“We are like a sky holding weather, not a sky fixing the fact of weather.  If the weather of anger is present, I am learning to hold anger with wisdom and compassion. If the weather of desire is present, I am learning to hold desire with wisdom and compassion.  The person I need to be is here, now, like a gear I can shift into. I just need a little time and space to find that gear.”

When I first read this quote by Rolf Gates, my jaw dropped. I’m a visual person and I love me a good metaphor, so when I read this in “Meditations On Intention And Being,” I knew it was something I’d need to ponder for a while.

Being like the sky holding the weather.

I’m honestly still kind of gob smacked at the concept. I mean, I understand not reacting to circumstances, remaining unattached, and not trying to control the situation. I can wrap my head around those ideas. Where I’m unsure is how to implement them to the level of being the freaking sky. That’s a bigger level than me keeping my cool when I read some absurd Facebook post, bigger than me biting my tongue when hearing an idiotic political statement, and definitely bigger than me resisting the urge to argue with someone who’s knowingly pushed my buttons that are only known of by a few. These, I can manage. Some days it’s easier than others, but they’re still manageable. But to the level of the sky? That’s a tall order (see what I did there… ).

In thinking about what I’d need to do to be the sky, the first thing that came to mind is that I need more peace in my life. Not that my life is unpeaceful by any means. But to be the sky means I need to cultivate more equanimity in my daily life to a higher level.

So how can I do this? Those solutions seem easier than I’d originally thought. To begin, I can meditate more than once a day and for longer periods each time. That’s pretty much a no-brainer when one desires to be like the sky.

Also, if I’m tired, hungry, and/or stressed, I’m more like the thunderstorm than the sky.

This means I need to up my level of self-care to new heights. These require a bit of planning, such as figuring out what’s for dinner before I’m hungry, not watching one last episode before bed, and delegating tasks to help reduce my stress. I can do those pretty easily.

Practicing mindfulness to a deeper level is another way to level up towards the sky. When I’m engulfed in other things — such as thinking about everything I need to do, replaying a conversation in my head, or worrying about current events at 11p — I’m no longer in the moment. It also means I’m no longer in my body, which translates to tighter muscles, restless sleep, and often holding my breath.

This leads naturally to the final easy answer on becoming like the sky, and that is intentional breathing. By slowing my breath down and allowing my breath to land in my belly with the inhalation, I can combine so many of the above-mentioned solutions in one simple action.

Will you join me on this elevated journey to be more like the sky holding the weather? What are some solutions you have to help you get there? Share with me, and let’s rise together.