“Don’t miss the dream while you’re going after your dream”
The title of this post is taken from an email from Jason Stapleton . I am part of his Nine Figure Network and he sends us Morning Emails. This one struck me at just the right time. I am in the beginning stages of several projects. This morning, I stood in my living room, coffee in hand, in a state that I can only describe as similar to the state of my old computer when I had too many programs running at once: I needed Control Option Escape to get the overload cleared out.
When I get caught up like this I often find myself running a race with myself. Who am I trying to compete with here? It is easy to tell others, “Slow and steady wins the race”. Not so easy when it’s me.
I have added a new activity to my schedule. There is a rock halfway up and down the hill in the cow pasture in front of my house. Like Christopher Robin, halfway down the stairs, I sit there and let everything quiet down. I will enjoy this spot while I can. When the farmer who leases the field brings the cows back, I will have to relinquish the rock to them.Looking back at the day, the morning feels long ago. Today I accomplished everything I set out to do and more. Throughout the day, I was able to connect with the spirit of light that underlies all things.
In his first century social commentary, the Satires, the Roman poet Juvenal wrote,
“Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano”.
The English translation is roughly, “A man should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body.” Interestingly, in the nineteenth century John Hulley adapted this phrase as the motto for his Liverpool athletic club, giving it a different meaning than the original. Hulley stated,
“Mens sana in corpore sano”.
The English translation is, of course, “A sound mind in a sound(healthy) body.” The omission of the phrase, “ a man should pray for” is telling. Hulley would have us believe that exercise will cause us to be sound of mind. Juvenal, on the other hand, was making a direct and derogatory comment on the follies and vices of second century Rome.
This concept manifests itself in my art, work, teaching and home life as a manner of intent and mindset. Keeping priorities in mind, allowing myself to enjoy life, and saving my energy for ripping grapevines out of treetops instead of bemoaning the state of the world are all good strategies.
You can try a free stitch meditation with me at www.carollebarondyes.com.
Carol LeBaron
To find out more about my perambulations find me at www.followcarollebaron.com
