Breathe in, breathe out.

Have you ever been overwhelmed by that incessant chatter-box of a room mate in your own head? You know the one, he/she has an opinion or thought on just about everything but never contributes to any of the daily expenses. Well mine is one of my oldest frenemies, only this year we’ve both resolved to help one another out. You see, I’ve finally declared, “To hell with conventional life. I’m going to follow my bliss, and travel the world!”

But this newfound aspiration of mine would require all hands on deck, meaning full cooperation from anyone within my immediate personal space. So instead of the inner dialogue continuing to be about irrelevant, nonsensical banter, my mental roomie and I reached a consensus. If we truly wished to keep traveling and exploring this big, magnificent, little blue planet, there would need to exist some sort of arrangement which would benefit the whole of team Alexander. I am speaking, of course of meditation.

For years the idea of meditation has crossed my path, and for those same number of years I’ve completely ignored the invitation. So what drove me over the edge? I can answer that with a titbit of wisdom scribbled onto a wall inside a hostel. It read, “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine it’s lethal.” Ironically, had I never said, “Fuck it,” and utilized every means, small though they were, to jet myself out of America and onto the global scene, that quote would’ve never been seen. And because timing is everything, I clearly recognize the validity of those words due to countless memories of mounting frustration in achieving personal goals with nothing to show for it; just the constant presence of a highly opinionated, mental figment to discourage my every desire.

If unfamiliar you may be asking, “So what exactly is meditation?” Well, I’m no aficionado but in my own interpretation, every thought we have in life is a silent meditation. Most of us are focusing on where our money is coming from and where it’s going to go, but that’s still a level of meditation. And any thought repeated over and over compels us all into action. Those actions, once continually repeated become habits which then begin to shape our character. And ultimately, our character is what shapes our destiny.

Now, I don’t know about you, but there has always existed some part of myself that has always felt I’m destined for greatness. But greatness doesn’t come about by thinking weak, irresolute thoughts. The fact of the matter is, we are what our thoughts are, period.

Though much of my time hasn’t been dedicated to learning all of the ins and outs of meditation, I do believe that whatever needs to be known always finds its way to me effortlessly. As such, a simple meditation presented itself recently which only involves breathing in and out. All you need to do to get into a mental state of inner peace, and give your inner roommate some much needed time off, is to think the word, “inhale” upon taking an inward breath, and “exhale” with each outward breath. That’s it.

What I’ve discovered is that the inner chatter has nothing to comment on because these words you’re meditating on are synonymous with an immediate, necessary action like breathing. Essentially, all you’re really doing is aligning yourself with the wisdom of the very body itself. Besides, that aspect of ourselves which regulates all of our daily bodily functions would easily unravel if we all needed to keep track of, and execute every one of its regimens.

Now bear in mind that travel has been only one of my many desired goals. As stated earlier, the over goal was to simply follow my bliss. A late professor at Sarah Lawrence College located in Westchester County, New York would continually utter the phrase, “Follow your bliss” to his students. His name was Joseph Campbell and whenever any number of his students would ask him something like, “Do you think I could be a writer?” his response would be akin to, “Do you think you can take 10 years of not making it?”

Even now those very words bring tears to my eyes because they, unlike any others, have guided me through more trials than I care to remember. But experience has taught me that if you’re willing to follow the risk associated with your bliss, whatever it may be, doors will open up all along the line. In short, fortune favors the bold.

Aside from seeing the world, one of my many aspirations involved being of service to humanity in whatever capacity I was best suited for. Well, time has shown me that one of my gifts involves storytelling. And to tell a story one must write or blog or create some form of medium to communicate one’s own joy to the masses. And though I don’t yet have a longstanding history of generating a slew of creative works, I’ve made the conscious decision to follow my bliss and live life on my own terms.

So you best believe there is a mounting range of creative musings currently finding its way around the world via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the like. All that was required for setting my own imaginative tidal wave in motion was to take the first step by becoming what I’ve always desired to become, and do so now.

After all, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That’s likely the reason it’s called the present.

And now that you’ve been given a couple of insights into developing the unfoldment of your own inner most desires, perhaps this is the year you and your inner roommate resolve to give up the life you’ve both been living and aim every effort towards creating the life that’s waiting to be yours.

For me, traveling to Ireland has became the first step to fulfilling the long awaited aspiration of following my bliss. And it all started because the reality I once knew just became too stifling to bear. I then finally arrived at a place where the risk of failing at attempting my dreams became far more appealing than living out the same miserable existence day after day. Who knew the remedy for curing that lack of life vivifying force within me would be to simply breath in, and breath out.

Love and Aloha,

Alexander Demetrius

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