Windswept Lighthouse

At the end of a long coastal road, where the ocean wears away at the land, visitors can witness the life and rituals of a small white lighthouse with a grand emerald door. Surrounded by the coastal flora and Agaves that have made the sandy cliff side, its home, the lighthouse has protected the harbor for decades with its strong beacon, illuminating ships and sail boats as they anchor below in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. The lighthouse keeper peers out of the emerald pane windows to look out at the sea. Tonight, it's lit not only by the lighthouses strong beam, but also by the soft glow of the moon. The lighthouse keeper moves to the stove to pour a hot cup of tea, the cup steams in his hands, as he marvels at the delicate beams of refracted light, slowly moving across the salt water. I've been to this lighthouse many times and know its details well, but before we explore them together, let's begin with a short wind down exercise. Tonight's exercise is a really simple breathing exercise. So when you're ready, let's begin. So first get yourself comfortable. Now just bringing the attention to the breath, just noticing where you feel it, in the nose, the throat, the chest, the diaphragm. You're nice and relaxed. We're going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding for four, and then breathing out for six. So are you ready? Let's begin. In for four, two, three, four. Hold it for four, two, three, four. Now breathing out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out four six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. Great. Now returning the breath to normal. There are over 300 varieties of birds that call this land their home. But this evening, only one small brown and red sparrow hops its way into the garden just outside the lighthouse's front windows. It's easy to understand why birds might make their way to this patch of land. The lighthouse's garden is lush with fresh produce. In decades past, the lighthouse keepers would go into town for supplies, facing the uncertainty of weather and the miles of unpaved terrain along the cliff side. But now, the lighthouse keepers tend to their own herbs and vegetables. The oregano, thyme, and rosemary neighbor each other in neat rows while the arugula and onion mingle in another corner of the garden, awaiting the morning sun. Aside from the fresh herbs and vegetables, the ecosystem of native species that surround the lighthouse consists mostly of tangled shrubs and thorny bushes. Cacti grow wildly in this climate, their fuzzy golden arms reach high into the sky....