Bison

The ranger warned us about getting too close. In spite of our intention to heed his words, we rounded a turn on the path and found ourselves within a few yards of Bison.

The thing that impressed me was how in his body he was. It was almost as if Bison said with his presence, I am.

We use many words to describe who we are and go to great lengths to hide our shadow sides. But, what if we could simply say, like I imagined Bison saying to me, I am.

Bison reminds me to include body with mind and spirit. I think of the abuse that American buffalos have endured and my mind drifts to one of my own traumatic events.

If they had been arrows, I would have bled to death. The archer cleverly hid the acts in an unseen realm. My body was uncomfortably tight, long after the ordeal.

Psychological warfare is not only prevalent among toxic people, but also in communities that fail to promote (kind and healthy) confrontation. We may not think about hurling our private thoughts, like arrows, toward a human target, but we do, unless we transform our mean intentions.

We can simultaneously work through our upset emotions and still send goodness to the other person. Living from wholeness (integrity) always draws us closer to Sacred within.

Psychological attacks can be annihilating, especially when no one else acknowledges them. Can we expect agreement, when there is no proof that anything occurred? Still, there are people who see beyond obvious evidence, people who can offer depth to our experiences.

Jesus said that we do not have to kill, to be murderers; we only have to think hateful thoughts. We can choose to live from pure intentions or exacerbate abuse. Today’s choices create tomorrow’s environment.

Being whole requires that we live life in body, mind, and spirit. Bodies carry events long after minds have named them and spirits have forgiven them.

Bison stared as we slowly backed away. Occasionally, I remember how he fixated his eyes on us, completely comfortable in being, I am.

Sacred Sensations*

Close your eyes. Identify where negative energy has settled in your body. Put one hand on that area. Through your mouth, inhale the sun’s rays, sending light there.

Now, close your mouth and slowly exhale through your nose. Feel the compression phase throughout your body and imagine glowing embers burning away negativity.

Continue this practice until you experience tight areas in your body, softening. Imagine burning off waste and creating ash, an alkaline composting balance for your inner life that may be too acidic.

As you progress, with this practice: Inhale the sun’s rays, imagining light radiating from your body, out to other people. Exhale, burning away anything that no longer belongs. And then say, “I was created in the image of Love; therefore, at my very core, I am.