The Compass
Mary’s Rock Summit, Shenandoah National Park, VA, USA
To be in the throes of bliss is to feel alive
Charged with electricity
Grounded in comfort
Content in peace
How do we create moments to be captivated by such a state of being?
Our body is a compass that is ever due north, guiding us to that which holds a currency of real value for ourselves. How some-thing, how some-one feels is one of our greatest indicators. Yet, we must not narrow our vision to the near future, but zoom out to see how we will feel in the long run.
To follow all that feels good is advice that is old, tired, & misguided. Many things feel good, but not all of them warm the seat of the soul. The feelings evoked by vices are superficial & fleeting at best. The outer layer of the self feels them, but never does it permeate below. Always do such things create a ripple of shame & repentance and perpetuate our beliefs of not-enoughness.
This is not soul food. This is poison. This is not our north. This is the way to and of Hell.
But bliss has profound depth. It has the power & stamina to sustain. True bliss is a drunkenness without the booze. A slap-happiness in which one still holds onto all of their mental faculties, able to have deep access to both feelings and thoughts without the sway of other influences.
It’s rooted in intentionality. It exalts the soul & true self.
It can be hard to find because we live in a world that leaves us instinct injured & anesthetized. Not only do we lose touch with our feelings, but also with knowing why we do the things we do.
We can start to gain our feelings back from numbness with attention to intention. For whatever we do, we ask for what purpose it serves. If it’s based on ideals that are outside of us, we will likely wither. If our intention is based outside of ourselves, we become unable to sense our feelings that inform us what is aligned and what is not aligned.
But when we reconnect with the bare bones of our intention & recognize the purpose of a thing, of an act is to feel good from the inside - out, we reclaim our sovereignty.
We decide how to rove through life in a way that corresponds to our own pace, to our unique stride, in our own distinctive landscape.
Life is all about intention. Whether or not we eat food to indulge our senses or to numb discomfort makes all the difference. Whether or not we chase love to fill a void or to enhance the life experience makes all the difference.
We create our bliss when we intend to live in a way that feels like magic in every step and in every breath.
