Ground and centre...

Such a simple phrase... "ground and centre" but one filled with profound implications when I actually manage to achieve that state. It is an interdiction intended to remind those who explore their inner being and who find themselves intensely aware of their connection to a larger sens of existence. Call it what you will. Personally I like the description that Marcus Aurelius attributes to the divine nature of the universe and our concomitant relationship to it. So to ground and centre is to be fully cognisant of our connection, to be actively aware of it but at the same time to be in a state of calm joy.

Perhaps that is true happiness. I certainly believe that happiness and peace come more from within and than from any external factors. In the end we find these gifts from our deliberate choices. As Epictetus insists we much choose be content with our lives, to embrace them as fully as possible.

For me part of that choice is made possible by remembering that I am very much a physical being and taking care of myself, physically and psychically are equally important. Over the past five weeks I have returned to two critical practices that help me to achieve those twin goals. I spend regular periods of time at the gym and I meditate for at least twenty minutes each day. Finding balance is essential to my well-being as well being is essential to my happiness.