Growing up with Smoking
It seems on looking back over my lifetime of more than 76 orbits of the sun, and through much of my developing years, everyone ‘smoked’. When one reflects on that sentence – that everybody smoked – I could allow myself to contemplate that word. One could tend to think of a physical body actually exuding an ethereal type of vapour arising from the entirety of the body, like a mist wafting from the very cells of the flesh… a bit like one sees if visiting Iceland and watching the steam visibly drifting up from the centre of the earth, seeping through the crust around one randomly, anywhere and everywhere at any one time.
But no, that wasn’t the case, and as a child I wondered why it was that people chose to ‘draw in’ – to ‘do the drawback’ – filling the precious lungs with smoke and resulting in coughing, rasping and even possibly leading to the lung disease of emphysema.
As a 5-year-old I felt the breath of the trees, sky and the stars inside my lungs. Even though I did not grasp this from anything I knew as ‘knowledge’ back then, I just knew without question that every particle in our body is one with all that is in the universe.
Severe whooping cough was a frightening experience at that age where my little body bent over racked with the effort to breathe, all the while knowing that I had to breathe in God’s breath to live. Did any of us have any connection to our body or listen to what it was constantly communicating to us – not a ‘gut’ feeling as they say, but a whole body awareness?
Being the oldest child in charge of two little brothers, we would on rare occasion visit the Saturday matinee – ‘the flicks’ – with the only advertisements I recall showing the ‘Marlboro man’ sharing his affinity with nature by riding a great steed until he finally stopped on reaching the top of the mountain; then he would light up a cigarette and breathe something foreign deeply into his lungs, supposedly to more easily enjoy all that God in nature was offering!
I also often wondered some years later why on our black and white television, a romance movie in the mid 50’s always showed the couple ‘lighting up’ and having a cigarette after looking a bit hot and bothered in a bed – how unromantic, all that cigarette breath! A child may well wonder, but looks to the adults in their world for guidance – after all, the adults are supposed to know it all.
I tried smoking when about 17 during a pyjama party with some bank work colleagues – how risqué! My goodness we were so adventurous and bold smoking… so rebellious! I didn’t take more than one choking puff, and exclaimed I didn’t like it. So it would seem I was always the odd one out – never quite fitting in with the crowd.
How strange we human beings can be, always looking to fit in and be like everyone else, seeking outside of ourselves to be liked, acknowledged and accepted – but did I somehow know deep within that there was a different way to be?
This act of smoking surrounded me during my entire life at home in a Melbourne eastern suburb; in later years when pocket money was available I even supported my father’s only vice (that he spoke of) by buying him the cigarette papers and sometimes a packet of Havelock tobacco for a birthday present so he could ‘roll his own.’ It didn’t seem to matter at the time that I also was breathing in the vapours – it was part of life even though I didn’t like the smell on either the breath or in the air. All of this experience was post 2nd World War: there was a belief pushed on the general public at that time that smoking ‘relaxed’ one.
One has to ask, have we actually chosen to allow these beliefs to be taken unwittingly into our bodies and once there, these beliefs have been stagnating, revealing themselves physically in many and varied ways?
The Vapour that Pursued me Relentlessly
As life went on, the vapour – the smoke – pursued me relentlessly, as some following examples will testify:
After my marriage I found out that my husband was introduced to smoking at Puckapunyal Army Training Camp, where the officers handed out handfuls of cigarettes to the young and ‘wet behind the ears’ recruits that had been called up, supposedly to ‘make men out of them.’ Years later, complaints from the wives that their homes were less than fragrant next morning after gatherings… not to mention the empty beer bottles and cigarette butts over spilling the ashtrays, were rebutted with, “We demand our right to smoke!!!” from some of the men.
Our children were also surrounded by this act of smoking, but fortunately a different choice was made after a short time as they showed evidence of troubled lungs from the open-cut brown coalmine area that we lived in. By now I had become acutely allergic to cigarette smoke and found it extremely challenging even going into a restaurant, where anybody at any table could ‘light-up’ before, during or after the meal. It was very hard to breathe and my face would swell, tears well up, with sneezing etc.
When it was time to travel… to explore the world… we visited countries where the right to smoke literally anywhere was a given, and for some from any age. In the jungles of Borneo on the way to the awesome Niah Caves, suddenly one would be confronted by a large garish billboard put there by some tobacco company: or within the confines of some airlines’ planes it was deemed acceptable to smoke, where a flimsy little curtain barrier was supposed to prevent other passengers from being affected. The trams, trains and coffee shops – anywhere really – was open slather…
Our adventures took us to both ends of this earth, North and South Pole. Many of us have experienced the pristine air of these areas and we stood in awe at the sight of the majestic, gigantic icy monoliths, the icebergs of Antarctica within hand’s reach almost, glistening blue from the oxygen held within. It was such a sight – passengers rugged up looking colourful in their rainbow array of padded jackets, fluffy hoods and mittens in the bitter cold of this crisp and clean air.
Hardly a sound – just standing in awe on the open deck of the cruise ship as it glided silently through the velvety smooth deep and dark water. How humbling. How insignificant we can appear, but at the same time pondering on the possibility that we are all made of the same stuff, the elements, the particles of everything of the Universe. Then begorrah! The man in front of me lights up a cigarette, puffing his pungency into this pristine air…
Later we had to move from a two-story house to an apartment. We chose well, or rather it felt more like a gift from Heaven on the 22nd floor, with a view across the wide ocean and across to the hinterland up into the clear, clear air.
Our furniture was in place, my massage table had found its position in one spare room and then like an all-consuming wall of unseen smell, I sensed the overwhelming presence – a pungency that was familiar, but magnified. It was wafting into my open space of what was to be my office: it was the smell of Russian cigars – oh no!! How can this be – can’t I get away from it even up here??… would we have to move again…?
My understanding of why this smoke seemed to pursue me from one end of the earth to another was still ahead of me, waiting to unfold.
Meeting Serge Benhayon & Exploring the Truth of Whole Body Intelligence
It took a lifetime of looking outside of myself for the answers; not until in my sixties did I realise I had come full circle, back to the starting point from more than six decades of rotations of the earth around the sun. Then I met a very regular but extraordinary ordinary man called Serge Benhayon. My meeting this wise sage is another story in itself, but suffice to say this World Teacher of the Ageless Wisdom changed the direction of my life and where it was going – at the time further and further away from God’s love at a rate of knots – as I searched in vain for something ‘out there’ that made total sense to me.
Serge Benhayon never tells anyone to ‘do’ or ‘not to do’ anything, but simply presents the possibility of another way – The Way of The Livingness. As a result of meeting this man I have been reflecting on many things in my life thus far: the hurts, the emotions, the patterns etc. and pondering on the possibility of a deeper purpose behind all of our health issues and events.
The evidence of ill health in the population of the world displays that there is much for us to ‘un-learn’ or let go of, clear and heal by perhaps making the choice of a different way of living that could bring us back to who we truly are and how we could live in a joyful and harmonious body.
May we also ask why has it taken so long for us to realise our bodies are always trying to communicate with us? Do so many people have to die due to lung or other diseases before we realise we have a whole body intelligence that we could choose to align with? One has to wonder what have we all been afraid of that may be revealed. Are we afraid of the Truth?
As I personally grappled with the effects of passive cigarette smoke on my health in my effort to understand ‘why’, this Truth was eventually revealed to me.
As I became more familiar with listening to my body, practising the Esoteric Modalities including the Gentle Breath Meditation™ as presented by Serge Benhayon at the various Universal Medicine presentations I attended, I took the time to nurture myself a little more and be more aware of the deep intelligence that comes from the whole body.
This was a time of deep exploration for me, learning to discern where the impetus of the message was coming from: was it from the mind – that is, the computer of the body with the information gathered from a myriad of sources outside of myself – or was it from the intelligence of my whole body, from the cells of my being, that part of me that is at one with the entirety of the universe?
Over some years of this exploration and listening to my body, I naturally let go of gluten, dairy, and alcohol in my own way, and also adopted a more supportive sleep pattern… all to great effect.
The Effects of Cigarette Smoke & the Law of Karma
However, cigarette smoke from any source was no doubt still affecting my health. One has to ask why was this so? Like a Peregrine falcon smelling prey from miles away, I could smell cigarette smoke; looking around accusingly I would try and ascertain where the culprit was lurking, casting a judgment on their chosen behaviour. How arrogant! Did I then consider the possibility that there was a reflection for me to be aware of? More and more instances occurred where it seemed others would be deliberately placed in my proximity to challenge my ability to breath. What was I to learn from this – surely my irritation had to have a deeper lesson for me to contemplate?
It was during these moments of reflection that I could see the truth and the wisdom of the Laws of the Universe, including the Law of Cause and Effect, or Karma. Had I indeed participated in lives previously, in any number of incarnations, in preventing others from ‘Breathing in the Light of Christ’, the ‘Breath of God’ in a myriad of scenarios…? I can feel now the smoke from cigarettes, cigars etc. filling the lungs – limiting the possibility of one’s Divine connection with Soul, to God, to The All That Is.
Is it possible that all this imposition of others’ cigarette smoke affecting my life and my health was not in fact a punishment, but an opportunity for me to experience and appreciate what it felt like to be so imposed upon, by actually inhibiting my own experience of the glory of breathing my own breath – and my awareness now that these experiences were offered, bringing the scales back into some sense of energetic order? Worthy of consideration perhaps.
Our Lungs and the In-Breath & Out-Breath of God
It seems to me now that the sacred movement within our lungs reflects the beauty and divinity of the closeness of our connection to the universe and the stars for they, the lungs in form, allow the flow – the flow of the very In-breath and the Out-breath of God.
Has all of this activity of having experienced the imposition of cigarette smoke affecting my health and my life actually been my Soul offering me clarity; a deeper understanding of the separation that is created, and of what it is in truth to breathe the Light and the Love that is the Christ Energy?
In these moments of revelation, I feel such appreciation for the gift of understanding of the possible truth of the situation; and I might add here that since then there have been fewer impositions from others casting their chosen habit upon my sensitivities. When it does occur, I feel it is but a reminder to treat all equally, without judgment – and to remember that we are all the Sons of God remembering who we truly are.
By Roberta Himing, aged 76, Student of Life, Gold Coast, Australia
Further Reading:
Good Health, Intelligence and Smoking
Reincarnation and Karma: Hocus Pocus or Perfect Balance?
Our mind might tell us to have a cigarette but if we asked our lungs they would say no.
395 Comments
That desperate need to be liked, accepted and part of the ‘gang’ that was cool has most people fooled. I certainly so sucked in and it was cigarettes that I was sucking on. To this day I am ridiculously thankful to have stopped such a loveless pattern but it has taken courage and dedication to self-loving myself and healing my hurts. It is with huge appreciation of Serge Benhayon and the Universal Medicine therapies.
Hi Natalie – how awesome that we can choose to emerge from our past wayward patterns and behaviours and lead with the front foot so to speak in walking a new way to nominating and healing our past hurts. It seems that often we have descended into these unloving ways to distract and unconsciously fill the void that is empty of self-love. How many lifetimes I wonder will we delay our re-connection with the divine being that we each truly are. So much to appreciate I am finding.
The reality of breathing Gods breath and the beauty and connection this allows us is something Universal Medicine is bringing to the world to remember and come back to who we really are. A beautiful sharing and understanding of our lives and what is going on and where we are going to in truth and the changes and reflections we are offered.
To repeat some of your words Tricia “The reality of breathing Gods breath and the beauty and connection this allows us….” brings to the fore the inspiration of all that transpires following this connection it seems. How simple really – one has to ask why has it taken us so very long to retrieve/remember this understanding. I am finding we are never too old, and it is never too late to be a student.
The smoke you talk of here is a metaphor for energy that we allow in. This can be the case with other substances, issues we allow to affect us, or other people’s emotions or opinions. Anything that is not love is a poison to the body, and we can absorb these just like the smoke. Observing is the key. If we can see things for what they are we are less likely to take them on, and there is always a message for us within them and a reason we are experiencing what is in front of us.
Rebecca, I love your reference to the awareness of “The smoke you talk of here is a metaphor for energy that we allow in.” I am finding there are many opportunities in any given day for us to observe and not to absorb the apparent and disturbing influences and inferences that abound – without judgment, sympathy or the need to know the answers to why? It seems that it is just that – ” The Way It Is”.
I have often wondered what made the first person smoke, I mean it does seem like a totally unnatural act and it does initially take some perseverance so why would someone think it is a good idea to actually build an apparatus like a pipe and stuff a leaf in it and light it up. Just shows there is an intelligence that is often not that intelligent driving us.
I love this Kev – indeed – who was it and where did the impetus to create such a habit come from – certainly not from our Soul as an inspiration – so the thought via the tool of the mind it seems must have come from outside of ourselves so many lives since past as a way to numb/dull the pain of life at that time – perhaps even long before opium pipes. Yes, one has to wonder at the type of intelligence that endeavours to over-ride our natural and full body intelligence that is connected to all that is divine.
There was a time in my life that my only incentive to get out of bed was to have a cigarette. Smoking cigarettes rather than breathing my own breath is hard to imagine this days! Thank God for Universal Medicine.
As a child with smoking parents I swore I would never smoke myself, then at school I learned how unhealthy it was. None the less I started smoking when I was 15, on a night that I felt particularly low and someone offered me a cigarette with the words that it would ‘pick me up’. I smoked for many years even though my lungs were protesting clearly. And yet I am not stupid. What I have come to learn is that smoking is not about smoking and not even about fitting in or ‘having something to do for our hands’ as was commonly commented on in those days. Smoking offers a temporary relief from the emptiness we feel within. It is this what we need to understand when we tackle the addiction to cigarettes.
I like the perspective you are offering here Roberta! Actually we are denying through smoking God’s breath through us, in other words denying or poisoning the perception that we are Gods.
You can choose to do things like smoking also to stand out and not belong. I always did not like it, when the other teenagers smoked because they wanted to be in the “cool” group and because everyone did it. I started when I was almost out of school and to actually not belong to the surrounding I was in. Looking back now I have to laugh, what we do, when we are not connected to ourself is very often so stupid and ridiculous. The “poor” body has to cope with our choices though all the time, waiting patiently until we listen to him.
I love your description of nature and how we stand in awe of it – showing how if we do not have any respect and honour towards our own body and the part we play in the grand whole we can dismiss it with a simply gesture as lighting up a cigarette.
Thank you Roberta. What a beautiful thing Karma is, showing us all our choices not in judgement but so we can heal, breathe and live the truth of who we are.
I live in one of the countries where smoking is still very common. This is an issue of awareness. Having this reflection asks me to not hold back my own awareness in reflecting back to my whole country so that the breath of God can once again be breathed in again.
A great story to share about responsibility and the importance of breathing gentle to hold the connection to yourself and therefore God within.
I agree with you Rik – it is truly as simple as you say “…the importance of breathing gentle to hold the connection to yourself and therefore God within.” – when we have the awareness to choose so.
Thank you Roberta… this has certainly made me consider my own upbringing and relationship with smoking. I was what is now termed a ‘passive smoker’ for the first 18yrs of my life with both parents who smoked. It was normal in winter time for the lounge room to have a thick layer of smoke hovering below the ceiling… not healthy for anyone!
It is so beautiful Paula to reflect on where we have all come from, if only with the awareness of this life, to embrace and appreciate the natural wisdom of our body and its’ relationship with all that makes up the entirety of our participation and contribution to the greater Universe and how we can choose to see there is a different way to live – and I am finding my way as a continuing student of The Way of The Livingness. Speaking of the ‘pall of smoke’ as such in the childhood lounge room – makes one contemplate on what ‘pall’ of energy that encloaked others could it be that we have created in the past and left behind to impact our fellow human beings. Hmmm.
What a joy to read how this experience has helped you to appreciate the breath – and how as you develop your awareness and connection to the breath – that these incidents are less and less. Everything is everything, and it is lovely to read how you have explored what smoking is reflecting to you
It is easy to forget how prevalent smoking was pretty much everywhere when I was younger, for instance if you went to the cinema you knew you would come back reeking of smoke in your clothes and your hair. Rules have changed and people don’t do that now, but where has the grief gone that they sought to numb with smoking? Is it just being numbed by something else like food, drink, exercise even, computer games and IT? It is so true we need to get super-honest with ourselves about what is actually going on here.
It is a necessary if painful at times matter to reflect on the things in life that seem to follow us around in life – just as you say here it starts to become unmistakeable to look deeper and recognise what we are really being shown.
This blog is a powerful reminder to apply these principles and deepen our awareness with everything in life that we are in reaction to – e.g. whether it is cigarette smoke, alcohol, food, TV, or exercising etc. is to appreciate that everyone is no greater or lesser, only at a different point in our return to re-membering who we are in essence.
“In these moments of revelation, I feel such appreciation for the gift of understanding of the possible truth of the situation; and I might add here that since then there have been fewer impositions from others casting their chosen habit upon my sensitivities. When it does occur, I feel it is but a reminder to treat all equally, without judgment – and to remember that we are all the Sons of God remembering who we truly are”.
We know cigarette smoking is bad for our health and the cause of poor health and many long term illnesses and costs the National Health System around £2.6billion a year yet we still chose to smoke. To me this doesn’t make sense, most other substances apart from possibly alcohol that caused that amount of illness would be banned, but because its controlled by the financial institutions and governments get a huge amount of revenue from it continues to thrive.
Is there anything more important than our breath? Each breath supports and sustains life and feeds our bodies the vital oxygen without which we simply stop living. So how disregarding and dishonouring of ourselves is it to pollute this God given breath with smoke?
All I can say is that it is great that we can go almost anywhere these days without being effected by second hand smoke, it is the craziest thing to do to ourselves and it seems total madness that for years nonsmokers had to put up with it even like in the underground, on trains and aeroplanes where you can’t choose to get away from it. I was a smoker for years and I didn’t have any idea of how obnoxious the smell was even though as a kid I remember almost choking on long car journeys with my dad puffing away.
It’s interesting to see how advertising of the past promoted smoking as stylish, modern and attractive.. to now today the cigarette packets containing images of disease parts of the body as a way to prevent smoking. Has anything really changed from this tactic? Or are we all still in great depths of grief in not breathing the naturalness and freshness of ourselves, understanding how far we have dropped from being the great love we are. Understanding brings healing towards cessation of that which is not of our true making.
Hmm…. Interesting Zofia, have we just changed the flavour of how smoking is regarded or judged without in most instances actually recognising the grief deeply? Therefore not letting it melt by beholding it in the love that we are and making space for the truth of our natural beautiful breath, the in breath and out breath of God instead of the grief.
Great point Zofia! All these shocking pictures did not change anything as the root cause of smoking gets not healed by it. Emotional desire is far greater than any visual shock could cause. Because the outcome of what we seek in smoking is bigger than any fear of getting sick. Showing how important it is to heal our hurts and look at our disconnection from our own divinity, as it lets us abuse ourselves in so many very different ways through patterns and behaviours, that we then call “bad habit”.
I agree Stefanie, Zofia. I wonder when we would be curious enough to ask why it is that even with the barefaced reminders of the impact on our organs, or for a doctor or nurse to smoke when they know the impact on the body – why it is that in humanity we still smoke?
I love what you share about the movement of God that moves through our lungs. That is in fact the purpose of this organ within our bodies, beyond the functional aspect of enabling air for us to breathe and live. We live on one level – the physical one and need air to do so, but if we limit our existence to this, we have short-changed ourselves enormously.
We are so much more than physical, and when we surrender to our own breath, we do feel this. As our lungs ebb and flow within our diaphragm, we feel the exquisite delicateness that holds them, the warmth they imbue. We breathe God’s breath through our entire body.
Breathing our own breath is a beautiful way to re-connect to the body, feeling the rhythmic movement in the lungs as they expand and return. Why would we want to interfere with this connection with our natural divinity is a question worth considering.
I loved reading your article Roberta, so rich in experience and awareness. It reminded me of times past too, with the cigarette ads and the romanticism of ‘smoking’ in general. It is very true that our lungs “allow the flow – the flow of the very In-breath and the Out-breath of God.” Thank you.
When my children were tiny, and all my relatives smoked, but I made sure no-one was allowed to smoke near my babies. I was so lacking in care for myself at that time, I accepted it in my own lungs, but I knew all along it was poison. That would not happen today.
How fascinating to have not been a smoker but have it follow you around. When things like this happen it can be hugely frustrating until we truly take a look at why.
This is a beautiful blog showing how much we were imposed upon by cigarette smoke in decades past. When I was young I simply accepted passive smoking as there really was no alternative and due to experiences such as asking somebody not to light up in the locker room after sport and receiving an explosion of rage and frustration in return.
The right to smoke and the outrage of smokers not being able to do it when they want to is now generally accepted as the abuse that it is. It took some time and over the years it was layer by layer. Perhaps one day we will see the same with other form of currently accepted abuse such what goes on in the cyber realm.
Christoph – on reflecting on your words “…asking somebody not to light up……” reminded me of the times when my children were very small and relatives would visit. A few of them, while in the activity of pulling out the packet from the pocket, in a flash the cigarette was on the lips, and the lighter poised to light while directing this puppy like gaze fleetingly in my direction”….oohh!! mind if I smoke??!! were mildly shocked when I said – “not in the house please.” I daresay, even back then without having an aware resonance with purpose, it seemed important to speak my truth in that moment.
Well said Roberta. there are many social norms we put up with – as they are ‘normal’ or we feel we will rock the boat if we say ‘no’. As you did back then Roberta – speaking up is empowering. And, is a wake up call for anyone who chooses to listen to question whether that particular social practice is actually true or not.
Is it not amazing what we can uncover within ourselves when we stop judging and blaming but open up to the communication that is offered? Your insight about the smoke and the breath is beautiful Roberta and a great example of how we can us life to evolve back to our soul.
I agree Carolien, it seems one cannot afford to descend into complacency when we are so lovingly offered the Wisdom of the Ages. It is indeed beyond amazing when we consider the gifts that are extended and communicated to us in every moment that guide us on our way back Home to the true Love that we are, if we would but choose to let go the judging and the blaming.
There’s nothing like the purity I feel when connect with my breath and its rhythmic pulse within my heart. A rhythm that comes from my divine connection to life…
Thank you Amparo. there is much beauty and inspiration in your comment – a reflection for us all.
Life does not present us with anything that will not truly serve – and this is a lesson that at times I still resist.
Susan, this is a nugget of pure gold and yet so often we think that the world is stacked against us, rather than always in our favour.
I agree Susan, Alexis, I am learning to feel blessed when situations arise – they may feel confronting or uncomfortable, but they shine a light on a way of living I have not looked at, or give me a greater understanding of the way we are living in life here on Earth.
Thank you Susan – I feel your words “Life does not present us with anything that will not truly serve….” holds a great truth. Those words make much more sense to me really than the old cliche that we hear often that ‘God will not give you more than you can handle!!’ Your words expressed seem to hold the energy of a greater purpose,.
Great point Roberta – “How strange we human beings can be, always looking to fit in and be like everyone else” – how different life would be if that were not the case and we each felt within our own body what was true – or not.
I agree Jane, it does seem strange – looking at those few words “..always looking to fit in..” I wonder why it is. Have we at times looked to be ‘recognised, acknowledged and accepted’ by family, friends, colleagues etc. by not ‘stirring the pot’, ‘rocking the boat’ etc. for the seemingly insane reason of being one of the crowd, security, or protecting ones self from retribution or judgement from others. How beautiful it would be if we all just connected to who we truly are and our choices were made from there.
Dear Roberta, I so enjoyed reading about your experience and growing understanding around cigarette smoke presenting around you. I love your openness, honesty and willingness to look deeper, and to share with us all. Indeed, everything that presents to us has a reason, and a message, if we are willing to choose to be aware of it. I do love your writing, so I hope to read more from you.
Hi Esther – I do appreciate your encouragement, and I love your words “….everything that presents to us has a reason, and a message, if we are willing to choose to be aware of it.” I can see more clearly now that there was quite a lengthy time span in which I was offered the opportunity to ‘choose’ to be aware of it. Interesting how many things hold more clarity in hindsight. I can almost imagine Sanat Kumar saying “what took you so long!!?” Lovingly and play-fully of course.
Roberta, what a fascinating and engaging read throughout the decades .. it’s like a history lesson on the trail of smoking… it draws in well needed attention to the quality of air and breath we’re breathing under the smokey falsity of advertising/media … and all their drawn hype. What we draw in, we live to experience – the breath of true life, of God, or the breath of life’s manufacture.
Zofia – I love your reference and to quote your words “What we draw in, we live to experience-….” and I am learning that to ‘draw in’ or to ‘absorb’ can be applicable to many things, i.e. from yes, cigarette smoke – but also, the absorption of energy in its’ many forms as it passes through us all constantly whether via music, food, stimulating drinks or the plethora of behaviours of the world wide population etc. Much appreciation I feel as life continues and presents so many avenues of learning.
When life feels busy and for want of a better word intense, I love the support I feel from connecting to my breath, I feel safe when I am with my breath and able to handle whatever situation I am in.
That’s beautiful Fiona. Our breath is ours and we can choose how to breathe. The depth of connection we can have with ourselves through our breath enables us to feel safe and at home even when life gets tough. What a powerful tool.
Yes Fiona. If we would but remember we have a choice – it would seem we may choose to react in that moment or choose to reconnect to our breath – amazing isn’t it to reflect on the result of any choice in any given nano-second of a moment in time and space.
Extraordinary to be reminded of the influential “Marlboro Man”; the seductive glamour associated with smoking alongside todays stark health warnings, banned cigarettes displays and smoke free public spaces.
Yet all these measures to prevent and ban smoking is still not bringing the level of understanding to the root cause of the behaviour. The levels of packaging and stark advertising showing the harmful realities of smoking on our health has not changed the way people live.
Great point Lucinda and great reminder to always discern what it is that we are buying into, whether that be from a big advertisement or just one to one with another person.
Cigarette and cigar smoke has always really grossed me out and I personally never smoked. But this blog has really opened my eyes up to consider why I have always been so sensitive to others smoking, annoyed when in a situation where I can’t seem to get away from it, and in total judgement and criticism for the person smoking in my vicinity. I could certainly relate to what Roberta shared here in the way of a karmic interaction going on to allow me to let go of that judgement and have some understanding through reading why a particular person has gone to smoking in the first place, such as filling an emptiness in their lives with the smoke in their lungs instead of through self-loving acts.
Yes Michael – your words “….and have some understanding through reading why a particular person has gone to smoking in the first place….”brought back a recent scenario as I sat resting watching the sun rise a little more in-between a long beach walk and the trek back home, whereby a group of delightful young people, possibly late teens, emerged from the mornings’ surf to wash off the salt under the cold shower. Were sharing with me the joys of the waves that morning but each proceeded to light up a cigarette. I asked why they did that after their exhilarating experience surfing – the answer was, “that’s what we do after an all night party drinking”. Much light-hearted banter ensued.
Dear Roberta, what a beautiful and honest sharing. Truly looking forward to hearing more from you.
Thank you Jane. I appreciate your encouragement to express more –
Stunning blog Roberta you have so much to share and what I loved is that within your unfoldment and awareness with this you asked yourself the deeper question of why was smoke so vivid in your life and ‘Had I indeed participated in lives previously, in any number of incarnations, in preventing others from ‘Breathing in the Light of Christ’, the ‘Breath of God’ in a myriad of scenarios…?’ Within anything in life this is the question we need to ask ourselves, not to indulge in or ‘beat’ ourselves up so to speak but to truly heal. Very inspirational.
Thank you Vicky – yes, I agree that we are offered many opportunities in our everyday lives , where we may be witness to behaviours, verbal or physical abuse etc.- but how often do we actually feel/read the situation (and not react) and have revealed what the specific reflection is mirroring back to us to perhaps glean a deeper understanding of why such an event/awareness was there for any one of us to be alerted to in the first instance. I am learning to truly appreciate the learning in reflections.
I really appreciate what you’ve written here as I feel I can smell smoke from way down the street and sniff out offending behaviour before it’s seen. And I react strongly – hence the offending behaviour judgement. When it’s cannabis I smell my reaction is as strong and has a different flavour- that of fear. What is being reflected to me? The fear of me disconnecting from the love we are within. When people are stoned they aren’t with themselves and can walk around desensitised to life and the love they are. The reflection is asking me to stay present. I used to check out. People who are willing to see everything is like a life line to those out at sea so to speak.
Yes, I don’t like these smells either but thankfully today we almost always can go somewhere where there is no smoke and expectations have changed – it is not considered normal any more to light up in the presence of non-smokers.
A great example offered here that when we find the same issue in life keeps coming up for us, instead of getting annoyed with life and go into blame or resignation, we could similarly pay attention, observe and reflect in what messages and insights this may be offering for us to heal, expand our awareness and evolve.
Our interaction and experience in life is greatly enriched when we see and read beyond the obvious. There is so much more going on…. and this something I deeply appreciate in life.
Whenever I clock that message I tend to get really appreciative, because clearly, it is something being offered to advance my evolution and awareness. It also supports hugely in ridding my body of any resentment or contraction I may be feeling towards life or to another and allows for a much greater understanding and allowing of that other.