One thing I gained from this taste of surrender was a feeling of deep peace and tranquility. When I didn’t care if I got what I wanted or not anymore, a true sense of freedom arose.
I Was Iron Ore in the Clear Sky Forge By Ignacio Dirdam
Do you ever feel anxious? I do, quite often. But, it’s turning into a lot of fun. I’ve realised my baseline anxiety is actually a reservoir and asset, for a really really exciting life.
On the other hand, have you ever experienced sitting down to meditate, and watching the mind gradually calm down? I hope so, and I guess we might call that a “good meditation” compared to ones where we feel like the monkey mind dominated the show.
As spiritual warriors, then, we’re trying to stay on the path that leads to awakening. Anytime we veer off the path, or even pause and step off it for a moment, our progress is slowed.
The point of seeing the “sin” is to remember the path we were meant to be on – it’s not about being at fault.
Instead of going through your day as you normally would, dedicate the day to looking at a particular question. It just takes a few minutes to reframe your day.
Ways to keep your meditation practice going When I first started meditating,
What are our judgements based on? As you read the first paragraph, and all of this article, what conditions are influencing your judgement of the experience?
When was the last time you had an open, in-depth conversation about your attitude to money? Or to sex?
On such taboo topics, it’s rare that we consciously face what lies underneath our surface reactions and responses to them. Yet, sometimes we have to face them, and it may not be pretty.
Many of us are living and working in different ways, and yet something hasn’t changed: we’re still prone to our internal dialogues about what’s going on around us, and within us.
If our first responsibility is our own state, before we go fixing others’, then what does it mean to be in a good state?
How different do your days look recently? Even without the backdrop of
I don’t have full recall of that evening, and yet obviously either I didn’t ask, or he didn’t give much of an answer. So, something in me doesn’t expect much of an answer, doesn’t expect to get to the bottom of things. It might be family or cultural conditioning, of course, and yet the why is no longer relevant.
As a spiritual warrior, having seen the pattern, the idea is to see what happens when we consciously try to do something different.
When you’re caught in a spiral of overworking, you might want to have a good look at how this started and whether it’s really working for you.
Interrupting such strong patterns takes courage.
Partly from seeing the different effects of these experiments, I’ve noticed how powerful words can be when we’re in conversations.
Now, I try to be more skillful and flexible when talking with other people.
I admitted that I find myself walking through the school halls, head down, hoping no one will talk to me – not because I don’t like them, but because I’m thinking “If I talk to them I won’t get to what I need to do to start my day”.
When I’m in this mode, I’m not being kind to myself and I don’t notice what others need, whether it’s just a smile or a few minutes of my time.
There’s another benefit to a well-honoured space: it brings out all of our hidden fidgets, shining a light on our inability to sit still. When there’s clutter, anxiousness can hide under the auspices of needing to clean and tidy and organize.
Here we share two of the shorter pieces from our Great Healing series, written by Maureen Smith and Richard Nathaniel.
Over millennia, spiritual guides have been saying the same thing, that love
My default state used to be anxiety, with some fear thrown in
I now feel empowered to follow the advice of one of the teachers at Clear Sky, to “Take action, and let the chips fall where they may.”
After all, a pattern of confusion stems from and continues a hurt. Being empowered to act brings joy.
Are you looking for a space to retreat alone, or to just unwind and reflect? We have three private cabins with valley views.
We can help you with a supportive balance of formal meditation time and optional mindful activities. Or, you can use the space for deep rest, journaling, or reflecting.
Locally sourced / organic meals provided. Optional daily meditation guidance is available.
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