This past Christmas, my daughter gave me an indoor fountain. Because I live in an area where air conditioners are a frequent necessity, she felt, based on her knowledge of Feng Shui, that the fountain would help restore the positive ions the constant running of the air conditioner extracts from the air. As silly as this may sound at the outset, it seems to make sense. I do feel better for having the soothing sounds of the running water as I do my morning practice, but whether it has anything to do with ions, I’m not sure.

Every summer for the many years, I attended our annual retreat at the Asilomar Conference Center at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula. While there, my mind is an open vessel filled daily by the brilliant speakers and their informative workshops, and my soul is nurtured as well by the proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Just simply sitting in repose on the sand by the water does something exquisitely extraordinary. The very force of Mother Nature lapping the shore with uncontrolled abandon always gives me pause to realize my place in the grand scheme of things. Ernest Holmes’ comparison of our being the drop of water in the ocean of consciousness we call God is never more apparent than when I sit beside the ocean. The senses are assaulted daily by the beauty of the land and ocean meeting one another in true spiritual congruency. Being with like-minded people creates sangha (community); being in the company of some of the best metaphysical speakers is an extra added gift; being by the water is restorative. It appearsas though my daughter is on to something here. Being close to the ocean, those positive ions are just particles of God energizing me and the other 999 people at the conference!

“Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.” Denis Waitley