Be Here Now

I've been having a hard time. A scary double kick-ass hard time (just to get technical).

And strangely (can you say Life Lessons ), all my normal comfort spots (in numerous areas of my life) have disappeared. The usual shoulders, the oft-proffered hand, the blog where I find encouragement and inspiration, the physical resting place - nada, kaput, unavailable, gone - phffft!

Oh! Let's not forget the ants! All of a sudden we've got ants (never before - in 30+ years here) - what the what?

There goes another comfort spot. I can forget my woes for a few minutes if I'm indulging in goodies - but not while I'm doing parry-riposte maneuvers with ants. Yuck!

When I sat reflecting on all this, a mind-picture of a ship in the middle of a very stormy sea appeared (yes, it is weird how my brain throws out visuals).

The ship-in-the-stormy-sea visual brought to mind some of the scarier ocean crossings of my youth. My family often boated over to Bimini (the island Papa Hemingway loved) - and for whatever reason, we very often went when seas were wild crazy. I remember a few times when the waves were higher than the boat was long. Scary!

You couldn't see the shore - couldn't gauge the length of time it would take to get to land. Fears crept in (galloped in, actually): would the wild ride ever end? Would we ever get to shore? Was this IT (the end)? Scary!

In my current adrift-in-wild-seas state I tossed a question out, a plea for help from my inner spirit - and Spirit: how-where-what do I do now? Ok, maybe it was more like HOW-WHERE-WHAT-DO-I-DO-NOW? (loud & whiney).

And I wrote the answer down:

Tap into love. Sit with love, let it flow over you.

Sit with love, BE the love,

not DO, just sit with it.

Absorb it.

You are enough and not too much.
You are loved.
You are love.

You can sit anywhere - open your heart and feel,
see - with nature - through music, laughter,
touch, the senses

you can feel the abundance - the beauty - that is maybe just a hint
of the breath of the Beloved...
not even a measurable piece of the wholeness and yet - wow!
The beauty in nature, music, laughter - it's a LOT!

Sit.
Absorb.

Nothing new -- this is Be Here Now stuff. But sometimes I need specifics, some practical, directive help with how to Be Here Now. The answer I got gave me this. This worked (while I did it! Don't want to give the idea that this was a one-time-and-you're-done thing).

And I offer it to you, in case you're boat is facing wild crazy scary waves right now, too - in case you need a practical reminder (maybe another tool for the self-care toolbox?) of one of the ways to Be Here Now.

Comments

[Susan T. Blake]

Thank you Karen, for sharing that reminder. Sending hugs.

[Pamela Jones]

When the caterpillar is forced to go inward and dwell in a cocoon, it is then that transformation can occur! This is exciting!

[Birdy Diamond, Roving Robin & Paranormal Diva]

Thank you Susan for sending me the link to this.
Thank you Karen for writing it.

Best of Fortune to all of us as we sail our respective seas!

:>

[Square-Peg Karen]

You're welcome for the reminder, Susan. Thanks for the comment, sharing the link with Birdy Diamond AND for the hugs!! Sending some hugs your way!!!

[Square-Peg Karen]

I'm so glad Susan sent you the link, Birdy - and glad you came to visit!

It was my pleasure to write the post & I hope the answer I got is as helpful to others as it has been to me.

Thanks much for the Best of Fortune wish. "sail our respective seas" makes me smile - what with Susan's Captains Curious writings and the sea thing we've got going here I'm really feeling like a sailor. Ahoy!

[Square-Peg Karen]

Too true, Pam! Thanks for reminding me. And, you know, it's gonna be a lot cheaper buying shoes when I don't have all those caterpillar legs - grin.

[Milliver's Travels]

Beautiful. xo

[Square-Peg Karen]

Thanks so much, Milli!

[Dagny]

Pleasure to read you Cap'n Karen :). Have read a few... and will return for more.

Dagny

[emma]

I love how, even in such a tempest, you reveal yourself to be of service to others. It is such a beautiful piece of you. I'm sending lots of good juju your way, hoping the storms calm and it's smooth sailing ahead! xo

[Square-Peg Karen]

Dagny, I might get used to being called Cap'n Karen - there's a nice ring to it ; ).

So glad to "see" you here - and you will be "seeing" me over at your blog quite often - oooh, I love your writing! (enough with the quotation marks already!)

(psst - Dear Comment Readers, Dagny wrote a fantastic blog post about Square-Pegs, that's how I met her. Here's the link: http://serenelyrapt.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/square-pegs/
Go see what animal she chose for our mascot!!!)

[Square-Peg Karen]

Thank you, thank you - Em!! ♥ I think your good juju has been helping me remember to drop into the moment - be here now - when the waves get crazy. Sending love!

[purplekangaroos]

Karen~

I hope your boat floats into still and peaceful waters...I loved the piece you wrote. It is so soothing.

Giant hugs sent your way!

:: catherine

[Square-Peg Karen]

Thank you, Catherine - giggling at the idea of my boat floating - and loving the still and peaceful waters thought!! Hugs to YOU.

[Lance]

Karen,
There is something very connecting with "being the love". And for me, I think it's this idea that it is there within me, even when I sometimes lose sight of it.

Sending all sorts of good vibes to you...

[Square-Peg Karen]

Yes, Lance - I love that idea too; we have what we need within us!

And, ohmy, I lose sight of that soooo often - I think that's what we're here for: to remind each other!!

Thanks so much for the good vibes!