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Posted: November 29th, 2007 at 2:03am By: Adele Ryan McDowell
Part 1: A Story
Once upon a time, a traveler walked down a well-marked path. The more the traveler walked, the more confident he became. He felt more and more empowered with each purposeful stride.
On this particular day, the air temperature was just right; the sky was that expansive, everything-is-possible blue, and there were clouds - loads and loads of white, puffy clouds sailing around the earth.
It was a perfect, happy day. The traveler whistled as he advanced. He had a glint in his eye; determination on his belt. His pockets were full of certainty and bravado. The world was his. Everything was in sync; everything was going well. He was making excellent progress.
Until he took a small stumble that ended in a big rumble as he rolled down the bank of the path.
The traveler's fall stopped abruptly as he found himself knee-deep in leaves, twigs and confusion. He was disoriented. He had no idea what happened, much less where he was. He was completely lost. The traveler realized he was assuredly off-road and, most certainly, off the beaten path.
The traveler staggered to his feet and looked for some sign to direct him back to his familiar trail. Sadly, there was no was marker. The traveler became angry; he tightened his belt and looked for other ways to solve his dilemma. The more the traveler looked, the angrier he came. His backpack of resources provided no solace. He wanted answers. He wanted solutions. He wanted guarantees. He wanted it now. He was wild-eyed with worry and projections, and all he could hear was some damnable hooting of early night owls.
Alas, there were no ready-made answers, solutions or guarantees for the traveler. His peregrination had taken a seemingly wrong turn.
Unbeknownst to the traveler, there were no owls in this woodland; there were only three witches hooting to each other in the treetops. The witches, Bemused, Bewildered and Baffled, were doubled over with laughter at the hilarious antics of the traveler trying to find his way out.
He was like a child playing "cat's cradle" with yarn; the more he tried, the more stuck he became. The traveler's multitudinous efforts created a force field, like laser light security at a museum, so that he was locked deeper and deeper into the confines of the forest. There was no way out: The traveler had unknowingly rolled right into a charmed forest.
To be exact, the traveler was being held captive in The Enchanted Forest of Puzzlement. In this forest, perplexity and mystification reigned. It was a no-win situation, unless you knew the key that would free you from the enchanted puzzlement.
The traveler tried and tried, but every action closed the forest in around him. He was losing ground at an alarmingly speedy rate, and he was becoming more and more panicked. And the more he panicked, the more the forest shrunk itself around him. Before he knew it, the traveler had only a small plot of forest floor to call his own. The far reaches of the forest were impossible to negotiate. The traveler was locked in a green hell.
Eventually, the traveler became so very weary. He was so tired from all of his efforts that he finally gave up his struggle. He made a nest of pine needles and moss. He stretched out and let himself fall into a state of deep, deep sleep. He could no longer hear the hooting of the witches. His mind quieted; his body rested.
And as he slept, he dreamt of floating in moonlight through a green, green forest where treetops held sleeping witches, and of coming to a bridge.
When the traveler awoke from his dream, the moon was full and the forest was still. The traveler knew now just what to do. He rolled over and went back to sleep looking to finish his dream.
Part 2: The moral of the story
Puzzlement holds a tremendous magic. It is difficult to free ourselves from confusion and worry. Certainty is comforting. Yet the spiritual path, as we well know, is anything but linear. There are always surprises, changes of venues, unexpected guests, unusual circumstances and the occasional witch or two.
To break the powerful pull of puzzlement, we need to stop moving. It is important to become very, very still. The body and mind need rest. The soul calls for quiet so that its wisdom can surface and we can find our way. The soul will provide markers, be it dreams, meditation or the like. We have the answers. We just get confused and sometimes think everyone else knows better. The truth be told: If we just hunker down long enough and listen with an open, loving heart, the answer is always there.
As the indigenous elders always advised, when you are in doubt, take no action. I agree and will amend that thought with the following:
When you find yourself held captive in The Enchanted Forest of Puzzlement: surrender to the greenery, rest and wait for your soul to give you the answer. You'll be on your way before you know it.
— — —
Dr. Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D., is a psychologist, empath and shaman who likes looking at life with the big viewfinder. Her email address is {email ARMCDOWELL@aol.com}ARMCDOWELL@aol.com{/email}. © Copyright 2007 by Adele Ryan McDowell.
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Part 1: A Story
Once upon a time, a traveler walked down a well-marked path. The more the traveler walked, the more confident he became. He felt more and more empowered with each purposeful stride.
On this particular day, the air temperature was just right; the sky was that expansive, everything-is-possible blue, and there were clouds - loads and loads of white, puffy clouds sailing around the earth.
It was a perfect, happy day. The traveler whistled as he advanced. He had a glint in his eye; determination on his belt. His pockets were full of certainty and bravado. The world was his. Everything was in sync; everything was going well. He was making excellent progress.
Until he took a small stumble that ended in a big rumble as he rolled down the bank of the path.
The traveler's fall stopped abruptly as he found himself knee-deep in leaves, twigs and confusion. He was disoriented. He had no idea what happened, much less where he was. He was completely lost. The traveler realized he was assuredly off-road and, most certainly, off the beaten path.
The traveler staggered to his feet and looked for some sign to direct him back to his familiar trail. Sadly, there was no was marker. The traveler became angry; he tightened his belt and looked for other ways to solve his dilemma. The more the traveler looked, the angrier he came. His backpack of resources provided no solace. He wanted answers. He wanted solutions. He wanted guarantees. He wanted it now. He was wild-eyed with worry and projections, and all he could hear was some damnable hooting of early night owls.
Alas, there were no ready-made answers, solutions or guarantees for the traveler. His peregrination had taken a seemingly wrong turn.
Unbeknownst to the traveler, there were no owls in this woodland; there were only three witches hooting to each other in the treetops. The witches, Bemused, Bewildered and Baffled, were doubled over with laughter at the hilarious antics of the traveler trying to find his way out.
He was like a child playing "cat's cradle" with yarn; the more he tried, the more stuck he became. The traveler's multitudinous efforts created a force field, like laser light security at a museum, so that he was locked deeper and deeper into the confines of the forest. There was no way out: The traveler had unknowingly rolled right into a charmed forest.
To be exact, the traveler was being held captive in The Enchanted Forest of Puzzlement. In this forest, perplexity and mystification reigned. It was a no-win situation, unless you knew the key that would free you from the enchanted puzzlement.
The traveler tried and tried, but every action closed the forest in around him. He was losing ground at an alarmingly speedy rate, and he was becoming more and more panicked. And the more he panicked, the more the forest shrunk itself around him. Before he knew it, the traveler had only a small plot of forest floor to call his own. The far reaches of the forest were impossible to negotiate. The traveler was locked in a green hell.
Eventually, the traveler became so very weary. He was so tired from all of his efforts that he finally gave up his struggle. He made a nest of pine needles and moss. He stretched out and let himself fall into a state of deep, deep sleep. He could no longer hear the hooting of the witches. His mind quieted; his body rested.
And as he slept, he dreamt of floating in moonlight through a green, green forest where treetops held sleeping witches, and of coming to a bridge.
When the traveler awoke from his dream, the moon was full and the forest was still. The traveler knew now just what to do. He rolled over and went back to sleep looking to finish his dream.
Part 2: The moral of the story
Puzzlement holds a tremendous magic. It is difficult to free ourselves from confusion and worry. Certainty is comforting. Yet the spiritual path, as we well know, is anything but linear. There are always surprises, changes of venues, unexpected guests, unusual circumstances and the occasional witch or two.
To break the powerful pull of puzzlement, we need to stop moving. It is important to become very, very still. The body and mind need rest. The soul calls for quiet so that its wisdom can surface and we can find our way. The soul will provide markers, be it dreams, meditation or the like. We have the answers. We just get confused and sometimes think everyone else knows better. The truth be told: If we just hunker down long enough and listen with an open, loving heart, the answer is always there.
As the indigenous elders always advised, when you are in doubt, take no action. I agree and will amend that thought with the following:
When you find yourself held captive in The Enchanted Forest of Puzzlement: surrender to the greenery, rest and wait for your soul to give you the answer. You'll be on your way before you know it.
— — —
Dr. Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D., is a psychologist, empath and shaman who likes looking at life with the big viewfinder. Her email address is {email ARMCDOWELL@aol.com}ARMCDOWELL@aol.com{/email}. © Copyright 2007 by Adele Ryan McDowell.
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