Sometimes my mind seems to become filled with dozens of thoughts that rattle around like marbles in a round biscuit tin. It´s just so noisey in there!
Some thoughts are deep, some are shallow. Some are deadly serious and some just are plain silly.
Some are positive and some are damn right depressing. It is rather like the opposite of having writers block.
I don´t know if other artists suffer from this kind of "rumination attack", but when it happens to me I just can´t focus on anything. I can´t paint, I can´t write, I can´t read anything and I can not even focus on watching a movie.
It also means I am not so nice to be around.
The way I figure it, I have somehow lost touch with my "inner presence".
It is the "selfie" me, not the real me.
The only cure I have found for this affliction is to get out into the nature.
Join me on my nature walk
Luckily I live in one of the most beautiful parts of Norway.
It is a little village in Western Norway located right along side the fjord. The village is surrounded by beautiful mountains which are covered with natural forests, waterfalls and secret lakes.
Right behind my house there is a little path that leads directly up onto a nature trails.
I pretty much know all the main used trails in the area, and even though these trails are vast, it seems I more often than not will bump into a neighbour or two. This is usually fine as it is rather nice to have a chat while out and about in the nature. Folk tend to be more pleasant I have noticed.
However, when I am in this, "unquiet mind" state, I am just in no mood to be sociable.
I need to be completely on my own.
I don´t mind meeting the odd sheep, but people, no.
I know of a secret quite place - when I need to be alone.
Over the past 17 years that I have lived here I have explored almost every part of all the five surrounding mountains.
One day I was half way up the main mountain and the trial came quite close to the edge. I looked down and to my surprise I could see a lake in the valley. It was a valley that seemed to be hidden and I was shocked I ad not seen it before. There is guy I know who is legendary in the village for knowing every inch of the area. I told him about this lake and asked if he knew of it. He smiled and said "Oh you have finally seen the secret lake have you. Not many know of it and very few go there. In Norwegian is is called "Stillevatne". Which means; "Quiet Waters"
I had not thought about exploring the valleys as they are usually quite wild and over grown. They can be dangerous too. We have the Lynx cat here as well as Wolverines and the odd Bear. But the chances of meeting any of those predators are very slim. I was in the vicinity of a bear that had gone beserk one time, but that´s another story.
Anyways, the legend called, Jørgen (pronounced - Yergen), told me how to find this secret quite lake and I planed to see if I could find it so on the following weekend. He reckoned it would take me about to two ours but he forgot that I was not as fit as him and so I figured more like three hours. I was not far off that prediction.
With a pack of sandwiches, a flask of hot tea and a bottle of cola, I set off at about 11am.
I was right about the valley´s being wild and overgrown. It was quite a battle at times but as long as I followed the river I knew I was on the right track. This picture above is from that day. I balanced my mobile phone on a branch and set it on timer. I noticed that there was now no signal on the phone so if I broke my leg I would be in big trouble. I had informed people where I was going so if I did not come home that day they would know where to look for me.
This might sound like an exaggeration but in fact there had been no less than twelve people had gone missing in this particular valley and they were never found again. It was just so enormous and seemed to go on forever.
Jørgen had told me that when I reached a hand-made bridge that crossed over the river, then I would be quite close to the lake. Two hours had gone by and I had no sight of this bridge. It was called "precarious bridge" by the way, which was not very reassuring.
Finally there it was.
I laughed thinking I was on some kind of Raiders of the Lost Ark adventure.
I figured; "nothing ventured nothing gained" and so made my way across.
Another 20 minutes of battling and finally there is was, Quiet Waters Lake.
It was somewhat smaller than I had imagined but there was no doubting that it was a stunningly beautiful spot.
The photo above is from that day.
I felt thrilled to finally get there and the first thing I did was take a drink of the water. In western Norway the water is pure, clean and rich in minerals. You simply have to drink it.
So now you know of my secret hideaway for getting away from it all.
Well, as I was saying.
I was having one of my "thought attacks" and it was not getting any quieter in there. I had been like this for the past 3 days and it was driving me crazy. The only solution was to head off to "Quiet Waters".
I know the way very well now and so I can make the journey in about two hours. I was certain I would not meet any human-beings and I didn´t. Once again I did meet some friendly sheep though.
Funny how sheep seem to have naturally quiet minds.
Whenever I go to the secret lake my first action is always to take a fresh drink. There is something about fresh clean natural water that seems to invigorate the body. It can´t do the mind any harm either I guess.
I spent a good two hours there just taking in the quiet and listening to the soft sounds of the water ripples and the birds singing there welcoming songs. The glittering stars dancing on the water was hypnotic and as I watched the show I could feel my mind begin to quieten until finally I had found that lost pocket of silence that we all seek out every now and again. I call it, "Quiescence"
According to Wikipedia, the word "Quiescence" means ; A state of quietness and inactivity:
I took some video of the place - see below. I have posted it on YouTube as well as Dtube because some of my followers have said that they have had technical problems getting Dtube to function. The Youtube link is below and the Dtube link is on another post-
Hope you can get a glimpse of the sensation I got from this wonderful quite quiescent day.
I am happy to report that I am once again back in touch with my inner presence.
What I write is merely my own thoughts from my own life experience and existence.
I Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and a warm welcome back to you next time.