Finding a Serenity Spot

Is anyone else watching “Enlightened” on HBO? Laura Dern took home a surprise win at the Emmy’s last year and Season 2 returns Sunday January 13th 9:30pm.

If you haven’t tuned in, Amy (Laura Dern) is a burned out executive who is forced to take a break and she finds a spiritual path. As she returns to work at an unconscious health and beauty company, where egos rule over mindfulness, Amy becomes conflicted as to how she can stay centered, earn a paycheck, and tolerate what is going on around her.

Sound familiar? I truly believe Mike White and/or Laura Dern must practice yoga because the lingo and the discord are spot on!

Especially in Episode 4 of Season 1, “The Weekend.” Amy drags her ex-husband on a rafting trip to a favorite spot they used to frequent. She has a beautiful soliloquy after they clear the first rapid as she hits a moment of presence, realizing “we can be free from our sad stories.” 

Having come through the holidays, perhaps either the company of our family and some of our friends, or lack thereof, may have only reminded us of our past and not our progress. Maybe we were waterboarded by our sad stories of being divorced, fired, fat, unloved, abandoned, not successful?

Where is the place that takes us away from our sad story and gives us a glimmer of our center where we are neither good or bad, we just are? For Amy it was rafting and being in nature. For anyone else it could be at a movie, going to the park, a museum, a yoga class, surfing, playing with a dog, knitting, etc.

Have we identified those serenity spots that exist for us and can we find more of them, more often?

Maybe you can find it in checking out season one of “Enlightened?”

Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you all many blessings and happiness in the year to come…Namaste.