Paradoxically, I often feel less alone during times of wilderness solitude than when I'm dwelling at home, in town. When I am in the physical presence of people - or communicating with them by phone or through social media - I am tempted at times to focus only on the superficial aspects of our personalities. These include the areas where we clash, and the things upon which we disagree. However, when I go into solitude, I begin to live on a deeper level. There, I remember to see others from the perspective of the eternal Ground of Being - the truest identity of ALL of us. In the wilderness, I am aware that I too emerge from that Ground, and I understand that it is THERE that I am truly one with all other beings. When I return home, I can then make a practice of viewing others - and myself - from the perspective of that Ground, thereby allowing the superficial disagreements of everyday life to melt away in the face of a deeper and more eternal perspective.
Photo: Aspen leaves and rock outcrop; Gem Lake Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO; October 5, 2012
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