I was seeking an answer so I went on a journey.

I sought inspiration so I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and allowed the world to fall away. I found myself looking at a large brown bear who looked at me gently asking what I wanted. My snarky side bubbled up with a “You have something to teach me so lead the way.”

He seemed to grin and began walking down a path away from the cave. As I followed, we jumped to the shore of a beautiful mountain lake and this is where my lesson began.

Picture it.

Behind you are large trees. They curve around the shore thriving on the water and sun beaming in this serene space. You stand on rocky sand looking across a large, glassy expanse of water. You can see where a stream comes in on one end and somewhere at the other you instinctively know is an outlet. The other side of the water rises into majestic mountains that seem to provide safety and grounding along with the contrast of immensity and minuteness of everything.

Besides what I’ve just described…What do YOU see?

As I sat with the bear, he asked me the same question. My heart saw peace. Tranquility. Beauty and release. A deep breath releases clinging stress. 

This journey was about SO much more than what I was taking in visually.

I called out the inlet and outlet of the lake. Do you know what exists because of that? Life.

Without the added flow, give and take, the nutrients and life would die off and the lake would become a stagnant and stinky pool filled with decay.

The lesson? I have to take in and let go. If I hold on and refuse to flow how can new life thrive? Ebb and flow. Lessons. Love. Relationships. Work. Is what I’m taking in helping this life flourish? Or am I taking in stuff I would be better letting some of it go through and out?

This lesson flowed into a deeper concept.

You will find silt, sand, organisms, and more at the bottom of this lake. It could be a lake anywhere and you’d find the same. It’s not unique to this one. And yet, even this is a lesson…

What have I allowed to sink to the bottom of my lake? What is resting there, holding me down? What would I be better off if I lifted it into the current flowing out of my lake soul?

And the imagery is perfect in this sense because some of this stuff will be easy to pull out. It’s under less silt. Why not let it flow…go?

Other stuff seems larger and is buried beneath a lot more silt and debris. I know it will take a bit more work. It will stir up mud and muck, making the water murky for a while. I’ll also feel better when my lake is cleaner. The life inside will be healthier, and stronger.

And as I step back I see there’s another lesson. 

This lake is so calm and peaceful. Or so it seems. 

While the top is glassy and reflective, there is so much going on beneath the surface. Much like our interactions with each other. What we see is hardly the reality of what we’re feeling and experiencing. We hide our truth and reflect on what is more acceptable to those we’re with. 

I imagine how different emotions would look in the water. Anger. Sadness. Fear. Joy. Excitement. I like watching the expressions dance within the water. They’re all beautiful. 

I was told to bring the vision back to you. To share it and ask what else you see. What other lessons you can glean from the journey?

I’d love for you to share.

Journaling Prompts

1. When you read about allowing things to flow instead of holding on, what came to mind?
2. What did you see in the silt at the bottom that you can lift and let go of?
3. What other inspirations and lessons do you see in this journey?