Those of you have been reading my blog know that the past week was quite challenging for me. On top of working through my daughter's health issues, I fell and hurt my knee badly. I spent the week using lots of ice, taking pain killers and keeping off my feet.As I think back over the past week, I see the beauty in the challenges. I believe there are no accidents -- that each aspect of our existence is for the growth of our Soul. Because I hold this belief, moving through the difficulties on the journey is very interesting. My "bigger self," the part of me that watches me as I go through my own journey was fascinated by the situations I encountered.
The lessons I gained from this past week are many. I'd like to share two of them with you. The first lesson is that breathing is extremely powerful when feeling any kind of pain. The greatest tool I had last week was my breath. At one point, when I felt so much heaviness in my heart, I sat down and began to breathe. I closed my eyes. I opened my hands and cupped them together. I put all my sadness into my hands and then I closed my hands. I held the sadness in my hands as I breathed deeply. I then envisioned love surrounding the sadness. The sadness seemed to melt with the presence of love surrounding it.
I felt greater peace after breathing and quieting the mental chatter of worry and fear. My whole body relaxed as I did this exercise. It was powerful to shift my emotional state through this simple act.
The second lesson from this week is that injuries are a great way to gain new perspectives on life. I realized that my knee injury was also important for me right now. Being injured is always positive -- at least, if you can look at the bigger picture. When I was in high school I broke my ankle during the middle of my basketball season junior year. Sitting on the sidelines was SO difficult. Yet, as I sat and watched my team in action, I began to see moves I could be making. I saw the game of basketball with new eyes because of sitting out for a few weeks. When I healed, I was a better player.
I'm taking this injury in the same way. I've had to cancel many of my "non-essential" appointments so I could keep my feet up. I've had to relax and sit. Stillness is something I was being led towards prior to being injured. Stillness is what I was forced to do with the injury.
Sitting on the sidelines for now is good. I'm taking time to look at my life from new perspectives and it will serve me in clarifying more of what I want as well as understanding new ways to create it.
I'm still hobbling around. The doctor thinks it is only a sprain. The swelling goes down a little bit each day. I am taking things one day at a time. Really, that is the only way -- we can only live in the moment anyway. I guess situations like this make it more obvious that you just never know what the next moment might bring.
I choose not to fight life. Instead, I'm flowing with it -- even flowing with the emotional and physical pain. I have felt so much deep peace and love in my heart the past week. It's actually amazed me how easily I've moved through so much challenge.
I credit the ease to the mental training I've been doing the past few years. Five years ago, I would have been depressed, exhausted and emotionally fatigued by situations like this. I see the value in maintaining peace and calm no matter what circumstances present themselves in my life.
Suffering is overrated. Even in difficulty we can choose not to suffer. We can acknowledge the pain and work through it but the pain need not consume it.
I realize more each day that life is fascinating and beautiful. The dimensions that pain adds to life are incredible. It's as if each painful situation brings a new cut to the diamond -- and I am able to sparkle even more.
Each of us can deal with our lives this way. I am certain of it -- especially after last week.
May your week be full of peace no matter what circumstances you encounter.
With a heart full of blessings and love,
Hugs to each of you.
Patricia (Trish) Omoqui
p.s. My daughter Maggie has an eye surgery (a simple procedure) at 10:45 this Monday. I appreciate all of your prayers for a quick, painless recovery for her.
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