” We’re lost in the woods.
The worst thing to do is to wander around looking for a way out.
Looking for a way out uses up our energy, makes us feel more and more frantic , and usually gets us even more confused and further from help.
The best thing to do when we are lost in the woods is to sit down, make a nice fire, and relax.
The best thing is to wait for help to find us.
If we’re bored, we can make messages on the ground for airplanes to read.
We’re lost in complexity.
Looking for space in our life, fills up the space in our life.
It exhausts us and makes us feel more and more frantic, and takes us further from help.
Let the spaciousness of life find us.
It is always here, which is precisely where we are.
Relax. help is very near.”
From The Shimmering World by Steven Harrison
These words give me pause for reflection each time I read them.
They are an inspiring guide to living life.
When we are confused or feel lost, then sit down and relax.
Find your Middle Ground
Knowing that help is here in the space we are already in…..
_/|\_
Find Your Middle Ground 
Very interesting post, Val. As one who loves woods and pathless ones at that, I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments.
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Thank you Jean. There is something so powerful yet peaceful being in woods…. and overlooking water too 🙂
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Great advices Val. To stay in the nature, what ever it is in the woods, the nature or by the sea, it is perfect for reflection. Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Thank you Irene! Val x
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Wow I love this! When I started reading I was thinking what would I do, walk toward the sun? use moss on the trees to know where north is and keep me moving in the same direction? Go down hill, hope for a valley and lake or river that I can follow? But this advice makes WAY more sense and has applications beyond being lost in a forest! Thanks Val.
Diana xo
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Thanks Diana. Isn’t interesting how our problem solving mind and survivor ego steps in when we even consider we might be in danger! I love this because it goes against our instincts …. and leads to something deeper. Val x
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I love this idea of both being in nature and “find your Middle Ground knowing that help is here in the space we are already in”. I do think though that the “help” to be found is often our own selves and that finding the way out of the woods is therefore also up to us. I read that the ‘spaciousness’ of standing still is in order to clear the mind of excess worry so that we can focus on a solution.
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Thank you Elizabeth. I love the idea of appreciating the space that we are in order to center ourselves … and to allow new insights to come up. Val x
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When we don’t know which way to go, sitting down to enjoy a fire (or a swim in the lake) makes sense to me.
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Be in the moment Nancy. Love it 🙂
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“Let the spaciousness of life find us.” I love this Val. Spaciousness is a friend that finds us. It’s never a threat. Immense wisdom in the post – thank you.
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Thank you Don. I love spaciousness as a friend that finds us 🙂
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I was feeling at a crossroads yesterday, “confused and lost”, so I sat for a longer meditation session than usual. Oh, yes indeed, I did find my middle ground. Love the poem.
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Its a wonderful space for us to connect to. Thank you ISWH!
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Oh, so wise, great analogy–thank you! Once again, I find a dear friend will benefit from this today! Thank you!
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I’m so happy that you share the wisdom and love! Val x
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How could I hold tightly to such beauty and depth?? Must share! 🙂 You are wise and wonderful and the world deserves to see 🙂
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Thank you my brave warrior friend 🙂
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Wow… what an amazing excerpt Val. I love it. Now I know I need to get myself a copy of The Shimmering World and learn more about what Steven Harrison has to share. You are a blessing. Thank you! XO hugs, Gina
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Middle ground…..what is the middle ground between thought & thoughtlessness, positive & negative, bad & good?
The reason I ask is many of us are reacting to thought with thoughtlessness, bad with good, negative with positive. Is this any better to bad reacting to good, negative to positive, thoughtlessness to thought? The point is, when either reacts to the other, (action reaction), this is continuing a cycle of action reaction, reaction to action, action to reaction & so on.
What would happen if we found middle ground? There is no action to cause a reaction, we are not trying to oppose anything within our actions because there is no action being taken against or for anything.
A lot of people call this silence or thoughtlessness as opposed to noisiness/thought however that isn’t the case at all, it’s neutral ground with no opposites to react too.
Thanks for this post as you have helped me make up my mind to allow this middle ground to be. We don’t have to find this middle ground because it’s always been there, actually everything else but this middle ground we have to search for which takes reactions to actions over & over again until we find what we are looking for.
Love & best wishes,
Mathew
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Thank you Mathew for your thoughtful words. I like the idea of a neutral ground. This is the place to pause. In this pause everything becomes possible and the polarities we cling to in life diminish. Welcome to this place! Val
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