THE UNIVERSE WANTS US TO BE WELL AND AT PEACE

Here are some insightful passages in “Hello Universe, It's Me: How I Scheduled A Breakdown And Manifested A New Life (And How You Can Too).” by Deepika Sandhu

 

— … Spinning and seemingly losing control, I opened the drapes in the small room and stepped out onto the balcony. I released the anxiety one big deep breath at a time. I stepped away from the fears and the questions that started to flood my mind. I reminded myself that I chose this. I wanted to be here. I wanted this month off. I wanted to break down. I wanted to get deep within myself to figure out what I really wanted and needed in my life. Slowly all the deep breaths and fresh air allowed the wave to pass.

The rhythm of the retreat was lovely. I woke up each morning, made a French press coffee in the communal kitchen, and then sat on my balcony to be fully present in that moment. I watched the first rays of sun hit the hills. I got lost in the various shades of greens and browns on the mountains. I grew transfixed by the sounds of silence. I smiled as I watched the birds fly by or the little pack of turkeys roam from one end of the property to the other. There were no emails to worry about. No breakfast to make for the family. No conference call to take. Just me, my coffee, the view, the silence.

The retreat schedule was wide open. Our day started at nine in the morning with two hours of meditation and yoga. Then the rest of the day was free to sit in silence, meditate on your own, swim, hike, or just rest. The group reconvened at seven each evening for more yoga and meditation. These bookends to the day left lots of time to think, to observe the amazing surroundings and reflect. I found myself lost in the beautiful blue sky, the picturesque clouds, the hummingbirds, and dragonflies zipping by. It was as if the noisy exteriors of my mind were giving way to layers and layers of peace that lived beneath them. I could simply observe whatever tickled my fancy without a swarm of practical, unnecessary thoughts getting in the way. It was a depth of peace that I had never experienced.

I brought two books along to read and I certainly had ample time to be lost in these books. I also brought my journal. I found so many lovely places to sit — under a tree, on a hammock, at the edge of the pool, on a comfy cozy chair — and just write. The words flowed and flowed. Whatever thoughts, insights or random words came to my mind, I just kept writing them down. Take this passage from the third day of the retreat:

** June 16, 2017

“I thought this time off might unveil a writing project to pursue or a business venture to launch. But throughout my time off and especially here at Silent Stay, the message coming through is to observe. Observe this current moment. I need to be completely present where I am to see all that is really happening. Observe the leaf falling off the tree. Observe the hummingbird humming along. As, I observe more, I slow down. As I slow down, I am starting to hear the story that my soul wants me to hear. My challenge will be to not just hear what my soul, my spirit, the Universe wants to tell me but to also listen to that message. To honor it and to live it.”

I kept writing the word authentic. Time and again, it made its way through my fingertips and onto the page. Sometimes, it was just the word. Sometimes it was in the form of a question (how can I be my most authentic self?). Sometimes it was in the context of a mini-epiphany that just appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Day after day, sometimes multiple times a day, that word kept drifting to the surface.

The other thought that kept emerging was a need to slow down. The idea that in order to become my truest, most authentic self I needed to keep slowing down. I needed to incorporate activities that allowed myself to release all the tension, the stress, the noise and connected to my inner self. Long hot baths. Walks in nature. Meditation. Watching that hummingbird zip by and really seeing it. The pointed beak, the colors in its wings, and the speed with which it moved. Finding time to pause in my normal everyday life, even if it was only a few minutes at a time, was needed to unlock all the layers of myself and connect more deeply with my inner essence.

There are no coincidences. I was here at this retreat with this yoga teacher at this time because it was completely meant to be this way. And so was everything else. Everything unfolding in my life was part of a larger story. None of it was random. I was being presented with situations, people and even thoughts that were intentionally drifting towards me to transform my life. This realization made me well up with tears. There was a higher power. There was someone or something much bigger than my physical self that was wanting me to see my life in a new way.

— Have you ever experienced deep peace? Have you ever unwound the brain and all that thinking noise so much that you could hear your soul speak? If you are anything like I was before my scheduled breakdown, the answer is “Nope!” There was never time to unwind deeply. I mean there might have been a good nap here, a nice massage there or a quiet walk in nature. But if it took more than a few hours, I did not afford myself the luxury of ever finding out what that would be like.

Some of you may actively avoid too much silence. Being with oneself for too long can be frightening. You don’t know what all that quiet will help you hear. Yet being with ourselves and experiencing that deep silence allows us to get beneath the layers of the day-to-day noise and hear all we are meant to hear.

Imagine yourself sitting in your favorite place where you find solace. For some it may be on the sandy shores of your favorite beach or for others it may be in the mountains amongst the trees or even in the middle of a vibrant urban jungle. Wherever it is that you enjoy for an escape, imagine yourself there. Soften your eyes and allow your mind to take you to this quiet, peaceful space where you feel completely held in nature’s embrace. You are uninterrupted. You are safe. You are quiet. As you imagine yourself in this beautiful place, go to the quietest part of yourself, the part of yourself that is open, willing, and able to listen. If you can’t find that place right away, that is okay. Just allow yourself to be in the awareness that you have chosen this time to be with a deeper part of you.

As you engage in this practice more often, you will start to unleash layers of noise and as you do deeper truths, understandings or insights may emerge. As they do, just jot them down in your journal. Do not judge or attempt to analyze. Just be grateful that in this moment you heard something you have not heard before. Marvel in that.

On Amazon!