Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small it takes time
– we haven’t time – and to see takes time,
like to have a friend takes time.
Georgia O’Keeffe, American Painter.
Tag: Nature
Trying to make things permanent
When we sit in meditation, we practice observing our thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise and fall away, while we rest on the breath or on a wider calm. The key word here is practice. It is not always easy, but we work at paying attention to our mental events, not hooking into them, simply allowing them and letting them be. We quickly learn that emotions and their associated thoughts change as frequently as the weather in Ireland. We open the mind up to more possibilities than what can be easily predicted, or our fixed views of persons. This helps us develop a real understanding of the changing ups and downs of life, leading to the development of equanimity towards the times when things or people are not as reliable as we thought they were. The word equanimity comes from Latin aequus “even” and animus ”mind, soul”. Enjoying life and reducing stress is related to a mind which is even, not having a preference for one thing or another, not holding on to something good or something bad.
Everything we gain is subject to loss. Although this is as true as the sky is blue, we keep trying to make gain permanent in order to try to bring about happiness for “me.” We think, “If only So-and-So would love me, I would be happy,“ “If only things would change, I would be happy,” “If only things would stay the way they are, I would always be happy,” and it only leads to heartache. This kind of wanting involves a lot of hope and fear, all based on denial of a simple truth: all the pleasure the world can offer eventually turns to pain. Trying to hold onto pleasure only causes more pain.
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Easy Come Easy Go
The key is to relax
This fundamental richness is available in each moment. The key is to relax: relax to a cloud in the sky, relax to a tiny bird with grey wings, relax to the sound of a telephone ringing. We can see the simplicity in things as they are. We can smell things, taste things, feel emotions and have memories. When we are able to be there without saying “I certainly agree with that” or “I definitely don’t agree with that” but just be here very directly, then we find fundamental richness everywhere. It is not our or theirs but is available to everyone. In raindrops, in blood drops, in heartache and delight, this wealth is in the nature of everything. It is like the sun that shines on everyone without discrimination.
Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart
The foundation of all: How to nourish your inner life
This is the first, the wildest and the wisest thing I know:
that the soul exists and is built entirely out of attentiveness
Mary Oliver
Running away from things, we do not live life directly
It seems the more we express, that is, the more we bring out what is in, the more alive we are. The more we give voice to our pain in living, the less build up we have between our soul and our way in the world. However, the more we push down and keep in, the smaller we become. The more we stuff between our heart and our daily experience, the more we have to work through to feel life directly. Our unexpressed life can become a callous we carry around and manicure, but never remove…..Just as flowers need healthy root systems in order to blossom, feelings can only express their beauty when they are rooted cleanly within us, breaking ground in some manner, sprouting outside us.
Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening
Freshness
We had such welcome rain last night. We are already on water restrictions here. Ok, maybe not good for the planned barbecue, but great for the plants and the garden, and especially for the farmers. There is a freshness that only comes after a storm, as well as growth that only comes with the rain. The law is universal, not just for Nature but also for our inner life. There are times we need to shelter a while but in the morning after we find everything fresher and more alive.
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.
John Muir
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