Hello friends,
I just returned from an amazing holiday in the Haute Savoie region of France, and the Swiss Alps.
My friend Elizabeth who lives in Switzerland, has a unique philosophy of life that shows up in everything she does - whether it is washing dishes or hiking in Alpine wilderness.
She is at least a decade beyond me in chronological age, but most certainly two decades younger in her level of energy and vitality. Needless to say, I was receptive to learning more about her way of life, even when it took me outside my comfort zone.
Here are a few of the gems I gleaned from the experience....
stay ahead of the wheel -
finish what you are doing, leave things in a fresh state so you are always looking ahead, anticipating your good and not carrying unfinished business forward.
Here’s an example; in my friend’s unique way - she washes all of the dishes she used to prepare the meal even before she sits down to eat!
Does this sound unusual to you? It sure did to me, and I have to say part of me rebelled at this. But I decided to surrender to this way of doing things and see what I could learn. I found it so refreshing to have the kitchen always clean and waiting - like a friend anticipating your arrival with open arms - there’s nothing you have to do but be received. Once I was able to practice this without internal dialogue (complaint) I found it freeing - and have actually continued the practice since returning home.
keep moving-
The act of alpine walking can be challenging given that we are at 6,000 ft. altitude to start with. I found my heart pounding with the simplest of activities, and daunted by the prospect of walking trails that inevitably lead upwards!
Here’s what I learned - keep moving -
walk in pendulum motion, tick-tock with the feet and body.
Slow down the motion to half-steps if you have to but keep walking.
This surely is the key to staying young and vital - the body/mind/spirit flourishes in motion, and what we use and connect with consciously becomes available to us. What we neglect or diminish with limited thinking begins to atrophy, thus we age.
Everywhere around me I saw evidence of this principle - elders who think nothing of going out for several hours of hiking, it’s what they do and they haven’t bought the idea that they can’t or shouldn’t because of the number of birthdays they’ve had!
higher values contribute to healthy living (e.g. no cars = cleaner air!)
The Swiss town of Zermatt has no personal autos - people get around by walking - mostly uphill, or taking small electric powered buses. This communal choice means that the air is clear and fresh, the prevailing sounds are natural ones - birds, rainfall, rivers, breeze through the trees. I found myself wondering what it would be like to implement this back home - what if communities adopted a no car policy, what if we walked and rode bikes and had shared electric vehicles - well, you can see what i mean, there’s more community, less pollution, and way healthier lifestyle (bye bye obesity and gas guzzling)
fear serves a purpose sometimes
When you are on the side of a mountain and the thunder and lightening starts, it’s ok to hurry down the trail for home!
I admit, I made this one up - it probably doesn’t fit the paradigm I’m talking about - but it felt good to give myself permission to get off the mountain and into a hot bath tub while the storm swirled around me. I was proud of myself for heading out in uncertain weather and confronting my fears, but when the thunder started that was way more than enough for me!
So what does all of this have to do with being a Miracle Maker?
Try putting these principles into practice and notice how much more in the present moment you will be. When we are in the present, we are available for the miracles that are happening all around us right now!
1)stay ahead of the wheel - do what you can to create order and balance on a daily basis. Whether it is cleaning off your desk at the end of your workday, or handling each e-mail as it comes with a quick reply - you’ll find you have more energy and aliveness for what is coming newly into your life.
2) Keep Moving - find ways to incorporate fun physical activity in your day. Put on some lively music and dance around the room, take 10 minute walking breaks throughout the day, and longer walks when you can. You’ll find new ideas flowing into your body/mind/spirit
3) Find ways to express your highest values. Know what matters to you and let yourself express it. Make lifestyle changes where appropriate, and look for ways to connect with others who share your values.
4) When fear comes up, take it into your heart - the greatest transformative agent is love. Love yourself. Love others. Let fear be unmasked through love.
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