Beside Restful Waters

by Greg Hermann

“The natural laws are designed to have us live in balance. If we go out of balance, the natural laws let us know through feedback. We human beings will experience this feedback in some form of tension, anxiety or stress. If we go more out of balance, the stress increases.”

The White Bison

Balance

Peace

Harmony

Connection

When I experience some form of stress, my first indication is an experience of disconnection. I don’t want to get out of bed. I don’t want to talk to anyone. I don’t want to perform my morning ceremony of prayer, song, and meditation. I don’t want to engage in those practices that keep me connected to life.

One of my first “ceremonies” is a drink of water. Then I walk barefoot in the grass. For me, these are simple and powerful connections. Water is life and that first drink permeates my whole body. A walk in my back yard, especially on a morning like today: cool air wakes me from the warmth of my bed; cool dew on my feet connects me to Mother Earth; a deep inhale – it just feels great.

These are my first connections with life each day. Then, in prayer, I speak to these ones who are the presence of my Higher Power, God who is the great mystery of connection. Yes, I am learning to converse with these living ones on whom I am connected, on whom I rely for life. Physically I eat and drink. Emotionally I sort out the experiences. Spiritually I practice the quiet mind. Spiritually, the moments of quiet connect me with bits and pieces of life.

This sounds so deep and heavy. Not really. It started with my loss of balance, anxiety, stress, and desire for a different kind of life. People who seemed balanced attracted me. They connected with me and offered me a simple choice and simple practices. Practices that took minutes.

Practice took hold. Life began to ease. Anxiety and stress began to guide me as fear subsided. I noticed life differently.

I noticed life differently.

I noticed you differently.

I noticed water differently.

I noticed birds differently.

I noticed chocolate differently.

Yes, even chocolate was different.

Connections are necessary.

Reach out.

Namaste”