When The Heat Is On
It is touching close to 100 here in Salamanca, Spain and the heat is on! Per the Spaniards recommendation, the shades are down while the bright sun is out to keep in as much cool air as possible. Air conditioning in the homes of Northern Spain is not typical, thus I have been fighting the native advice for a few days now, as to me it has been a choice between the beautiful light of day over any possibility of cooler air. However, today, I had to succumb. I am giving the shades a try, yet I am still not convinced. It is still hot as “blue blazes,” as the sun is going down, with no touch of a breeze.
As the heat in the plains of Spain turns up, so does a certain agitated and anxious energy; the body is quick to react and then tire and one’s mind is in need of peace. I think of the winter days when it is cozy to turn within and observe peace. But how different is the process when the temps touch 100 and one has to shade herself from the light. It is another opportunity for a miracle. I have decided, I may not be “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” as Richard Simmons would recommend, instead, I am “Sweatin’ to the Miracles.”
The heat sure is on, as I am constantly wrapped in a blanket of warmth, and my mind is often on fire. I am reacting quicker to my circumstances and recognizing that my being is desiring the coolness of peace. A question that can often come to mind is, “Where is peace?” Today, I had such an inquiry, as my inner world and outer world felt in a blaze, but as grace has it, I was gifted with the cool heavenly response that, “Peace is in the heat, too. Just observe.”
I sat in silence today and realized how there is no such thing as perfect mediation conditions. This came about because I was lamenting that at that moment there was no way there could be another, melting as I in the heat, trying to observe one’s thoughts peacefully. Then, I thought of those in India and other parts of the world who are most likely meditating in heat as well. There are also those who are sitting in silence while cars honk and darks bark outside. Yet, the point of meditation is to meet each moment equanimously, not to wait for the neutral moment to come up to you, tap you on the shoulder, and say, “Here I Am,” as it is always HERE, it merely waits for our attention, whether in the heat or the in cold.
Today, a miraculous song came to mind to share, Glenn Frey, “The Heat Is On.” Classic lines from the song state,
The shadows high on the darker side
Behind the doors, it’s a wilder ride
You can make a break, you can win or lose
That’s a chance you take, when the heat’s on you
When the heat is on…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCoP2W4v2v8
When the heat is on, literally or figuratively, we always have a choice and can take a chance on peace. It is a wild ride! A Course in Miracles states in Lesson 34, “I can see peace instead of this,” thus, no matter the weather or external circumstances, we are always perfectly close to our sovereign choice and can take that radical step towards our light, even when the shades are down.
I may be sweating with the heat of the temps but I can always be cool as a cucumber as I recall my Truth. In any heat wave or cold front, I can always choose peace. Even in the heat, there is the miracle of peace. In the words of Glenn Frey, “Tell me, can you feel it?” Namaste.