Archive for July 27th, 2011
Serenity
I recently came across this analogy from Zen which says that ‘trying to find serenity in a chaotic world is like trying to catch a river in a bucket.’
I am still (over a week later) ruminating on this. I feel I see the obvious. I know from personal experience that staying centered, grounded and serene is like the ebb and flow of the tides. When the tide is in I am in the zone. Staying in my inner peace place is easy, daily prayer and meditation are effortless. Then the tide goes out. I am aghast at how easy it is to slip out of my daily routine. But it is not just about the timing of my daily exercise; there is also a qualitative aspect.
When I am not expending great effort ‘…to catch the river in a bucket’, I feel so connected to the Holy Spirit.
I believe I understand the cyclic nature of this process, yet rather than total surrender, I still find myself looking for a bucket for my trip to the river.
Seemingly, now more than ever, serenity has an aura of great value. To achieve moments of serenity amidst the swirling maelstrom of social chaos is a considerable accomplishment.
“To become mindfully aware of our surroundings is to bring our thinking back to our present moment reality and to the possibility of some semblance of serenity in the face of circumstances outside our ability to control.” ~Jeff Kober
We are living in a remarkable era; a time that will forever change the landscape of our personal, social and global community.
This week I invite you into serenity.
Blessings!