There is a popular mountain bike trail near my house – it’s an easy six-mile loop that I do regularly. It’s a great ride. And it without fail, it gives me feedback on my state of mind.
If I am in a happy and generous mood, people give me the right of way even when I am going downhill (uphill has the right of way).
If I am disturbed in any way, it seems that everyone will pass me, without yielding to me, if I have the right of way. They will be mean and inconsiderate and dangerous. And if I’m not careful I can get self-righteous and angry.
You would think knowing this would help me. Knowing that how I feel directly effects my experience in the world – but it doesn’t always.
I’ve sort of learned to live with my emotions flaring up, without buying into them – most of the time. And I have a practice that helps to set my course each morning. But still, emotions happen. I used to vacillate between over- reaction and suppression. Now I practice allowing. It helps with my emotions, for when they come up for any reason, it never helps to argue with them or wish them gone or to be different. You must learn how to allow them to get the message they have. That anger I occasionally experience when riding or driving isn’t about the driver who isn’t used to traffic circles or the mt biker that doesn’t know the rules of the trail, it’s more likely something about not getting paid attention to in the past . So, with compassion I allow whatever feeling arises and try not to project it on whoever is in my path. I have learned to react less to the stimulus that I think is making the feeling and inquire as to its possible origin. And most importantly be abundantly kind to myself.
