Paying Attention to the Voice Within on the Road

Paying Attention to the Voice Within
March 27, 2010

What an amazing run today. I am visiting family in Louisiana. Usually I have to set out early if I am going to run here, the heat and humidity can be brutal. But today I had time to complete my new found ashtanga yoga practice with enough energy for a run. It had been raining all morning but by 10:00, the clouds had cleared and as I set out the sun was shining brightly, welcoming me to the experience with its warmth and clarity.

Warmth and clarity, two things I have been in search of. The air was fresh, with the slight aroma of freshness that usually follows a strong rain. As I wove my way around large puddles and skirted car splashes, I was grateful for the gift of present moment awareness. So often in life I forget where I am, what I am doing, and how my body feels in space, but not today. My senses were alive and my brain was pleasantly activated. What a gift.

As I wove my way toward home, I noticed a business sign saying something about “natural healing.” A woman was busy unloading items from here vehicle. I thought,
“I wonder what they do there.”
But instead of acting on my natural curiosity and the inner voice gently urging me to investigate, I kept running, because my curiosity was halted by my possible embarrassment in showing up at the door of the business, sweaty and in need of a glass of water. My spontaneity caused me another moment’s pause.
“How silly and stupid,” another voice in my head said.
I ran a little further, but the desire to stop and entertain my curiosity continued to speak inside me. I have come to recognize this desire as the divine inside me, and when it speaks, I am trying to listen. So I halted my run and made a u turn. I walked in.
“I was running by and I noticed you natural healing sign,” I said. “Would you mind telling me something about your practice?”
“Yes, yes, I noticed you run by,” the lady said.
She then proceeded to show me some pieces of equipment, patiently answering my questions. We had some back and forth conversation about nutrition, disability, magnesium, minerals, pharmaceuticals, the holistic medicine approach, non profits, and the economy. She showed me the results of chemical hair analysis, and explained the importance of natural salt. We compared stories and beliefs. She handed me some reading materials to take home as I wondered how I would carry the packet she gave me.
I left feeling joyful, grateful, and uplifted having met another sojourner on this road toward health and wholeness.