Power Tools: Presence

This week I came back from my 9th solo vacation.  While most of my prior trips have been jammed with fun activities and exploring and outward curiosities, this one I deliberately designed to be quiet and peaceful and mostly stationary.  Now, that doesn't mean that nothing was going on, but it did mean that I designed it in a way to minimize distraction so that I could set myself up for success in my goal of chilling out and seeing what happens.  

The first night I slept 10 hours; the second, 12.  I was consistently one of maybe 10 people on the beach at any one time.  I walked, read, explored a little, did yoga and worked out and took a breath workshop as well (which was great actually because it validated all of my teachings and practices).  But even all of that is SO much less in a day than what we all cram in our regular lives.  I did not look at social media the entire time and have not since returning.  

Designing my time like this and inviting myself into that expanse was exactly what I needed.  What I found was that just below the surface of distraction is crucial information, just waiting to be listened to.  It was a beautiful and impactful time that I really hope everyone in this world can access on a regular basis.   And it also took courage.  

Yes, courage to travel internationally alone as a woman - but much more than that was the courage to get still and present and openly listen to what is there waiting for me.  As I embraced this time of presence and clarity, it became so much more obvious to me that 99% of those around me were absolutely NOT present and were doing everything they could subconsciously to stay in distraction, "productivity" and "busy-ness".  The comparison made me all that more grateful. 

What I found these last few days has been profound and has given me increased peace, clarity and awareness in general.  What I realized is that the ability to BE in that space of presence and take in what is there for you is a deeply powerful tool.  Those of us who can access that presence and hold it have a kind of super power.  Like the mangroves along a shoreline or in the Amazon - steadfast, connected, deep, present, resilient, formidable and strong, yet pliable and graceful.  Each one of us has access to it, if we would only create the circumstances and time in our life to let ourselves into it.

So what to do.  Well for me, I took notes on what came up for me and will be actively working on what I need to address in my own life to live it out better.  And for you?  Could you carve out a little time to find your own voice inside, wanting so badly to tell you what's going on?  Could you find 10 minutes to breathe and listen?  Could you take yourself on a trip to a peaceful place?  The answer is yes you can.  And so then the question becomes, if you aren't - why not?  The answer to that question is the first thing to address. 

Now I'm not naive.  I know that life stressors and other people will wind their way into my inner mangrove forest, but now I have the ability to Remember the lessons from those days and take myself back there.  Back to presence.