Tranquility in the Lake District ©Lynne Buchanan

All Rights Reserved, Watermarked by Digimarc

Though I wrote in my last blog that it takes discipline and effort to stay true to my dreams of a positive reality, I am also realizing that it is important not to over effort and to recognize and celebrate the moments of ease, beauty, and clarity that we are sometimes blessed with experiencing even when we are still in the valley.  When the earth is in such perfect balance, as it felt to me this morning in the Lake District, it makes it easier to connect with the sense of balance in myself.  I do not have to try as hard and can just bask in the warmth of the sun and feel the gentle breeze and be fully in the moment.  The more I grow, the more I realize that it is this state of easeful being that I am opening myself to, as I allow the spirit of nature and the earth to teach me how to find my way back to where I already am and celebrate all I discover with a full and open heart.

Of course nature is not always as sunny and benign as it is in this happy photograph (as my friend and color processing mentor Alain Briot described it.)   The earth must continually rebalance itself, as it is having to do more and more due to our interference with natural cycles as we pollute the earth and it's waterways and contribute to global warming.  Violent storms and floods or droughts and fires are often just around the corner, but despite all these human created challenges to the earth and our personal and global existence, I cannot forget these positive moments.  These memories of times when the earth and I were in perfect balance and yes, very happy.  These images remind me that it is not too late to bring myself and those I come in contact with into greater balance and in so doing to reflect that state of balance back upon the world and help heal the earth just as the earth heals me over and over again.  When we are in a state of balance, then we are kinder to ourselves, to the people around us, and to our environment.  Our messages are more effective as well, when they are not as strident, since too much force and anger in our words and delivery causes people to become defensive and shut down,  When we speak from a place of love and compassion about what matters most to us, preserving a beautiful world and working towards global peace that includes even those who disagree with our political views, the people we hope to shift are more likely to be able to remain open in our presence and let our words land.