Dearest Readers,
These are the Dog Days of summer. According to Wikipedia, “Dog Days… are the hottest, most sultry days of summer… Dog Days can also define a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant, or marked by dull lack of progress.”
A dull lack of progress. I’m doing my very best to work against this very thing. I’ve been in Montreal for 3 weeks for the birth of my sister’s first child and I’m surrounded by a bunch of family members all on their vacation time. This means a lot of visiting and a lot of relaxing.
Relaxing is good. I need relaxation. But you know the expression about too much of a good thing. An excess of anything can be harmful. Even down time.
When I have too much time on my hands I get lazy. And laziness is not relaxation. Laziness is lethargy and lethargy is a lack of energy and enthusiasm.
When I am leaning too much toward lethargy I’m heading for trouble. Low energy for me tips the scales and I start tending toward negativity and despair. It is absolutely vital that I monitor the amount of “vacation” time I take. Because if I’m not careful I end up taking a vacation from my spiritual well-being.
So each day I’ve been seeking a balance between hanging out with my family and allowing myself to enjoy leisure time and being vigilant about doing the things that keep my energy flowing. I need to keep up the yoga practice, I need to keep up the business side of things, I need to give service.
Years ago when I was still figuring all of this out, I rented 3 movies and watched them all in a row. When they were all done I felt like a giant numb blob of poo. The next day I felt like I’d gotten drunk the night before. I had an emotional hangover, which, I learned, comes from too much stimulation (be it from mindless entertainment or acting out in other seemingly harmless yet addictive ways).
Discovering what works (one movie, once a week) is a process of trial and error. We don’t know what we really need until we give ourselves too much of what we don’t. Even if we’re doing the bare minimum action-wise to stay afloat we will manage to rise above the negative thinking and stay out of the pit.
Despite the threat of falling backward I’m using all the tools of the Healing Path to continue moving forward. As a result, my body is limber from the yoga asanas, the business is continuing to grow, and I am given the gift of Gratitude from the service work.
Bark! Bark!
Inspiring Message of the Day: I will continue to find the balance in my life between relaxation and taking action. I will find what works for me and commit to this practice one day and one task at a time.
