Anchor and Port

Think of a ship sailing in the vast ocean. You are on that ship. The weather starts to get rough. The waves start pounding against the vessel and the vessel starts rocking. Everything falls under the mercy of the wind and the waves. If you have been on ships frequently or is this is your first time, your instincts tell you that you must move inside (Away from the wind and waves) and the vessel needs to be stabilized. One may also think to move ship away from storm, but moving at speed during such  events can accelerate the destruction and even cause total annihilation of the vessel. 

If the ship continues to rock then the things on the ship will start moving, getting tosses, bumping into each other and compound the damage that the storm could have caused.

What the ship needs is the Port and an Anchor. 

What if I ask you to move this imagery inward. What if your mind is the ship, a life situation is the storm, what would you do then? Do nothing, and the waves of problems combined with winds of thoughts continues to rock the vessel of your mind causing the peace, health, relationships, finances to start colliding and collapsing. Visualize a ship damaged in storm, the mind and life, if not attended to, can be severely damaged in the same manner. Any avoidance or attempt to move away can deepen the destruction.

Just like the ship, One needs the Port and the anchor. 

Your Anchor, like the ship's is within you. A habit, a hobby, a vocation. Some sing, some read, some hike, some play, some talk, some write, some cook, some swim and so on. The challenge of our times is that many don't truly know what their anchor is. The hobbies, sometimes are built based on in-vouge trends, social adjustments or for fitting in. However your true anchor is hidden in you. To discover it before a storm, is always the wise thing to do. Remember it should give you true steadiness ( happiness) and not just a social gratification. One may have more than one anchor, just like a ship.

Now you know your anchor so it is time  to talk about the Port. 

Like the ship, the port is outside of you. A place where you feel rested and refueled. 

Usually your shore is a person, a place, a location. It can be your spouse, your parents, your sibling(s), your friend(s), your home, your temple, your gym, an eating joint, a park, a coffee shop or so on. 

Again a ship should know its port before the storm. As an individual make sure that you know your port, where you can refuel for life. 

The journey does not promise calm waters, smooth sailing and eventless trip for 100% of the time. But a ship that have firm knowledge and confidence in their port and their anchor can survive storms with minimum harm.