Perfect Poise, Perfect Life
Bring your body into balance and revolutionise your life
By Noel Kingsley
Publisher Hodder Mobius
AVAILABLE HERE
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What's over the horizon?
St Catherine's Chapel, Abbotsbury, Dorset
The view from my window is not the same this morning as I post this entry. Not because the view is changed in any way but because I am not in my London practice; I'm enjoying a few days in deepest Dorset with the glow of a rising sun coming through the cottage window, promising to give us fine weather and a glorious autumn day. I have come to Dorset for a few days autumn break; so laptop in front of me I muse on yesterday's 3 hour drive, the first view of the sea and our late afternoon walk from Abbotsbury to the remote and monumental St Catherine's Chapel on the hill overlooking Chesil Beach and the English Channel towards Brittany in western France. Funny how being on top of a hill makes you think of what's over the horizon.
The horizon is a strange yet wonderful thing. If I were an ant sitting on a tennis ball, my horizon would be similar in shape but more curved than the one that I scanned yesterday; I'm just standing on a bigger ball. And over this horizon if I could peak a little further, stand on tiptoes and extend to my fullest height I may see you.
But wherever we are, there is always a horizon; in the city it's just as far as the next building and we cannot see further. Standing beside St Catherine's Chapel I can see the wide sweep of water from the Bill of Portland and its lighthouse 15 miles away to the east and to the west, the next promintory. Despite the relatively great distance I can see no further, but I know there is much beyond. I know the existence of far flung places.
As I stood beside the chapel named after St Catherine, Patron Saint of Spinsters (I never knew that till yesterday!) and looked towards the horizon, I am reminded that in my own life I can see no further than the next 'landmark' in my life; the end of the month, the proposed plan that I have in mind; I can see the next step in my progress towards fulfillment of my plan but I cannot see any further. Yet, in order for me to have full confidence in proceeding with a plan I sometimes need to 'know' what will happen and will it turn out alright. I can only see the next step and no further.
As described in DVD called The Secret, if you're travelling in a car at night from New York to Chicago or wherever for that matter, you can only see as far as the 50 metres that your car headlights will light. But as you drive the headlights pick up more of the road and by proceeding as far as you can see, each stage of the journey presents itself. If there is an unexpected detour for roadworks you follow the directions and you get back on track further on. You just follow the road, step by step and let it unfold before you. Eventually you arrive at your destination.
As I stood beside St Catherine's Chapel yesterday looking out across the sea to the far horizon, I reminded myself to always take the next step in life, if it looks promising. Even if I cannot see exactly how things will eventually work out. But by taking a step, by making a phone call, attending an interview, accepting an invitation, writing a proposal, joining a group, moving to a new town, going on a 3 month sabbatical, quitting jobs and changing career, learning to fly aircraft, helping someone in difficulty, giving my services free to an individual in need and always remembering to laugh when the going gets tough and keep my mind roughly on what I want in life, then it's amazing what will come our way. Nature and the Universe will provide our next step.
We don't need to see the eventual outcome of our endeavours. We just need to have a vision (Chicago here I come), see the next step and have the courage to take it; and when we do, the following step will be there for us; it is always there for us.
I'm going to climb another hill today....I like views.
:-)
