I arrived, observing the full house of clients (alcohol and drug use is up significantly since the pandemic—OD up 63%). Hope seemed at a low and this observation was confirmed by staff. It’s times like this I envision the practice as a mirror to reflect the indestructible nature inside each person. Indestructible nature untouched by addiction, poverty, tragedy and the pandemic. As we prepared for walking meditation, I consciously opened my heart for a way to explore this innate nature upon our return.
We stepped beyond the property, into the forest, slowly walking out of the tree line and into a meadow surrounded by a huge mountain range, covered in snow and jutting up into the blue sky. We stopped and soaked in the view. A palatable peace pervaded the entire group. A young one, sat upon a fallen tree and began to hum as his eyes roamed the landscape. Then, he stopped and said to no one in particular, “The mountain is so pretty, so peaceful.”
His words opened up an insight into the reality of indestructible nature. The very same mountain that was pristine and indeed pretty and peaceful had been absolutely and completely devastated by a wildfire fifteen years earlier. The destruction had burned so hot it had exploded the tops off the trees and completely blackened the land. I had lived right down from the meadow and witnessed the destruction. After coming home from our evacuation, I was so heartsick over the charred earth, I couldn’t bring myself to run or bike in the woods near my house. It was just too painful, and I cried copious tears for the land. Now, so many years later the mountain had greened again.
The group walked back slowly, thoughtfully and then laid down for total relaxation and a story about a beautiful mountain, scarred and devastated by a raging wildfire that appeared to destroy everything in its path. Sharing the words of our young friend, “It’s so pretty, so peaceful,” there were tears and the very felt sense that every living thing moves in the direction of life. Mindfully acknowledging our indestructible nature is paramount, so we can speak to it every day and grow our goodness. The greatest gift is that when we strengthen our good nature, we become capable of recognizing and speaking to that same life force in our families and friends and even those who we find difficult. Calming and cooling the fires we trust—new growth is there.
“What if everything you need is inherent in you right now—profuse, abundant and perfectly sufficient” Inner Constellation Blog Motto