Wisdom Of The Triumphant Tree: Join My 365-Day Peaceful Photo Challenge
DAY 117. Curating peace through photos, with and without words.
The external events and suffering we would erase if we could are inevitable parts of life.
The stoic Socrates tells us:
"If you don't get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don't want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can't hold on to it forever. Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change. Free of pain, free of the obligations of life and death. But change is law, and no amount of pretending will alter that reality."
But when we "[develop] the capacity to enjoy less (Socrates)" the reality becomes brighter, more beautiful, taller, greener, more hopeful, more resplendent.
Developing this capacity to enjoy less begins and ends with the mind - intentionally taking control and recognizing that the mind feeds the body and emotions as interconnected systems.
Getting grounded mentally depends on self-awareness, asking honestly, "What are these emotions telling me?" and learning from the answers. In this process, we increase our ability to embrace the present moment with gratitude and shift or reframe our thoughts.
Over time, like the tree that has been planted firm and grows secure in the grounding of its root system, scarcity and fear dissipate, and abundance and joy germinate - from within.
So, in my recent travels, I spied this tree and immediately considered her beauty as a reflection of Socrates' teaching that peace and happiness are never found in external things or the accumulation of possessions but in the mental agency of the individual through self-control, inner direction, focus, and choice.
This tree is immobile, subject to the elements and tides at her sea-level vantage point and to the hurricanes typical of her area six months per year. In her strong, twisted trunk and glorious branches, I see strength, resilience, and embracing of all that comes in life's unpredictable nature.
Do you see this tree's imperfect perfections and unique adaptations to the challenges that have weathered her? Do you see her strength and beauty? Do you see how she has triumphed over her adversities? What does she teach you about curating your peace?