Whisper Zone

It’s one of those nights.
You know, those nights when things are just a little off?

This is one of those nights.

One of those nights when things are lurking just out of sight.
Or they’re not, but I feel like they are.

One of those nights when I avoid looking too long in mirrors for fear there may be other faces there.
Other rooms that don’t echo the one I’m in.

One of those nights when, if I dared look out my window, I fear there would be faces looking in at me.

So I avoid windows.
I avoid mirrors.
I avoid turning too quickly, making sure to give whatever lurks enough time to disappear before my eyes focus on them.

It’s one of those nights when voices murmur in the empty house and I’m not sure if the voices are in the house or in my head.

It’s one of those nights that make me long for the days when hiding under the blankets with a flashlight made me feel safe.

It’s one of those nights when all the things I don’t believe in want to come and visit.
Demons and ghosts.
Aliens and angels.
And I want nothing to do with any of them.
But it’s one of those nights where I’m not in control.
I seem to be walking in an electrical field.
Hair standing on end.
Nerves raw.
Shaken.

It’s one of those nights like kids have around campfires telling ghost stories
When the forests are full of footsteps and strange animal sounds
When behind every tree, behind every rock, around every bend of the road, unknown things awaited.
And it’s one of those nights I know my mind is playing tricks with me
But it’s one of those nights I wonder why.

Why this night is so full of dread
Is it in me or am I reacting to something real, but unknown in the air?
And I have no answers other than
It’s just one of those nights.

bob strating

Presence

You intend to walk from A to B… let’s say a 30 minute walk.

You start walking and engaging as much of the outer senses as possible, walking slowly, not thinking of the endpoint of the walk at all.

When thoughts cross your mind, you just look around and tune the thoughts to your outer senses, what you see, smell and hear;  aware of your footsteps touching the ground…

That is experiencing presence…

And you will notice the difference between walking and having point ‘B’ in your mind all the time.

It is a fine practice to go with perception and becoming aware of choices.  For example, if you are carrying a heavy bag with you, when you concentrate on what you see and smell and so on, you won’t necessarily sense the bag…

Sabine vom Hoff, dec. 6, 2008

The Snoot says: “Whisper Zone is still this month,
Many must have mis-read it for a Vesper Zone…”