Choices

Blessings of Being Awake: When I got up to relieve myself early this morning I thought it would be easy for me to go back to sleep. We had gone to bed late after a full first day of new experiences, meeting people, dancing and exploring of the ship where we would spend the next five days. Yet the rolling of the ship and the vibration of the motor left me restless and awake. I kept moving from side to side trying to find the perfect placement of my body that would invite back the deep sleep and great dreams i had just been embroiled in. I was angry at the boat, our room and the designers of this ship that kept me awake.

Spiritual Challenge: It is easy for me to respond to the angst of the mind by joining with it and making up all kind of stories. "Yeh, you're right, we were done wrong, I will never get used to this movement, i will stay awake forever" were some of my more dramatic thoughts. I took a deep breathe, listening to the voices and thought I am not going to play this time! I started breathing deeply and was aware that in my angry place i was tight. I was holding the tension i had just had a massage to relieve. I laughed, silently, not to awaken my sister, and then began to notice that as i breathed i became more relaxed and instead of being a board torn by tempestuous seas, i was rolling and following the rhythm of the boat's movement.

Spiritual Practice: To remember that I am Shalem - whole and a symphony of separate parts - one very busy mind, one wise body and one very alive spirit living together with the Indwelling Presence. And we all must learn to live with each other. We are in relationship with each other and in any relationship there are moments when tension is high and flow is limited. Yet, this is also a moment of potential freedom of working together for the greater good, to be at our highest good. Each moment can be an inspiration.

Blessings of the Vav: In every moment there is a possibility to move beyond the habits rather than remain in my old comfortable rut. In each moment I can call on the Vav, the emotional connector, to help me find what comes after I say 'and' and to go deeper with knowing what my unique soul can be.