As I Hiked Up The Path To The Peaceful Valley Chapel, I Relished The Quiet Of My Early Morning Solitude. After Many Years As A Participant And Assistant Instructor At Thomas Crum's Journey To Center Program, This Beautiful And Energizing Ten-minute Hike Had Become A Personal Ritual. Each Morning Of Each Journey To Center Week, Before Our Breathing And Meditation Session At 7, I Always Hike To The Top Of This Small Mountain To Be Inspired By The View Of A Much Higher Mountain Range In The Distance. I Stare At The 14,000-foot Peaks, Open My Arms And Breathe, Inviting Their Energy, Power, Beauty And Peace Into My Being. I Contrast Their Stability And Their "just There-ness" With My Own Approval-seeking Energy, Their Effortless Poise With My Striving To Do The Right Thing, And Their Natural And Graceful Essence With My Desire To Appear Knowledgeable And Beautiful And Centered. Could I Possibly Just BE? Like The Mountain? There. That Turned Out To Be My Practice This Year - And I Let The Mountain Be My Teacher. Each Time (well, Most Times) That I Found Myself In Striving Or Approval-seeking Mode, I Stopped, Breathed, And Thought About The Mountain. Thought About Just BEING - Like The Mountain. Each Time I Practiced, I Felt My Body Come Back To A Relaxed Stance, Mind Clear, My Being At Rest. It Was As If I Had Been Leaning Forward - Out Of Myself - Looking For Something, Someone, To Be Okay. As I Thought Of The Mountain, I Came Back To Center.Is There A Place That Helps You Return To Your Own Powerful Presence? Your Needs Are Met, You Are Okay Just The Way You Are. Find It Now - In Your Office, Your Home, Your Cubicle. Bring Your Mountain Back Into View. And Have A Great Journey To Center.
