In my softer moments, the sight makes my gut flutter and eyes water; in a more cynical mood, I might mutter something about having seen yet another "raccoon pancake" on South Presa Street, around the corner from our house. That may seem a little harsh, but unfortunately, wild animal "roadkill" is a seemingly unavoidable, fact of life in my neighborhood, where Presa is a major artery that runs parallel to the San Antonio River for several miles of relatively undeveloped greenbelt, which houses a lot of wildlife. Technically, the speed limit is 40 miles per hour, but cars regularly travel much faster along this stretch of the road, especially on late weekend nights, when the hot-rodders spillover from the Southwest Military Drive drag strip.
TAKING IT IN
Over the course of the past few years of Mondays, I've seen many a dead hawk, owl, rabbit, squirrel, possum, fox and coyote lying on the road. Each species evolved with a particular set of skills to survive in nature; each being strong, fast and especially adapted to thrive in its own way - but none can outrun a ton of steel on wheels, hurtling down the road at those speeds.
It was during one of those tender-bellied Monday morning moments not that long ago that I suddenly saw that these animals aren't the only victims of our fast-paced culture. That, like a number of people, I was feeling flattened by the speed and intensity of a life spent juggling career, family, music, driving, yard work and housekeeping, while simultaneously trying to keep up with a seemingly non-stop flow of calls, texts and information streaming in from those ever-present smart-devices.
TURNING IT AROUND
These days, whenever I find myself feeling deflated in that way, I choose to remember that it's only because I've allowed the free flow of Co-creative Spirit to get blocked. And that I can change that state, both physically and metaphysically, just by taking a few simple actions:
1. Get up and stretch; move across the room a few times; or better yet, head outside for a minute or two of stretching or movement.
2. Drink 2-6 ounces of room temperature, filtered water; try to sip and savor, rather than gulping it down.
3. Focus on the breath for a minute or two. A few rounds of yogic "Breath of Fire" or alternate nostril breathing is great; but so is the simple act of watching the inhale-turn-to-exhale-turn-to-inhale cycle for a few times. Either way, finish by taking an extra deep breath or two, and imagine using the exhale to inflate a big, brightly colored, blow-up beach ball. Then imagine that ball is my Higher Self, pulsating with energy and breath; feel that pulsating in my physical self: chest, abdomen, groin, hips, feet, up and up thru the legs, spine, neck and scalp.
4. Hold hands/arms out in a position that communicates a willingness/desire to receive more Love, ease and abundance right now. And then simmer for another minute or two in a deep-seated willingness to receive it, bless it, send it out into the world - and then receive it once again, in a ceaseless flow.
5. Go back to the task at hand, feeling fully inflated, tested and rested, and ready for whatever comes next.
TURNING IT OVER
Having practiced this process for awhile, I can follow this whole progression in less time than it might take to drive through at a fast food restaurant and gulp down a greasy take out lunch. And my soul feels much better fed! You see...the choice is mine (and yours) to make. But really... why not choose love, ease and abundance?
With gratitude and blessings,
Rudi Harst
THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.
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