The Sun Bath

This past Sunday there were knots both in the pits of my stomach and throat that wouldn't ease. I sought refuge from them at home to no avail. I tried reading to take my mind off to a place that would offer some respite from this dis-ease. There was no getting away. Finally, I threw a blanket in the car and headed off to the park.

The sun was very bright. There was a slight breeze. People rambled here and there. Many people huddled in the shade of trees to avoid the sun, but I felt the shade was no place for me. I found a spot in the open area of the park and spread my blanket on the grass. I took off my shoes and just sat wondering what I was doing there. I watched people as they strolled on and off the paths, and a sense of connection to all of them came over me. Immediately, I felt at ease and lay flat on my back in the sun. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, just deep, infinite blue. The mixture of the heat of the sun and the cool, freshness of the blue sky spilled over me and held me there for over two hours completely aware of all the sounds, smells, and sensations all around. This mixture of one part breeze and two parts sun cleansed me free of the knots I had felt earlier. There was no gradual melting away; before I knew it, they were gone. I sat up wondering if these knots of dis-ease would return once I came back to reality. But they didn't, and in my mind I knew they wouldn't. You see, I couldn’t have returned to reality because I had never actually left.

This trip to the park wasn't an exercise of escape. I had tried that path earlier by seeking refuge at home and in a book. Religions and even Eastern thought teach us that prayer and meditation will offer refuge from our dis-ease by giving peace. And that is true, but only for a short time. Once the “Amen” is said in a prayer and the eyes are opened from mediation, the tension of those knots gradually starts to reform. Pretty soon we are right back where we started wondering why our prayers hadn't been answered.

This invitation to the park was an invitation to take pause and enjoy the reality that is always with us. Prophets tell us to be in a constant state of prayer. How is that possible when so many stimuli are consuming our attention? Jesus said to be in this world, but not of this world. Being of this world means that stimuli affect us and pull our attention from the source of our energy. Being in this world means that we are aware that these stimuli are there but we are sheltered from the effects. We are a spectator in, but not of this world. We are not searching for ways to escape because our reality requires no escape. Our reality is that one constant still voice inside inviting us to the “park” to be cleansed. Our reality is to just be. That is true peace for the long term.