loving place.

By Teresa | Posted in Encouragement, Inspirational image | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments off

When Times are Tough… Stepping into the Dark

October 13, 2012

When I step from a well-lit area into the dark, an interesting thing happens. My heart starts to beat a little harder and I feel almost like I am blind — I cannot see anything, so I turn my head from side to side and blink furiously. But in a very short time — ten to fifteen seconds — my eyes start to adjust and then I can see again. The longer I am in the dark, the better I can see. After several minutes, I can see almost everything around me and aside from reading small print, I can function totally normally. I bet you’ve experienced the same thing, moving into the darkness!

The same can be true in our lives. When you enter a “dark period” in your life, it feels very unpleasant and your heart starts to pound, too. You can’t see what’s coming up, or what resources or obstacles are around you. Your reflex is to stop everything — instinct won’t let you move unless you can see what you’re walking into. However, if you just wait a little while, the darkness begins to lose its edge, and in no time, you can start to see what is going on. If you stay calm, you can adapt and continue functioning normally. If you panic or think that this is the end of the world, even though your eyes are adjusting, you won’t be able to understand what you are seeing clearly. You won’t know where to go.

So, remember that if times are tough — or if you are remembering a skeleton in your closet that brings back those feelings that times are tough — just wait a little while and you will start to see clearly again. It won’t take long, I promise. It’s a good idea to pause while you regain your vision, just don’t stop there indefinitely. Once you can see again, you can move forward.

Take care, everybody!

By Teresa | Posted in Encouragement, Mini-post | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments off