Saturday, September 12, 2009

A walk through the waterfall

Good morning!

I am writing again from my hotel lobby (they have a call in to their internet provider to ask why the internet has been so flaky the last two days; even here the reception is kind of intermittent. But it's nonexistent in my room.)

Don't you just love this gorgeous green dress? I'm not a particular fan of either butterflies or sparkly clothing, but it certainly makes for a great photograph -- and I love the way the layers of the dress work; it makes me think of walking through a waterfall and finding a beautiful cave of treasures behind it.

This morning in Anam Cara John O'Donohue talked about how many people are frightened by the idea of meditation, or going deeper into the soul, because they figure there are all kinds of creepy ugly things waiting in there to ambush them. I remember a time when I believed that, too -- and I also remember the first couple of times I wandered into that space it was pretty scary.

But the good news is that I got past the scary bits really quickly, and once I walked through them (thank heavens I had a hand to hold) they were gone for good, and what lay beyond that first journey, as O'Donohue is quick to tell us, is a pure, deep, abiding love and a strong sense of self that are as refreshing and healing as the waterfall that this dress suggests.

It turns out that if you can have the courage to brave your own demons there is a kind of heaven that lies beyond them that you don't have to die to find -- or maybe it is a kind of death, a death to your deepest fears, so they no longer hold you hostage. And once you're free of those fears and demons you can be completely open to the riches and treasures a deeply connected life can offer.

Not to say I'm there -- but I do get glimpses from time to time. And it looks like a wonderful way to live!

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