Clear, Focused, and Energized

Candace 010710

What reinvigorates, cleans, brings clarity, focuses, de-clutters you? For some, practicing yoga, meditation and prayer do the trick. Others achieve this through exercise, talking or writing with others. What is your method?

For me, I feel this after sex, a good night's sleep, or a good day cross-country skiing. Each of these brings my thoughts under control and focuses my energy, creativity, and action. Each of these offers me different rewards.

Sex needs to be one of those things that can not be multi-tasked with other things. During that alone or shared time, all that matters is the pleasure that grows, flows, fills, and moves through those involved. I hope the one I am with is not thinking of work, taxes, or dinner plans. Through this intense, focused time with or without someone, we rid our minds of extraneous things and only that moment matters. After we (or if solo, I am) are satisfied, I have a clarity and purpose brought by the release of all the tensions and passions that had built up. I have mentioned before that sex is a type of baptism and cleansing. We are cleansing all these things for a brief time. Fortunately though, this is not a one-time baptism, but one that must be done again and again.

Don't
Joshua Tree National Park

I've written quite a bit about sleep as a time when we voluntarily lose control of our being and let the shadows of our psyche roam, careen, stampede, and crash about. Sometimes sleep is bad for me, but those times when I do not have nightmares and I can awaken slowly, I have a feeling of peace and clarity and usually a deep focus on one thing. That one thing is often something I needed to solve. The solution came somewhere during the sleep. I know that I must use this insight quickly or it will be lost to the distractions that create the ennui of daily life.

Every winter I go cross-country skiing as many times as possible. I've been doing this for over thirty years. The ideal day starts with the drive to the beautiful mountain location. I get my skis off my car and put on my boots. After putting my pack and skis on, I am ready to take off. The first mile is a semi-quick warm up as I focus on getting all my muscles used to this new method of self transport. The next five or six miles I get into my own rhythmic groove with minimal breaks for water or rest. The world is "shushing" by and all I hear is my breathing. I think about my life, desires, situation, and where I am. I usually stop to eat lunch with the friends or family on the trip.

Joshua Tree National Park - Hall of Horrors

By this time I am about two thirds done. My joints and muscles are getting tired from the exertion and sudden lunch stop. As I start off I feel my body's reluctance to get going, but as the food and water replenish me I get back to my natural stride. Many times at this point it begins to snow, or snow harder. I love to stop, listen to my breathing and take in the most peaceful bliss my heart can ever enjoy. I hear the snow actually landing on the ground, on me, all around me. There is a muffled silence that fills me with warmth as the only movement around me is my breathing. Sometimes you can hear the wind flowing between the trees causing them to shake and making the snow blow sideways. This is my most private and personal moment with nature. It is just me and her living and breathing together, her wind and my exhales making similar airy sounds.


Snowy and Windy Day on Top of Mt. San Jacinto

As dusk approaches, I am about a mile from the car and things grow darker. With the peaceful quiet of the falling snow and the white blanket on the ground easily visible, I find my car. I snap out of my binding, shake off the snow on my hat and coat, stow my gear, start up the car and drive home. During that drive and for the next few days I feel the exhaustion and fresh air still running through me. My mind is peacefully calm and not really focused or concerned about anything. This is more peaceful than any day at the spa for me.

We all have things that help bring us back. These are three of mine. I also feel this after reading a novel, a long drive in the country, and many other activities. What are yours and how do they make you feel?