I’ve returned from my retreat at Deer Park Monastery and after much poetic writing, I’m ready to move my experience into a concrete blog article. If I were to sum up my takeaway at Deer Park in one sentence it would be this—tie the silver cord. You know my love of metaphor, here’s an explanation….
There is an Eternal reality available for our complete renewal and well-being. I have experienced and live this reality. In this reality, I am unconditionally loved and provided with everything I need for solidity and strength. When I’m connected to the Eternal, I thrive; when I am disconnected from it, my body sends out signals.
What's my access to this Eternal reality? Breath, simply breathing. If someone is alive, he or she breathes, and therefore, Eternity is available to everyone, no exception. When I am disconnected, my breathing is shallow and tight (I tend to hold my breath), fast or perhaps jagged. Breath is my body's indicator. When I become aware of imbalance and choose to stop, be still and consciously breathe, my breath becomes the bridge for body and mind to reconnect.
Given my traditional background, I think of breath as the Holy Spirit. Literally, when I become aware of my disconnection from unconditional love, I stop and take in the Holy Spirit. The Latin word Spiritus means “breath.” The Hebrew word for spirit, ruach, means, “wind, breath, spirit, or mind.” Buddhists refer to conscious breathing as practicing mindfulness.
In this 21st century, scientific studies show that the fastest, most effective way to balance our nervous systems after upset is to breathe evenly. In my Inner Constellation languaging, I refer to this practice as “tying the silver cord.” At first notice of upset, I bring my attention back to my body, my Inner Constellation, and breathe consciously, evenly. It doesn't have to be particularly deep:
Breathing in, I’m coming home,
Breathing out, into my body.
Breathing in, solid and free,
Breathing out, I have arrived.
One conscious breath brings me back, re-balances my nervous system and ties the silver cord. Living at Deer Park Hamlet for a week, I was surrounded by people who live in one continuous flow of mindfulness, and it wasn't difficult to tie the silver cord, nurture myself and others while living in the present moment. However, as I return to my schedule, the challenges start. Many things jockey for my attention, yet, I’m determined to retie the silver cord at first signs of fraying: stop, be still, identify, hold gently those loose ends and weave them back together.
