Winter Newsletter
Dear Friends
Trusting this message finds you well and warm mid way through our winter of 2015.
On the last day of Autumn – Sunday 31st May, whilst working in the garden a large log that I was trying to move fell upon me. I feel back with my foot wedged amongst some rocks with the log on my leg and chest. The result of this was a broken ankle and leg.
I began the winter in hospital with surgery on Monday 1st June and now for the last 6 weeks have been on crutches wearing a knee high black ‘moon boot’.
The first three of these weeks I spent as an enforced rest and retreat at home on the Far North Coast of NSW, rather than my usual weekly commute to work in Sydney.
So Life happens, yet sometimes in ways that we least expect and would rather do without. Yet my ‘enforced retreat’ has offered time to pause and ponder, rest and reflect.
As many of you know from attending the weekly Thursday Meditation Group, I often talk of ‘finding the blessing in the blight’ or making the moment meaningful by using issues as opportunities. This may arise as a result of accident or illness, issues at work, home or in relationships.
Some of my learnings from this life lesson have been to:
- Appreciate the good health that I have since due to the uncertainly of life I do not know when this can change.
- To maintain mental clarity and emotional calm which gives the body the best vantage for healing and recovery.
- Appreciating the importance of the kindness, care and support that can come from ones partner, family, friends and community such as the Meditation Groups. Caring relationships are integral to well being and healing.
- Strange but not surprising, sometimes we do get what we want but we need to be mindful that it may not come when, where, or how we wished for it. I got my time to rest in my garden, but required having a break to get that break.
- The importance of time to rest and reflect on one’s life and on Life itself. Inclining the mind towards understanding and realising Reality beyond the issues of our egoic self. Fundamental Peace and Joy as our true nature beyond the mental ‘self talk’.
So when life pushes us over or pull’s the rug from beneath our feet; having rested, reflected and recuperated, it is important to rise with a new perspective, view and vision as we engage back into the happening that is our life.
Certainly for my self the process of recovery continues, still feeling outside of the norm especially as I make my way through the airport pushed in a wheel chair holding my crutches, first on the plane and last off.
I do appreciate the kindness, care and support that many of you have offered over the last few weeks.
Kind Regards
John
