“… the heart of vision is shaped by the state of the soul.”
John O’Donohue
… state of the soul
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Sharing a poem with you
In Praise of the Earth
Let us bless
The imagination of the Earth,
That knew early the patience
To harness the mind of time,
Waited for the seas to warm,
Ready to welcome the emergence
Of things dreaming of voyaging
Among the stillness of land.And how light knew to nurse
The growth until the face of the Earth
Brightened beneath a vision of color.When the ages of ice came
And sealed the Earth inside
An endless coma of cold,
The heart of the Earth held hope,
Storing fragments of memory,
Ready for the return of the sun.Let us thank the Earth
That offers ground for home
And holds our feet firm
To walk in space open
To infinite galaxies.Let us salute the silence
And certainty of mountains:
Their sublime stillness,
Their dream-filled hearts.The wonder of a garden
Trusting the first warmth of spring
Until its black infinity of cells
Becomes charged with dream;
Then the silent, slow nurture
Of the seed’s self, coaxing it
To trust the act of death.The humility of the Earth
That transfigures all
That has fallen
Of outlived growth.The kindness of the Earth,
Opening to receive
Our worn forms
Into the final stillness.Let us ask forgiveness of the Earth
For all our sins against her:
For our violence and poisonings
Of her beauty.Let us remember within us
The ancient clay,
Holding the memory of seasons,
The passion of the wind,
The fluency of water,
The warmth of fire,
The quiver-touch of the sun
And shadowed sureness of the moon.That we may awaken,
from To Bless the Space Between Us
To live to the full
The dream of the Earth
Who chose us to emerge
And incarnate its hidden night
In mind, spirit, and light.
by John O’Donohue - clouds, Documentary/Street, John O'Donohue, Plants, poems, poetry, sunrises, Transportation, trees, writing/reading
The New Day
Pink sunrise from 2 days ago I give thanks for arriving
On Waking
Safely in a new dawn,
For the gift of eyes
To see the world,
The gift of mind
To feel at home
In my life,
The waves of possibility
Breaking on the shore of dawn,
The harvest of the past
That awaits my hunger,
And all the furtherings
This new day will bring.
by John O’Donohue -
Artists of Our Days
Each of us is an artist of our days; the greater the integrity and awareness, the more original and creative our time will become.
John O’DonohueThought I would share a few reasons I enjoy spending more time in nature, whether that’s dreaming of living in an RV or taking a short drive to one of the natural areas near me. Some of these I’ve written about before so I apologize if I’m repeating myself.
Connection: My experiences in nature have always brought a deeper feeling of connection with nature. Connection with nature is a pleasurable experience for me. Sometimes I wonder if we are drawn closer to nature as we age, with some unconscious knowing we are nearing our time of returning to the earth. Finding a greater separation from the busyness of the city brings a deeper connection with nature. The connection includes not just observing through sound, smell, touch and sight but I also talk to creation. I used to see that as weird but seems so natural to me at this stage of life.
Solitude: Solitude is a vital part of my spiritual life. As an introvert the solitude helps recharge my batteries. I like my condo and consider it a place of solitude, a sanctuary, but there are those times I must move away from the comforts it brings and the external noises around me.
Silence: I find a deeper silence by driving to some place in the country where there is less man-made noise, allowing for the sounds of nature to dominate and heal. Once I passed the 60 year mark I needed fewer days listening to traffic, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, refrigerator, furnace, and trash trucks.
Journaling: Journaling is also a part of my spiritual life and a daily exercise. What few times I’ve missed journaling was due to hospital vacations or where words could not be heard from within. I also find the writing on this blog to be fun and enjoyable. I was a horrible English student as a youth and disliked reading and writing. Now both reading and writing make up a majority of day. Never thought I would enjoy reading poetry but find I do, even venturing into attempts at writing in a poetic form.
Photography: Photography is a real interest or goal for time in nature. I have loved nature photography since I was a teenager with my first twin lens reflex camera. Over time, photography has help develop what some call the eye of the heart, so that I see nature from a new place. A much larger world for me to experience.
Discovery: There is a world to discover beyond the small world many of us spend most of our time living in. For many years I chose my world that consisted of a cubicle with a paycheck. There are new horizons of discovery and adventure yet to be seen and fully experienced. Time in nature helps me stay alive as a fulltime student.
And, what are yours, if you care to share?
May we be the artists of our days!
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The Heart of Wonder
Setting sun at the Arapaho Bend Natural Area. I took this image back in 2013. Since then this old barn/shed has been taken down. I’m glad I have this image so I can remember it’s presence. For Presence
Awaken to the mystery of being here
and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
Receive encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
Respond to the call of your gift and the courage to
follow its path.Let the flame of anger free you of all falsity.
May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame.
May anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of
soul.Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek
no attention.Be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven
John O’Donohue from To Bless the Space Between Us
around the heart of wonder. - clouds, Fujifilm X-T3, Fujifilm XF16-80mm f4.0, John O'Donohue, landscape, natural areas, poems, Self-portraits, trees
A New Beginning
Quiet time for reading among the pines at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area For a New Beginning
In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.It watched you play with the seduction of safety,
And, the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plentitude opening before you.Though your destination is not yet clear,
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life’s desire.Awaken your spirit to adventure;
John O’Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm
For your soul senses the world that awaits you. -
The Presence of Nature
Waves across the ocean of grass “The unknown evokes wonder. If we lose our sense of wonder, we lose the sacramental majesty of the world. Nature is no longer a presence, it is a thing.”
John O’Donohue, Eternal Echoes -
Time In Prayer
Morning reflection on a glass smooth Dixon Reservoir “It is no surprise that in our loss of connection with Nature, we have forgotten how to pray. We even believe that we do not need to pray.”
John O’DonohueJoan and I met for a walk/talk session at Pineridge Natural Area this morning. We took the shorter route around the reservoir which is not quite 3 miles. They were predicting a beautiful day after yesterday’s overcast skies and rain, so a lot of people were out to enjoy it. After our walk we ate brunch on the patio of a new restaurant called the Chicken Coop, which serves American Mexican breakfast and lunches. We will need to go back and try other things on the menu and definitely include another walk.
Time in nature is time in prayer.
