Have you ever sat by a river and watched the mesmerizingly graceful movement of the river grasses, which surrender themselves completely to the flow of the river?
At their base they are firmly attached to a rock on the riverbed. If they were not securely attached in this way, they would be carried away by the current and would perish.
The upper part of these grasses is totally flexible and has absolutely no resistance and is thus free to dance in an infinite variety of movements caused by the river's ever-changing flow pattern.
A similar type of event may be seen while observing various sea grasses, which are attached to the bottom of the sea and move with the gentle currents and tides.
We have something to learn from these grasses. We can learn the delicate balance between discipline and freedom, between routine and diversity, between control and surrender, between tradition and change. Obviously, too much of any of these opposite qualities will create problems.
On the one hand we need to have discipline, routine, control and tradition to give us a security base, a moral base, a sense of inner strength and stability in facing the ever-changing circumstances of life.
Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, concentration, meditation, proper diet, self-analysis, exercises and breathing techniques help to create that centered feeling of an inner stability and inner security.
Then we can feel free to allow ourselves to flow with life, trusting the Divine, life, others and our own selves; free from the fear of being harmed, overcome or swept off our feet.
The greater our connection with our inner security base, the more spontaneous and free we can allow ourselves to be.
We all need to find our own way of connecting ourselves to the spiritual rock within us, so that we may adjust and cope in a more relaxed way with the ever-changing situations and tests of life.
One basic way this can be done is through a regular practice of meditation, exercises and breathing techniques. Another is an awareness of the true purpose of life and your personal role in this universe. This gives stability and allows for the necessary flow with life's changes and events.
Some of us have difficulty with stability and others with flow. Some feel suppressed with the idea of a regular program and routine. They interpret it as a lack fo freedom. The truth is that true freedom is the freedom to do what is in our best interest. We can be totally free to flow with the needs of each moment when our energy and mind are stable.
Others fears flow and change. They fear the unknown and create a false sense of security which is in reality stagnation. They need to have enough faith in the flow of life to let go and trust the new messages and events as coming to guide them on their evolutionary path.
Let us be Ilke the those river grasses. Deeply rooted and flowing. |
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