Have you ever had moments where you felt like you were on an epic journey? You know, the moments that will stick with you forever as if they become embedded in your cellular memory. It becomes part of your inner landscape. Maybe it was the first time you rode a bike all by yourself? As your mom or dad assisted you keep your balance. You can feel them holding on to the seat, running by your side as you peddled. Hands gripped tightly to the handlebars as you steer the bike steadily forward, the bike swaying side to side as the speed of the tires picks up pace. You’re afraid but determined to keep going. The sound of acceleration of the tires meeting the concrete. . . vvvvvvvVVVVVV. The sound increasing, as you peddle one leg, down, and the other goes up and down again!
The clicking of the chain of the single-gear bike. Wind blowing your hair back, away from your face as you feel the gentle wisps of hair grace your cheek. You feel the rhythm and synchronicity of the flow, of peddling, swaying the bike back and forth, until alas, you are steady, moving forward in a straight line, the force of energy propelling you forward. Peddling faster and faster. All your muscles working together contracting and releasing. Breathing in and out. It’s hard work at first to get the bike to move and stay aligned. Then it happens, your mom or dad lets go….uh. What once was scary is now exhilarating …! Now you are racing down the sidewalk, eyes looking straight ahead. You are free, liberated from fear of falling. You no longer feel your parent’s support, just a faint cry as they shout, “Okay, stop!” as they see the corner approaching. But, you are in the flow where nothing else exists outside of that moment. Just you, your bike, and the wind which showers you in the energy of freedom. You take flight without leaving the ground.
In the grace and glory of that 30-second moment, you gently push back on the pedals to come to a stop. You did it! You road your bike for the first time unassisted. Stopping safely with one foot and toes to the ground. Though it may have only been the length of two maybe three houses, the moment is epic! Well, I know it was for me when I first rode down the street in my blue Schwinn bike with a blue banana seat with sparkles and suicide handlebars with streamers on the hand grips. It was just as exciting as when me and my brothers road down the street in our big wheels doing skid outs by pulling on the rear tire hand break. Those of you who grew up in the late 70’s early 80’s know what I am talking about.
Laughing, racing each other, and doing it over and over again until we mastered the skid out, turning the handlebar at just the right time, while pulling the hand break up, leaning to one side to engage the skid. A quick turn back into the rotational force to change direction and peddle out of the turn. We never fell off our big wheels. We even managed to gain enough speed on the big wheel with the dented front tire, that lumped along. Yes, a dent, the big wheels we had had hard plastic tires, but we did not care. In our minds, we raced as fast as the wind.
As we grew older, our skill level was perfected as we graduated to riding single-gear, bicycles, with a footbreak. The skid-outs continued, and we did it over and over again. This time we added bike jumps made out of plywood and 2×4’s Yes! The construction was horrible, but we did not care. We peddled as fast as one’s legs could take us to approach the jump. One by one, watching each other approach the jump. Sometimes we would avoid the jump completely, and fear set in. Then finally, after plenty of encouragement and watching my brother have a successful jump, I peddled and peddled as the front wheel connected to the ramp, I leaned back, putting my weight into the rear tire, pulling up on the handlebars, I took flight. Now the landing was a bit bumpy at first, after a number of attempts, the landing smoothed out. My brothers and I jumped and jumped until the ramp broke then we would call it a day knowing we would make another jump tomorrow. Fun and freedom! These are a couple of many “epic” moments of my childhood.
Now, as an adult, I may not experience as many “epic” moments in the same way, but when I do, the feeling of elation lights me up from the inside out. The feeling of freedom and fun running through my body…well, I just want to experience it over and over again.
This is often how I feel along my path of awakening as I ascend within my internal being and return to the state of love and joy in my heart. As I reflect, the transformational or growth process is the same in childhood as it is in my adulthood. There is fear yet the determination to keep going propels me forward. Something deep inside, just like learning to ride my bike, keeps nudging me to set myself free. I have had many mentors, who supported, and guided me along the way until I could guide myself. When all those “tools” in my “energetic” toolbox are in use, well it’s exciting. I meet so many different characters along the way that bring up challenges and insight for me to grow, expand, and return inward to my heart.
This includes the fun, corky, and dare I say it, shadow characteristics of myself. A band of various identities lives inside me, as they live in you too. Now, my “skidouts” are meant to turn inward to face myself and surrender. Let go of these identities and let the light of GOD in, like the plywood ramp, I take time to discard the “broken pieces” that no longer support me. I take time to fix what needs mending. I “rebuild” my direct connection to myself. My Higher Self, my heart. I commit each day to the Path of Awakening and spiritual growth. It’s done yes, with a seriousness, but that too has softened.
Now, I find humor in it all. The Joy of ascending and trudging myself out of my own mud. Sometimes later, if I am out on a nature hike or outdoor retreat. Now, I laugh with life. I laugh with myself. Now my epic moments occur when I gather with others and our souls weaving a common purpose together. I never know what epic moment will occur with the group or for myself…its always a surprise. All of us are so excited to be together, in light, in peace, and connecting.
As in any group setting, the energy builds momentum the longer people are together. I remember to create time for myself. I take time to rest, reflect, and be alone. I remember to breathe and slow down when I feel like I am racing and “peddling” so fast only to find myself at the end of the sidewalk and it’s only day 2 of a 5-day global gathering for peace. I can either choose to pump the break or jump the curb. Either choice is perfect. But you know what? I much prefer to recognize the pace inside me and slow down and not get swept away in the ungrounded moment of group excitement.
Taking the moment to breathe, calms my nervous system, allows me to be present with what’s in front of me, and is key to the ability to assimilate and alchemize the energies that are moving beyond the speed of light within my physical body. It’s the light coming into my light body, activating my cells, my heart. My entire energy system “shocked” with golden light current that runs through me. It runs through you too. It’s the ability to ground the light body, connect to your heart, connect to the earth, connect to the heaven which allows me to stay the course. I sit and breathe for a moment each day which supports this divine alchemy and stability to occur. Let the emotions come to the surface, and just breathe, observe, and let in GOD. It’s in the breath I feel my Mind, Body, and Spirit come into synchronicity and operate in synergy. Fully connected and aligned, just the way it felt when I rode my bike for the first time, perfected a skid out or jumped a ramp.
All the elements must come into synchronicity and align just so, and then you’re in the flow of energy. The flow of light of your Higher Self. Thinking no longer is in the way. Trust and knowing takes its place. I choose to do it again and again and gather with soul friends weaving our sovereign energy together for a common purpose of peace for humanity. It may sound simple, but these are the epic moments of my life now. The energy felt in the room when we all gather together, it’s like a giant celebration or homecoming. I always felt so joyous for weeks, even months afterward. I get recharged from the inside out and I return home with so much creativity and joy. I just want to do it over, and over again. This may not feel epic to some of you, but for me, these are some of the epic moments in my life that have become part of my inner landscape. I know there are more epic moments to come along this transformational journey
For now, I will sit in the energy of the stillness of my breath and just breathe.
