Seeing Purple

It only hurts when I bite my tongue!  The truth is, sometimes it's best to bite my tongue, because words are painful, and they can leave scars.  It's surprising how a moment, or a couple of days of quiet reflection will change my perspective.  When I do speak, it's with greater clarity, and power.

Allium flowers always remind me of fireworks...the perfect imagery for this conversation about emotional explosions and how to diffuse them.  Last week I was angry to the point of tears over something beyond my control...yet, something that I could control my reaction to.  It took days to get to that point. 

Allium is a member of the onion family.  Like an onion, a problem may have layers and layers of anger, hurt, and disappointment to peel away, before getting to the truth about it.  It helps to be able to articulate feelings, and the source of the anger.  So, after I ranted to friends, and my bathroom mirror (my mirror is a great listener), and told a few people off (also in front of the mirror), the irrationality of my anger became obvious.  My humour came back too (although it's in the bite your tongue category). 

Just because I knew I was irrational, didn't change the raw emotion.  For a walk I went.  The afternoon sun backlit many of the flowers in the park next door.  As I focussed my eyes, and my camera on beauty, my energy transformed.  I spent a blissful hour and a half in serenity and acceptance. 

 

From this calm, centred space within, I could more clearly see the source of my pain.  I was able to put myself in another's shoes, and accept them as they are.  There was nothing to forgive, since they had done nothing wrong.   

I deep breathe my way through the worst of life's experiences.  Some call it Mindfulness Meditation.  It has worked to calm and centre me through every crisis.  Deep breath in, one, two, three, four.  Hold it, one, two, three, four.  Exhale slowly, one, two, three, four.  Pause, one, two, three, four.  Deep breath in, one, two, three, four.  You can do this on a subway!

In that calm, my intentions clear, I visualize what it is that I truly desire.  Kinda like making a wish, and exhaling...  

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.