Sometimes life begins to feel like it’s swirling around outside of me, faster than me, bigger than me, as if instead of surfing the wave I find myself caught up, tossing in the undercurrent.

That’s when I recoil my limbs, retract my mind, and tuck securely into my shell.  Belly protected, I focus on my breath, on my heartbeat, on listening — listening and watching — as my inner wisdom quietly reminds me that “I’m OK.”

When I go inside, I come back to my center and everything on the outside slows down.  I watch…I breathe…and I know that whatever is going on outside, I can always find calm on the inside.