Peaceful Presence

There are times in our lives when everything becomes crystal clear. It may not make much sense from the stand point of our 'logical' mind's perspective, but in a peaceful, completely present, non-linear way it appears clear. I call this 'infinite perspective'. Just BEing in nature always seems to give me this sense - as if to tell me that everything is okay even when, on the surface of our day to day lives, things appear to be scattered or confused. Sitting in Hope Valley, California alongside the Carson River high in the Sierra mountains always gives me this sense. It is a feeling of peaceful balance and clarity that comes so easily away from 'the rest of the world'.

In essence, we have this 'with' us always. It's just that sometimes, (ok, most of the time) we forget that that is what is natural and thus real instead of our constant pushing and pulling or being pushed and pulled by others and circumstances. Truly BEing in Yosemite has shown me this many times. Each time I would return from the sierras, I would sort of go through a 'culture shock' in coming back into the 'city life', but what was really happening was that I would 'return' to pushing and pulling my way through the days, like I always had before going to retreat to the mountains. I kept forgetting what was real, natural.

In order for us to experience peaceful presence in our lives, we simply need to remember that it is always 'here', is natural and can be chosen at any time. In those brief crystal clear moments of our lives this is what we have chosen. Unconsciously, but we have chosen it.