Dear John,

I was sitting on the deck writing this morning in a small corner still blanketed by shade when I looked up just in time to see two Great Blue Herons take flight from a nearby oak tree. As I watched their long, flowy wings carry them over the house, I said out loud, I’m so glad I looked up! 

I’m so glad I looked up.

Funny, I thought as they passed out of sight, this is my focus these days. Looking up. Not in the “be optimistic” kind of way – although I believe that’s important. But more in a spiritual sense – raising my consciousness so I operate from a higher state of mind. 

For the last two-and-a-half years, I’ve maintained a daily meditation practice in order to listen to and act from my higher self rather than my ego. The ego is so quick to judge, to focus on what’s right or wrong with the world and the people in it. It has an opinion about everyone and everything. And it believes it’s always right.

Every time I catch myself judging a post someone places on social media, for instance, or the views of a person who sees things differently than I do, I remind myself to aim higher. To look up. 

This means noticing when I get triggered by something or someone and refusing to do anything from an emotionally reactive place. It means bringing my attention back inside to the present moment by wiggling my toes, noticing what I hear, or naming what I see in front of me. It might mean closing my eyes and following my breath in and out long enough to feel calm, clear-minded, and compassionate toward the person or situation that I’m judging. 

And it means learning to sit with uncomfortable feelings instead of pointing fingers or blaming others (which is something the ego always prefers to do).

These are emotionally challenging times and the minute anxiety and fear take hold, the ego rises. Nearly every day I have to keep reminding myself to breathe, to come home to myself, and to carefully think things through before I act.

This morning, I’m grateful for the medicine offered by the Great Blue Heron and I offer their gift to you: Keep looking up!

Love,
Cheryl

P.S. – My new audiobook, Self Care for the Wisdom Years is now available on both Audible and the SoundsTrue.com website. It’s exclusively available in audio format only. They’ll be more on this soon, but if you’d like to listen, you can do so here. 

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