“This is the time to be slow, Lie low to the wall Until the bitter weather passes.
Try, as best you can, not to let The wire brush of doubt Scrape from your heart All sense of yourself And your hesitant light.
If you remain generous, Time will come good; And you will find your feet Again on fresh pastures of promise, Where the air will be kind And blushed with beginning.
-John O’Donohue
I was writing in my journal yesterday afternoon, a soft Spring sun streaming through the window into the loft, four candles burning. I paused in my writing to watch the candles burn, and was stricken by the metaphor in front of me, four candles all burning brightly, within the constrictions of their containers, all so different, some new, and some near their extinguishing, but burn with their own unique flames they did. How like people, I thought. All with their own wondrous inner flame of life, and love, and expression in the world, and all burning brightly within the containers of their individual circumstance.
At times those flames are muted, at times blown sideways by the wind, at times straight and strong and unwavering. But still, they burn, we all burn with our inner flame. Our soul’s light, our spirit’s flame, an ardent constant of pure love. This we share with all humanity.
May we honor each of our unique, burning flames today, recognizing that we all endeavor to shine brightly, to share light, within the containers of our circumstances. Young, old, challenged, unwell, unemployed, overwhelmed, peaceful, adapting, unique, wondrous, majestic flames all. Let us acknowledge the sacredness of each flame, and let none be extinguished before their time.
The definition of prayer by Hildegard of Bingen,
“Breathing in and breathing out the one breath of the Universe.”
-Hildegard of Bingen
Prayer indeed. While saying thank you, the most essential prayer.
Mark Nepo in his chapter “A Reality That Keeps Unfolding,” in Seven Thousand Ways to Listen, says of the breath of prayer:
“This is listening with our entire being. It speaks to an immersion of attention that all the traditions aspire to; each claiming in its own way that peace resides in this completeness which arises when our individual sense of being merges with the ongoing stream of being that is the heartbeat of the Universe. Whether these moments arise from great stillness or great suffering or great love, they all seem unexpected and seem to depend on our ability to hold nothing back.”
Timely words in these days of stillness, suffering and great love that we all are experiencing around our planet. Today, may you find this peace residing in completeness with the heartbeat of the Universe as you navigate your new normal.
Hold nothing back.
What a perfect joy to have these lovely, moving, soothing words, this poetic offering, in my inbox this week – so unexpected and appreciated. Thank you Susan!
Notes on a Pandemic
“What stories shall we tell
past knotted fear:Of touching without flesh
of Winter-seeded faith
of viral music trumpeting
imagine all the people
of hands sounding gratitude
of words looped over metered space
threading a collective
of parked tyres, dusty tarmacthe exhaling earth
the constancy of sun
a pink crescent moon
the usual light on
all our faces”-Susan Waters
(“Imagine all the people” credited to John Lennon by Susan Waters, author.)
I loved Susan’s words. “The constancy of sun”, as shown at sunrise here over newly fallen April snow. “The exhaling earth” as she prepares for Spring’s unfolding, the new soft snow blanketing her with the promise of fresh seeping water to nourish the roots of all that is pushing forth.
And when next I find a crescent moon, I will add it to this post…
“The world is holy. We are holy. All life is holy. Daily prayers are delivered on the lips of breaking waves, the whisperings of grasses, the shimmering of leaves.”
-Terry Tempest Williams
“Today I’m flying low and I’m
not saying a word.
I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.The world goes on as it must,
the bees in the garden rumbling a little,
the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.
And so forth.
But I’m taking the day off.
Quiet as a feather.
I hardly move though really I’m traveling
a terrific distance.Stillness. One of the doors
into the temple.”-Mary Oliver
“Let me be as a feather. Strong with purpose yet light at heart, able to bend. And, though I might become frayed, able to pull myself together again.”
Anita Sams
“I will wait here in the fields to see how well the rain brings on the grass.
In the labor of the fields longer than a man’s life I am at home. Don’t come with me. You stay home too.
I will be standing in the woods where the old trees move only with the wind and then with gravity.
In the stillness of the tress I am at home. Don’t come with me.
You stay at home too.”
-Wendell Berry
This quote is from the book The Unlikely Thru-Hiker, and is taken from a moment the author experienced in Virginia, as he’s gifted with “trail magic” – any kindness bestowed unexpectedly and without payment. Ann is one of the bestowers of this trail magic, in this instance sustenance along the trail, that this hiker has happened upon. She asks for a minute to share these words with the trekkers that have assembled, after ensuring each of them has selected a marble from the bag she’s passed around after their meal.
The words seemed particularly relevant right now, although directed to those who undertake a long distance hike – but maybe that’s exactly what we’re all on right now – a long distance hike outside of the norm.
“You’re probably wondering why we are doing this trail magic, what is our motivation. This is not a religious sermon or anything like it. This is purely from our hearts. We trail angels feel honored to assist any hiker on their journey, whether they are section hikers or going the distance. Most people live in this world asleep. We go through our routines, have our habits, are seduced by the illusions of advertising and consumerism, which create a life lacking in authenticity and integrity and sometimes real love.
You make a choice to leave this mundane world. You chose something so radically different that you had to view your life in a different way, even if only for a short time. Life gets simpler. You listen to your body when you are hungry, tired or sore. You are more aware of your surroundings, more connected to nature. You are in tune with the rhythms of the seasons and weather. The pace allows you to see details some may not see in their lifetime.
You are left to your thoughts without anything like television, videos or computers to lull you into a brain-dead state. You visit shadows and pass doors to your history that you have tightly shut. If you are lucky, you get glimpses of your authentic self without judgement but with acceptance instead.
You don’t need much. Your world is on your back. Relationships with other people have a different meaning. You realize you are in a big community where everyone is connected by the trail. You are willing to talk to strangers, ask for help, and provide help. You also provide opportunities for us, the mundane folks, to show our best, to be helping, giving, and compassionate. You allow us to resonate goodness to the world.
All of this results in you learning more about who you are and what is important. When the individual human spirit grows, it impacts the world. The collective AT community helps to resonate a unique energy, a different way of being, and I can’t help but think it has a ripple effect on the rest of the world. It is a chance for us to be roused from our sleep and see that we, too, can create a simpler, more compassionate, authentic life.
The marble is a reminder that, any any moment, something wonderful can show up in your life. Whether it be a hiker feed, a cooler full of sodas, a much-needed ride to town, a lovely sunset, a profound conversation, or someone letting you use their shower. Mini miracles, magic, and unexpected gifts will come to you at the exact moment you need them. Let the marble help you remember that moment, and put energy into the marble every time magic happens. Then, on the days that are hard, pull out the marble and remember: Around the bend something is waiting for you. Have faith, soak up the energy you put in the marble, and move on.”
Ann as quoted in The Unlikely Thru-Hiker by Derick Lugo
We are, always have been, connected by our trail, our journey through life, our humanity, our love for our families, our need for nature’s gifts. We are honored to assist each other and to offer a little magic along the way. We realize in our new normal, how little we really need – our health, our loved ones, food and shelter. We want to be allowed to resonate goodness to the world as Ann said.
And we know that when the individual spirit grows, it impacts the world (again, as Ann said).
I don’t have a marble, but a stone in my pocket, in my car console, on the window sill, in the yard, to remember and acknowledge the magic and the gifts along the way.
“Those who don’t believe in magic…will never find it.”
-Ronald Dahl
We woke to a soft dusting of snow on the ground here in northwest Montana… and the sweetest flakes falling softly. It felt like a benediction. A cleansing. A layering of love. A pure foundation for the solitude and silence that will prevail today. Time for reflection of all those precious blessings of beauty, love, nature’s embrace and spring unfolding that surround us so abundantly in these uncertain times.
I feel their strength and honor the gifts.
I will take in no media today to better deepen into this…
“We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and privacy.”
-C.S. Lewis
“Solitude is for me a font of healing which makes my life worth living. Talking is often a torment for me, and I need many days of silence to recover from the futility of words.”
-Carl Jung
May our world and the earth be healed.
“…I feel that the world is mine again, as if I’m privy to the special secret that evades so many people because they’ve unintentionally used concrete or a million other barriers to separate themselves from the truth; that the tall, slender trees beside me and the spongy soil beneath my boots are the lifeline to all that is real, all that sustains-all that matters.”
-Christine Carbo (from A Sharp Solitude)
