Many sensations hit me at once. All of them were beautiful. I will recount them as I remember them. The first thing I was aware of were clouds and we were engulfed in them and that sensation of falling, (which felt more like floating in wind) it was like diving into a lake, but instead of hitting water, it was just wind and this moist white vapour. As my body stabilized I regained my equilibrium. I ran through my checks that I had been going over and over before jump. And when I was done, sky opened up and we were through clouds. Houses were little dots. And I could see forever through sporadic openings in clouds. It was rather cloudy and so I could not see continuously but it didn't matter. I had tunnel vision and I would look at one spot, then move my eyes to another.

I checked my altimeter, coming up on 4000 feet, which is altitude at which instructor pulled cord. The parachute opened and it felt like I went from falling to being pulled upward. I melted into my harness and let out a sigh of bliss. I had never felt such wonderful sensations in my life. I didn't have a tense muscle in my body. I must say I was surprised. I had expected it to be adrenaline rush of all time, although that's not what I was out for.

I was looking for feeling of total release and complete peace. I found it over 10,000 feet in air. I looked down on world and it was beautiful. I was flying. No plane, no fake wings, no propulsion system, just gliding on wind with no cares or worries. My instructor took us through a few turns, adjusting our coarse. I can compare this to a roller coaster. But a roller coaster is violent compared to this. It's just gliding. I felt it in my stomach as it tickled a little. It was also a rush and very exhilarating. As we got closer to ground my instructor taught me how to make a landing. We glided in. One minute we were fast approaching ground and then we were gently sliding on our butts. It was very fun. It was like sitting, not falling, on a slide, and then sliding a couple of feet. It was a great flight and a great landing. When I left, I looked outside and up to clouds. A big smile went across my face and even though I was looking up at clouds I was seeing them below me again. And I felt that floating peaceful feeling all over again. I don't think I'll ever look at sky quite same way again... I've been there.

Every child has an inner timetable for growth—a pattern unique to him. . . . Growth is not steady, forward, upward progression. It is instead a switchback trail; three steps forward, two back, one around bushes, and a few simply standing, before another forward leap Dorothy Corkville Briggs Your Child’s Self-Esteem, (1975).

We each have our own story. Our own life with its ups and downs, with its variety of experiences and problems. But eventually when we look back we can see benefits..

The only thing that slows down your growth and makes it more difficult to achieve your natural potential is You. The way you see yourself.

If you: see yourself as an attachment to another person

allow yourself to be in fear of or in awe of another person

let others rule your life

depend on others

blame others for your feelings and behaviours

hide real you through forced or affected humour

spend time building a façade to hide behind

display defensive behaviour to defend yourself against…….

then you have lost your uniqueness .

Your role is now to serve other person. You are a slave to their dictates. The minute you are drawn to do something that is driven by another’s agenda you are no longer choosing what is naturally best for you. You are choosing what they want you to do. You are accepting that they are ‘expert’ in your life. Another person knows what is best for you.

The bottom line is that you are only person who really knows you. You are only one who has had all experiences that make up you. Others have witnessed and experienced parts of you but you are only one who has seen, heard and lived lot. You are only one with built in self motivation to grow, to develop to achieve your natural potential.

How do you do it? Trust yourself. You are unique. You have a natural ability to move towards your potential. When you trust yourself you naturally flow and are able to move towards what you are supposed to become. When you trust yourself fear disappears. You no longer feel need to protect yourself from this and that. You no longer feel that you ought to, should do or must do in order to meet expectations of others.

Trust enables you to grow and creates energy. Trust enables you to be who you are. A fully functioning natural unique individual.

These are our few thoughts to change your inner state.

You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, Then something has been lost. (Martha Graham)

Good Luck

Graham and Julie www.desktop-meditation.com