Now that we have identified the experience of being in the Zone as a spiritual one in nature, we can consider how to go about reaching such an exalted moment. As a guy, I am usually occupied by the action in my life. I spend a lot of energy and thought on the actions and accomplishments within my physical existence. I find that the real moments of spiritual experience are rare and hard to identify as such. When they do take place, it is usually while I am in motion, focused on the details involved in that motion and focused on the outcome of that motion. In other words, for me, some sports activity is the background for experiencing life in the Zone.

Now, that doesn't mean that I am limited to playing sports in order to have an exalted moment or two. It just means that sport has provided excellent opportunities for that experience of joy. It was there, on the tennis court where I began to learn how to recreate that feeling of rightness in the moment that is typical of a spiritually exalted experience. It was the total concentration afforded by moving all of my body's parts at once in rhythmic reflex that set me up for that. I was aware of the ball, letting my body move toward it with a practised hand. I could feel the position of my feet, the placement of hands and shoulders lined up for the next shot, my head holding steady and my eyes trained on the center of this small moving target. I could see my opponent moving across the court on the other side of the net and knew just where to hit that next shot to make it virtually impossible to return. All the parts were moving in concert with this goal and I was aware of each of them separately and together. It was glorious!

The next time this happened, it lasted longer, through several points. Then, it happened in a basketball game. Every move I made worked like dream; each shot went in, each fake was fallen for and each pass found its mark. I honestly felt that I could do no wrong. I have since felt this wonderful feeling while running on a track, lifting weights in the gym and building a piece of jewellery in front of an audience at a craft show. As I learned that my attitude and intent affected the appearance of this phenomenon, I discovered that I could conjure it in other circumstances. I have been here while giving lectures, driving my car, making love (this is special too) and cooking dinner. It is a moment of internal unity when my mind and emotions and body are working together without fear or doubt and everything I do in that moment fits perfectly into the fabric of life itself.

I have found other disciplines that lead to this same feeling of perfection. Most of these other approaches, though, are feminine in nature, focused on embracing and receiving. Meditation, communing with the natural world and working with people to clear their (and my) emotional bodies of fear all provide opportunities for such joy. Being in the right place at the right time, saying the right thing at the right time, fitting perfectly into the life around me; this is a fine goal to set my sights toward. It feels wonderful. It works effectively. It is a description of reality that affords the power to make life a beautiful experience. Most importantly to me, all it takes to begin to have this experience is to get into motion. I can do that!

Self-Awareness Through Astrology - Astrological services

---

Flight of the Eagle
P.O. Box 63, Station A
Fredericton NB Canada E3B 4Y2
shaman@fundy.net