Michele Ford Yoga

Brandon and I headed out on the 4th filled with excitement and anticipation!  Very fitting to begin our Free to Be Tour and our own personal explorations of the meaning of freedom on the anniversary of our country’s declaration of freedom. First stop: Columbus to visit with my Auntie and a good friend.

Peace!

The first challenge to freedom arose in the initial few hours of our departure and was then brought back a day later: forgiveness. I embarked on this journey 3 months ago with few expectations, but as the trip neared expectations arose as they tend to do. That first evening did not meet my expectations and did not go as planned at a fault of another. To forgive and forget?  I pondered this and the power of forgiveness…and came to the feeling that forgiveness is a path to freedom. As Brandon said very definitively, “Forgiveness is the essence of love and essential in every relationship.” I sat with the swelling emotion and let it go; I forgave in my own heart…the tension in my body receded and my mood lifted as we continued on our drive to Roanoke, VA the next day.

Our capacity to forgive and our desire to be free was again tested early this morning.  We stayed the evening in Floyd, VA (a “hippie” town along the Blue Ridge Parkway) unexpectedly due to a change in plans.  We had planned to work on a organic permaculture farm in Boone, NC for a few days.  The owners had just said goodbye to a number of volunteers and were looking for a break, so cancel on us as we were on our way there.  In an amazing antique store in Floyd, I received the call.  The owner of the store (we’ll call her Nan) overheard our dilemma and came to our rescue with the mention (and even so much as called them up for us to arrange a place to pitch our tent) of a the Miracle Farm, a vegetarian B&B in town. Nan shared the highlights of the town (a town of 452 “oh, I mean 453, Stephanie just had a baby”)… Floyd Fest, music, wineries, markets, etc.

We ventured out to explore the downtown charm, friendly folks, beautiful vistas and eventually made our way to Miracle Farm, feeling very blessed. Here we set up camp by a river, prepared some grub and settled down to enjoy some local wine, homemade honey mead and the company and inspiring conversation of a new friend, Pierre, the only other visitor at the farm and a meditation teacher. In the light of the nearly full moon we laughed and frolicked in the fields till early hours of the morning, elated in the energy of this magical place!

Pierre our "magical" friend.

Pierre’s interpretation of being free, “…sometimes being free won’t get the response you are looking for, but that doesn’t make it any less of the right action. Intention seems to be the key, and sometimes it just won’t jive with others, but being right with yourself and your fullest expression is far more important than any one else’s response.”

6 am came and we awoke to unexpected yelling for us to pack up and be out in 10 minutes or else we would be mowed over. Still groggy with sleep we left in a hurried daze of shock and confusion and found a mountain top to catch a few more zzzz.

Sleepy-eyed vista in the too early morning sun.

Mountain top resting place.

Emotions of anger and hatred arose and my faith in humanity quickly disintegrated.  At this moment I felt less than free and holding contempt in my own heart shackled me to those emotions.  I felt walls being built up around my heart.  Our actions are not always perfect and are not who we are. I forgive her for her actions…I softened.

Forgiveness=Freedom