City Life.

Question:

The city I live in has grown by over a quarter million people in the last decade due to much publicity by certain magazines, etc. Consequently, the energy has shifted tremendously here. I’ve lived here 32 years and have felt a sense of loss in the last few years as I’ve realized that my hometown no longer exists and has been replaced by a frenzied, fast paced, money driven metropolis. The people are so unfriendly and don’t smile or laugh. They’re always rushing through everything they do because they have to get to what’s next.  And they seem to all be kind of in a bubble, off in their own little world, oblivious to anything else.  Definitely not in the now moment.

For a couple years now, I’ve experienced increasing severe problems with depression. Last year it became disabling and consequently, I lost my home and lived in my camper for seven months. Since campgrounds usually only allow a stay of two weeks at a time, I moved around a lot. In doing so, I discovered that when I was at a campground in a natural environment such as a lake or state park, I would feel relaxed, happy, safe and peaceful. I wanted to eat fruits and vegetables and I wanted to exercise and be healthy. But when I was in a campground in the city, it was like flipping a switch. Within a couple days, I would be nervous, fidgety, irritable, and wanted only to eat cheeseburgers or other types of fast food.

I’ve considered moving out of the city but I keep thinking maybe I should be able to achieve the same feeling of peace and safety, etc., that I have in the natural environments. I would think they all come from the inside anyway I remember the famous photo of Gandhi meditating peacefully in the middle of Time Square. Of course, I’m certainly not at his level! 🙂

Do you think it’s possible to live in one type of energy when the critical mass in your city is a different type?