“April showers bring May flowers.” I learned this ditty when I was growing up in New Jersey where spring rains can be relentless. The phrase gave a reassuring promise that good things follow difficulty.
California has been experiencing a drought for months. It rained shortly after I made this drawing, so I’m hoping to inspire more rain by sending it to you.
Wanting rain comes from a deep organic need for balance. I can’t be content with an endless stream of sunny days — strange as that sounds. I welcome another sloppy deluge with open arms.
This realization got me wondering if I could have the same attitude in other areas of my life, i.e. can I welcome all the metaphorical rain that balances life’s sunshine? Can I welcome all my challenges and disappointment because ultimately they serve to create the counter-balance necessary for growth?
Balance, we are wise to remember, is not a static state. It is not two children equally suspended above the ground on the seats of a teeter-totter. It is an on-going process like an airplane flying coast to coast. It does not proceed in a straight path but rather a zigzag pattern of constant course corrections.
There is no blame in getting off course, it is a necessary part of the journey.
In making our course corrections, we might also want to remember that we live in a non-linear multidimensional universe with many variable to calibrate. The body, mind, emotions and spirit all need attention. If, for example, I believe I have been working too hard, the opposite — working less hard — may not be the right answer. Perhaps what I need is simply a mind adjustment — a shift in my story or habit of complaint. Or it could be the result of doing something I hate doing and it’s time to delegate. A third possibility is that I need to do something more rejuvenating after working. Watching TV, particularly old Star Trek reruns, is something I love to do, however, I find it is not as restorative as dancing or playing music or taking a hike.
Feeding the spirit can often be the best re-balancing response to life’s rainstorms.
How are you feeding your spirit? Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the tasks of daily life that we believe we do not have time for our spirit. What I have found is that when I do something that inspires my spirit I actually have more energy and focus for the mundane activities of life.
We can recognize spirit re-generating action by how we feel afterward. Do you feel expansive in your heart and glad to be alive? Are your thoughts full of exciting new ideas. Do you answer the phone with joy rather than resistance and suspicion? Are you full of gratitude? These are the signs of spirit rejuvenation.
Here are some ideas for putting more spiritual balance in your life: Make a list of the things you loved to do as a child and try them out one by one. Play with a child or puppy dog. Do something out of character and silly. Try performing random act of kindness. Volunteer at a non-profit that interests you. Dance, play music, cook, garden, sew, create a work of art. Don’t forget meditation. Almost anything you do that uses the right brain, will work.
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