Find the Calm in the Chaos…

You may be wondering, “Why ‘Wild Goose’?”

The biggest complaint I hear from people who are struggling to begin or continue a meditation practice is that quieting the mind seems difficult or impossible. 

Maybe you can relate. Maybe meditation feels like a wild goose chase where you’re grasping for tranquility, but your thoughts feel as chaotic as, well, a flock of wild geese. Here’s the thing- your thoughts, just like a wild goose, will rebel, will fight with all they’ve got if you try to subdue and confine or cage them. What results is chaotic and stressful. Birds need to fly, to be allowed to follow their natural course. What if we could learn to let go of trying to cage or control those thoughts, and instead observe and appreciate them as they appear, without judgement, and without trying to force them in any particular direction? The result is that what once seemed to be chaotic and uncontrolled now just… flows.

Interestingly, the Gaelic phrase “An Geadh-Glas” means “the wild goose” and legend has it that it was used anciently by Celtic Christians to refer to “Holy Spirit”, because like a wild bird, it could not be controlled or subdued, but rather must be sought after. In meditation, we are seeking to connect with Spirit- which represents you connecting with the essence of what makes you YOU, and also represents you connecting with Divinity. Fun fact: in many languages, the word for “breath” and the word for “spirit” are one and the same. This is significant because breath is an integral part of mindfulness and meditation.

My message to you is this: Don’t be afraid of the wild goose chase! Trust yourself. Trust the wisdom that is inside you. Trust that under the initial chaos and discomfort of being present with your thoughts is an opportunity to see yourself and the world in a new and beautiful way.

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