At the very beginning of today’s session, Eileen Rose Miles explains that our nervous systems can’t really differentiate between what’s real and what’s imagined. Our bodies react in much the same way to a physical threat as to a mentally created one. It’s the ‘fight-or-flight’ phenomenon that hasn’t changed since the caveman days. We may not be running for our lives from a saber-tooth but I’ll bet that rush hour construction traffic backed up behind a car accident will have your blood pressure soaring through the sunroof.
That being said, she reminds us that we also have the power to recreate a peaceful and safe place (in our minds) so that our bodies can experience the calm we crave. Eileen then tells us that today’s practice will take us there. Now, I’ll admit that when I heard her say those words I actually chuckled out loud because, in my head, I heard, “Find your happy place.”
Nevertheless, we begin by settling in and taking a deep breath. She asks us to visualize a place that allows us to completely let go. Someplace safe. What do we see? What do we hear? Is this place wide open or tiny and cozy? Are we alone or with others? Is there a scent? What would we touch if we reached out? Eileen wants us to pay attention to our senses, to stay here for a while, and notice how we feel in this space. (By the way, I love that she stayed silent at various times throughout the practice to allow us to experience and envision it!)
My space was in my kayak on a peaceful, calm lake. The sun was warm. The water was cool. I could see the shoreline in all directions but I was far enough away to be alone. The sunlight sparkled on the undulating surface of the water. The trees were painted vivid colors that reached toward the blue sky. Just a few puffy clouds floated by. A bird or two sailed past. I could hear a few of them chirping somewhere among the trees. A couple of fish darted beneath my kayak. The water was so clear I could nearly see the bottom. The gentle rocking of my kayak lulled me into a deep and relaxed state. My breathing slowed. My body softened. Nothing else mattered.
Then she asked a very poignant question:
“If your grounding place could whisper something to you, what would it say?”
Mine said, “Be still and listen.”
What did your place say to you? What did it look like?
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Wholeness Health and YOU! 