"A great deal of psychological stress comes from the rush and hurry of a turbulent mind, which jumps recklessly to unwarranted conclusions, rushes to judgments, and often is going too fast to see events and people as they truly are. Such a mind keeps the body under continual tension." Eknath Easwaran
The sand is massaging the bottom of my feet as I wait for the next gentle wave to come rolling in. Softly, the water washes over my toes, progressing up to my ankles. It is a cooling and calming experience. As I wade a little deeper, I begin to feel the pull of the current, beckoning me into deeper waters. Upon submerging my body, I feel buoyancy lifting me up. As I drift farther out, however, the waves become stronger creating a sense of fear inside of me. I turn and look at the shore, and my view is distorted, nothing seems the same. I end my folly, turning to swim back to the shore with gentle lapping water.
This is how we are lulled into the rushed and hurried mind. We slowly enter with imagination and wonderment, only to be pulled further into the depths of a situation. Before we know it, stress is weighing us down and distorting our view. It is at this point we need to take affirmative action to restore us to calm.
When we pace our lovely selves, rather than getting caught up in activity, we will accomplish more with a more accurate assessment of what presents before us. We can build momentum so we can engulf the situation with strength and discernment without being swallowed whole.
Our bodies supply us with an adrenaline rush when needed, but it is dangerous to maintain this additional energy for every day living. It will more or less strip our gears. We will become totally depleted with a great deal of restoration waiting. The ability to pause, to pace, to slowly enter deep water, allows us not to be swept away.
No comments:
Post a Comment