I spent the holiday weekend camping in the mountains above Sedona. It used to be easy to get quiet inside and relax. With all of the busyness of late I observed that peace did not come without first wading through the clutter in my head and letting go of the temptation to be "on".
Tranquility seeped through me slowly as I took off on Sunday afternoon for a walk by myself in the woods. Walking has always been my mode of transportation to another state of concsiousness. It lifts me out of the day to day, and into a magical world of tranquility. As has always been with me, I sang songs to entertain myself as I walked along the dirt path far into the woods. For two hours I walked without ever coming upon another soul. To me this was nirvana. I had no choice but to connect with myself, and connect I did.
When all is quiet within one's own world, there is time to think about how life is going and whether or not it is working. I realized that my world needs an overhaul, and that the delicate balance that I strive to teach to others must also be demonstrated in my own life.
The peace that came over me was long overdue and came to an end much more quickly than I would have preferred. But while I experienced it, it was joyous. This joy is what every soul needs to feel to live a balanced and healthy life. Joyousness must be the underlying emotion that pushes us to greatness and service. Keeping the joy in times of great spiritual, emotional, and physical demand is the key to a balanced and healthy life.