There’s a peaceful place, under the shade of a mango tree.
Sun filters through the shade of the leaves, as the breeze gently moves the leaves. When the sunlight moves, in places it sparkles. It’s so lovely.
I have a comfortable chair there, beneath the shade of this tree. Sometimes I sit there, just sit there, for ages.
I watch the passing traffic. There’s not much, as I live in a quiet street.
I’m fortunate in that way: to be away from the bustle of the city, while living in its midst.
It’s a lovely, sunny place. But, as with most people, even in my home I can get caught up in what’s happening around me – and this can take me over sometimes.
The stress of having too much to do or of having nothing to do can be hard to shake off. I can be feeling overwhelmed inside the house, whether it’s bills to pay or things not done and overdue, or the pressure I feel others are putting on me.
I was feeling that way recently and all of a sudden I thought: “That’s enough!” I walked out of the house and just sat on the patio and looked out at the mango tree.
I think just walking out of the house is the trigger.
As I passed through the front door, I felt as though I was walking into another world. It’s a world where there is no stress, where there are no demands and no time limits.
I sat down in my comfortable chair, put my feet up on a wooden stool there and spent the next hour looking around at the scene. I was enjoying the warmth, the shade, the peace, defiantly.
I wanted to stay there.
I wanted to enjoy that space and that time.
I wanted to be free of all pressures that I felt were on me.
I wanted to be the one in charge of myself, my life and my enjoyment of it all.
Who says we have to live constantly under stress? Who says I have to be controlled by others?
No, I reject those notions. I won’t be controlled.
Time will pass in this timeless place.
It won’t matter. Any problem to be sorted, anything to be handled, I can do that when I walk back inside through that door.
I can’t do any of them here. It’s impossible because when I walk through that door to this place, I am transformed.
I become someone who is a king of my world, someone who can’t be rushed, someone who knows how to enjoy every single moment of precious time.
I’m not going to spend my life here I’m going to take one hour in this way, when I can’t handle the stress, when I
am feeling overwhelmed.
That’s OK because how I felt when I walked back through that door an hour later was amazing. I did not feel any pressure. I did not feel that I had to do anything.
I thought; “I’ll think about it. What I have to do, what I don’t have to do, now or later. I will think about it.”
I was a king of my world still, when I walked back through that door.
It hasn’t left me yet and it’s days later.
But I have sorted out the problems.
And I have accomplished most of the tasks that were overdue.
And I feel good.
Brahma Kumaris in Australia
The Brahma Kumaris have had a presence in Australia since 1975.
There are centres and class locations in the major cities, as well as three Centres for Spiritual Learning, where courses, classes and retreats are held.
Brahma Kumaris Australia is a registered charity in the area of education (spiritual). All programs are offered free of charge as a service to the community. The ongoing operations are funded through donations from
students and the public in the spirit of maintaining its educational services for the benefit of all in the community.
Meditation online:
http://learnmeditationonline.org,
www.brahmakumaris.org.au,
www.facebook.com/BKAustralia
