Quote of the day:
Now Try This! During the next few weeks, observe yourself compassionately, like a professional chess player watching a three-year-old learn the moves. Notice when you become stressed, manic, demanding, anxious, or seized by any of the other emotions that fly around with such vigor during the holiday season. The moment you take the observer’s stance, you will already feel the beginning of peace. Remain in compassionate witness mode for as long as five minutes, and you will feel more peace than not-peace. Stay there for half an hour, and you can generate enough calm to carry you through the whole day. If you happen to fall off the wagon, simply observing that you’ve fallen will immediately return you to the compassionate witness’s unflappable calm.
Martha Beck ~ The Magic of Staying Calm, No Matter What
Purple Flower that Grows on Long Vines
I observe that I am feeling quite homesick and missing my husband (who did not travel to Hawaii with me), my friends, my cat, and my home. Part of me is saying, “Enough already. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I want to go home now.” Another part is saying, “Wait. Just be. It is early days yet. You knew it would be challenging before you came.”
Just be, my soul breathes this morning, just be. Let right action arise on its own at the right time. Accept what is, rain, sun, heat, cool, humidity, mosquitoes, discomfort, ease, starry nights, and separation from home and loved ones.
Today, my job is to become the observer of my thoughts and feelings, letting them arise, acknowledging them, letting them shift and change.
I had hoped that I would feel strong and able to do a lot of activity here. So far, that has not been the case. A lot of pain issues have made me mindful of how much I do. As a result, I have limited the amount of time I’ve spent making photographs.
Late Afternoon Sun and Humidity Create Mist in the Air
I was having difficulty with this, as my intended purpose in being here is to “do, see, photograph.” As I spend time at Akiko’s I am learning a different rhythm of being and a different set of intentions. With no television or cell phone reception, and very slow internet connection, I am disconnected from many distractions here.
I usually wake up around 6:00 AM without an alarm, meditate, brush my teeth and dress. After gathering the things I will want during the day, I walk across the street to my daytime room, make a cup of tea and read emails. Then I work on photos or write in the quiet coolness of the morning.
Water Running Over Road from Heavy Rainfall
At 8:00 AM Akiko serves a simple breakfast of fruit, tea, and oatmeal. It is nice to greet everyone in the morning and our conversations are always lively and interesting. After breakfast my day is wide open. Sometimes I go into Hilo to do laundry, buy groceries, or to go to the beach. Sometimes I have another destination in mind. It all depends upon weather, how I feel, and what options are available to me.
Yesterday I had an appointment with a chiropractor in Hilo. Then I stopped at a store to buy some bath soap. I received a call from a friend back home while I was in town (with cell phone reception) and had a nice conversation with her.
Long Vines and Aerial Roots Hanging Down from Trees
Then I returned to Akiko’s B&B. I made a simple salad for lunch and cleaned my room, changed the sheets on the bed, and did a little cleaning in the house I sleep in. I sat in the sun with my camera and my knitting, playing around with making photos of flowers in the nearby garden, and sitting in the sun and knitting. And so my day went, nothing special, nothing big.
And while I walked through my quite lovely, ordinary day yesterday (the sun shone most of the day!) I was thinking about escaping, going home, going to the other side of the island, going anywhere but where I was. I wonder if this is my unique pattern of creating unhappiness, or if others share the need escape when discomfort arises.
Today I remember to breathe in and breathe out and observe myself and all my thoughts with compassion. Peace finds me just where I am.
Today, why not become the observer, and see if it brings you peace.
Stream running swiftly to the ocean
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