My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
What is it about
mws
a cloudless sky that
holds my attention?
Maybe it’s the blue
that melts from dark
to baby blue.
Maybe it’s the mystery
surrounding me,
holding me present.
Maybe it’s the sacredness
of nature unfolding
its beauty before me.
one way to learn patience
mws
is to become a photographer, here’s how
first…
arrive early at a favorite location
set up your camera and tripod
and don’t forget to bring along
a hot cup of your favorite coffee or tea
then enjoy the calm waters, the cool breeze
receive all the gifts nature is offering
next…
awaken to the miracles she offers, such as
small wavelets drifting on the open waters
the great blue heron who stalks the shoreline
a glimpse of a hungry fish rising to the surface
clouds constantly reshaping themselves
with the pink then red then orange colors
then…
be sure to pay attention to the whispers
rising within you, they are very important
some call it prayer, some call it meditation
why not call it both
now…
say thank you and listen as your words
of gratitude drift to the far shore,
so, there’s no need to pray for patience
just become a photographer
and let nature teach you patience
The great Way is easy,
Tao Te Ching – Verse 53
yet people prefer the side paths.
Be aware when things are out of balance.
Stay centered within the Tao.
When rich speculators prosper
While farmers lose their land;
when government officials spend money
on weapons instead of cures;
when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible
while the poor have nowhere to turn-
all this is robbery and chaos.
It is not in keeping with the Tao.
I come for the silence heard in the ground of my being
mws
which brings awareness of the gift of life.
As this gift unfolds,
the sun rises over a cloudless horizon,
a fish quietly rises to the water’s surface
and a quiet prayer is heard in my soul.
This Book of Nature has opened its pages of this new day,
may we silently read each word.
I come here for the silence.
In the late summer season of life, I found
mws
authors, guides, and teachers who have made me
aware of the gift of my wandering soul and spirit
within my own inner landscape.
With no knowledge of an inner landscape
I went seeking in the enticing outer landscape
yet this wandering soul and spirit of mine
was never satisfied, never fulfilled, always lost
Now in my winter season of life
my soul and spirit wander my inner landscape
seeking the Unknowable,
that source of life,
Whatever and
Whoever that may be.
I’ll end this with a thought from C.G. Jung, suggesting that our wandering has and is the thirst of our being for wholeness, expressed in medieval language: the union with God.
To live a life grounded in God
Meister Eckhart’s Book of Darkness & Light
you don’t need information;
you need to be informed by
the spark of divine presence
you always carry within you.
But you’ll have to practice
this, with concentration,
like you would if you were
learning a skill or art.
To grow in this craft of photography requires practice. At the present moment I have over 90,000 images in my archives. A rough guess would be that less than 5% of them are good images. I’ll define good as images I’d want to print, frame or sell. And, I post many images on this blog that I would not define as good but want to share them anyway. There is something about them I like. Which means I have a large number of keepers that are lessons and teachers. The lessons they teach may not be something I understand while looking at the image on my computer. Some lessons may be unconscious and only known or understood until I’m in the field and something intuitive, that spark within me, tells me to change my composition or some technical aspect of my equipment. And, that is the lesson practice offers!
This morning’s clouds, predawn colors and reflections at Arapaho Bend Natural Area were a good way for me to start this day. My only hiccup was making an 8 ounce pour-over rather than a 12 ounce pour-over. 😂 I hope you also have a good day in whatever you do!
I awoke early again. A trip to the bathroom, prayer and meditation time, a bowl of cereal, made a chai latte then headed for Arapaho Bend Natural Area. Yes, as some of you know I do have my routines. I am also blessed to have all these natural areas close to me. Arapaho Bend is about the farthest away at 8.5 miles. Takes about 16 minutes to drive there. This morning I discovered this slightly different perspective so you may see more images from this location. As I stood there soaking it all in a flock of about 21 geese flew over me from the west (I counted them). So, I waited until they were in the viewfinder before taking several images. Interesting how they noisily honked to let me know they were coming in over me. To me they add to the scene. Expecting another warm day here in Colorado. Hoping you have a great day!