Sunrise over the Sangres
The use of your voice, in the simplest of conversations, activates an energy flow and an energy pattern. Gregge Tiffen (Open Secrets: An Honest Performance – June, 2011)
This week I experienced a profound energy shift. When I looked back at the experience, I noticed that the shift seemed to have been activated by words I spoke in the quiet of the woods.
I awoke the day of a scheduled appointment in a nearby town with a sense of ‘don’t go’ so strong that I couldn’t ignore it. The day before I’d had a touch of angst about going, but I set that aside (or perhaps I ignored it). I went through the litany of reasons not to cancel, including the probability that I’d pay for the appointment because I’d be cancelling so late.
I thought of the many times in life I’ve ignored a strong pull to do or not do something, and the consequences of my ignorance. I decided that as soon as the office opened, I’d call and cancel anyway.
Decision made, Luke and I set out for our morning walk. After a beautiful long walk in the cool morning and enjoying the sun as it rose over the mountains. As we often do, we ended our walk at the labyrinth. When I reach the center each visit, I acknowledge and give gratitude to the six directions and what I see as I turn my attention to each: the mountains of the east, the tree of the south, the valley to the west, the forest of the north, the vast sky above, the solid earth below. I did just that and felt the lightness and joy that a labyrinth walk brings as I walked the circles back to the beginning.
And, as it generally does, that lightness and peace was a part of me as we came in for breakfast. As I began to think about the day, now a blank slate since I was cancelling the appointment, I noticed that the energy had shifted. I felt drawn to keep the appointment, run the other errands that I do when I go to this particular town, and treat myself to lunch by the river. I took a few breaths and checked in to be sure. None of the foreboding sense of ‘don’t go’ remained. I moved onward into the day as planned, one that turned out to be quite pleasant and an easy flow.
I can’t prove or perhaps even know for certain that my voice in the woods initiated the shift. But, it certainly seems that way to me. That is just how powerful we are!
I’m reminded to be mindful in all the words I speak, whether to the woods or to another or even to myself. When I’m truly honest with me and look at results and patterns that are not as much to my liking as the day above, I can find clues in words spoken without that care. And, that’s a story for another day.
Luke sporting his 'summer cut' at our favorite spot on Cottonwood Creek.