A Place of Zen - Part I

I sit quietly near the edge of a rocky plateau with my legs gently folded in front of me.  The rugged outdoors surround me and I can see the landscape below the cliffs.  The plateau slopes gradually down around me, so I am at the highest area.  It is morning, but the sun isn't quite up yet....just a slight glow in the sky.  Down below the plateau - in front of me, there is a river flowing over rocks.  The river curves around through the flat earth of the desert landscape.  I imagine there is a place like this somewhere in Arizona or Utah, but I've never been there.  I breath in the fresh air...scents of Juniper trees and the earth floor fill my lungs.


Then, a glimmer of light breaks over the distant hills...the sun is rising.  I stand and look out over the great expanse.  The sky becomes a warm golden color as light rays begin to streak across the horizon.  A very light breeze touches my body and wisps gently past me into oblivion.  It is quiet, but there is so much to take in around me - worries and thoughts drift away.  A feeling of freedom washes over me.  I am at perfect peace.


For now, this place is only a figment of my imagination.  But someday I would like to actually go there - I don't doubt that such a place exists.


Where would you be when completely at peace?  Or rather, what place gives you that state of perfect peace?  If you can imagine that place, have you been there? - or is it a contrived place from somewhere within your mind?  And what triggers you to think of this place?  For some people it's daydreaming, for some it's meditation, or perhaps it's just a "travel bug".  If you haven't found a place of peace, I encourage you to search for one.