Post 8: Is life getting simpler or are you falling into the stream?

Right now I am feeling how important it is to change my lifestyle, to become less complicated, and my goal is simplicity.

For example, yesterday Alan and I headed up the mountain towards the Aspen Grove and the Santa Fe Ski Basin to enjoy one of the natural wonders that exist for us living in the Land of Enchantment.   There are several hiking trails and I wanted to see which one called to me the most!  We had packed a delicious lunch from whatever we had in the refrigerator ( I mentioned this because it is part of my goal of simplicity to eat what we have at home).   The Ski Basin looks pretty and the trees are just starting to turn colors, so we decided to park and do the Windsor Trail which starts near the Ski Basin.   There was a great little stream of water running along the side of the trail, which was calling for a KODAK moment.  We paused to take a picture  in one spot where a tree trunk was crossing the stream.  I walked across the tree trunk to get posed for the picture, then to adjust for the lighting I needed to move over more towards the sunshine.

I’m not sure what happened, however, my walking sticks slipped about the same time my foot stepped on a slippery rock and the next thing I knew I was spread eagle in the stream! Now both boots are full of water and my sleeve is wet and my knee hurt. More than anything, I felt pretty bruised in my ego and how stupid I looked.  I limped over to sit down and gather my composure. Then said let’s get going, I came here to hike!  “Are you sure?” Alan said.  “Yes”, I said — “I’m fine, let’s go.”  So off we went up one of the steepest trails I’ve hiked in awhile but even with my bruised body, I kept going.

I so love being in trees and the smells, the birds.  It is heaven for me to hike — even when my knee hurts.  As I walked up, I could hear my heart beating in my ears due to my heavy breathing and the thin air and my physical exertion.  I stopped to breathe quite often.  It was in these moments that I stopped, I could hear silence and stillness.   Each time I stopped to get my breath, I wanted to stay still for a little bit longer each time.  I wondered, how often in my life is there so much noise that I don’t even hear anymore? In this moment of stillness on the mountain, I was hearing and feeling stillness.  This is pretty simple, I thought — get still.

Masters of practically every spiritual teaching tells us:

• Breath
  
• Get still
  
• See the beauty that is around you
• Simplify life
  

Every moment I have a choice about my goal and how simple it can be …. or not.   If the goal is to get simple,  isn’t it funny how easy it can be to slip into the stream and then that becomes the focus, instead of the important things like breath, stillness, beauty.  A simple hike on a beautiful day can change directions because of one slippery rock if I let it.

The New Moon came through this last Friday and brings with it a momentous opportunity to change.  Still in the 10-day shadow of the new moon, there is the change of seasons and the Fall Equinox is tomorrow.  Use this special time of the year and natural phenomenons to guide your changes towards a simpler way of living.

As I reflect on the amazing weekend  I have had since last Friday’s New Moon — it’s my declaration to share with you that I’m out of the RED MAZE!  More on that tomorrow!

With love,

Goddess Biz