Nature is Key

 Moving, like traveling, causes an increase in the vata or wind element (which I naturally carry a lot of). In Ayurvedic teachings of doshas, I also carry behind all that wind, a lot of the fire element or pitta. (You my boy are wind- all the way.)

We all know what happens when wind and fire meet, and it isn't pretty. This move, building a house, retiring from the military, a kid in high school with what we call summer teeth (some are here some are there), and a plethora of other minor setbacks have left me some days igniting forest fires that blow around to everyone on my path. You catch my drift?

These bursts of fire energy quickly escalate with the wind element until all the bridges are burned and it is an inescapable feeling of powerlessness, of loss of control. My mind turns dark, like a mind prison, I am trapped in a bad perspective, a downward spiral. And it feels like I am sitting in the bottom of a black empty well looking up at the beam of light, with no ladder to climb out.

And then a little mindful walk, an encounter with an armadillo that scared the ever-living crap out of me, yet acts as if I don't even exist, for he is too busy foraging awakens me from my darkness, and I once again see the way out. Nature heals our soul's boy.

The moral of this story is external events in our lives are only positive or negative based on the energy we give them. We can continue to give a shitty turn of events our energy by dwindling, stirring up the fire, stewing on it, feeling sorry for ourselves, or lashing out in anger. OR we can take comfort in knowing we can flip the perspective, see it in a positive light, which empowers us to once again take control. Once again in the words of Matt Haig, one of my new favorite authors, "Our mind might make prisons, but it also gives us keys."

Mind body spirit connection in nature is my key. What's yours?

our waterfall