We stopped at the river. Stepping out of the car, the aroma of fresh fallen leaves filled the air the same way the flowing water emptied it. It was really more of a creek on the first day of October, though still moving pretty fast over rocks larger than you’d want to encounter in a kayak. Must be why the river running map says season early May through July.
As we walk through the opening in the trees down to the edge of the creek, my heart starts to sing. The sound of low rapids soothes me to my core. I rock hop onto a flat-ish rock, big enough for my feet, and let the water flow around me. This is bliss. I gather water energy. In the form of Qigong I do the moves are gathering heaven and earth energy. It’s water here. I could stand here with my eyes taking in the moving water, the yellow aspen, the orange scrub oak, the rock outcliffs, or I could stand here with my eyes closed, allowing other senses to be in the forefront. Now I’m more aware of the sound of the water and how it becomes part of my body; the warm air caressing my skin and lightly blowing my hair adds to a sense of freedom.
I noticed my girlfriend, appearing to be in meditation, sitting on a large smooth rock like it was a horse taking a drink in the creek. Mr Brown Dog explored a bit but preferred to just hang out in the same energy we were, or perhaps our energy. Maybe it’s all the same.
A young couple came into the river recreation area with a 14 month-old boy named Abraham. Mr Brown is not that interested in the child, and there is so much aliveness around us that Abraham does not become fixated on dog. The young father has quite long dreads, the woman sounded like she may be a teacher. They were coming to Telluride from Moab for the Neil Young concert. I noticed, without judgment, my tendency to want to categorize them, to connect more, or less. The energy stayed mellow and heart-full.
I am reminded once again how much I can be open, or not, to energies. It seems to be a matter of being clear on my energetic boundaries. What is a sustainable field of energy for me, where can I be vulnerable in terms of allowing in, and where I need to limit? No one likes to think of limits, however when we are not discerning in our moment to moment need for boundaries, we can pick up energy we do not want, allow our own to leak and generally get depleted. It comes back to paying attention, as does everything! The more awareness we have of our thoughts, the stories we tell ourselves, our emotions, our emotional needs, our bodies, it’s needs and what it’s sensing, the energy of our space, and whatever we are engaging with/in at any given time, the more freedom we will ultimately have. This state of awareness, with attention and some skill and/or guidance can lead us to deeper integration of all the aspects of our being. In the progress of this journey we begin to notice a sense of freedom. This sense has begun to permeate my experience, to permeate me.
Gratitude. Today. Now.
10/2/16
