The diffused light late in the afternoon seems to play magic with clouds. I’m drawn to their beauty. So I drove out to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area late yesterday afternoon to watch nature play with the clouds and listen to the quiet. The air was still. I stood motionless, watching it all take shape. The quiet descended. It was a time for contemplation and for allowing myself to be touched at some deep level – a time for receiving photographs. I headed home knowing there would soon be a mysterious transformation into the darkness of night. And, it would happen without me.
We have a beautiful day with clear skies and sunshine. May see temperatures into the upper 40s.
A contemplative practice is any act, habitually entered into with your whole heart, as a way of awakening, deepening, and sustaining a contemplative experience of the inherent holiness of the present moment.
James Finley
His quote opens up a lot of possibilities in living a spiritual journey but also apply to photography. I have a daily contemplative practice of prayer and meditation. When I skip them, cut them short, my day is off. I miss things, out of sorts, quick to anger, restless, wandering in my thoughts, judgemental and more. My daily contemplative practice keeps me centered in living life, what I call the present moment.
In my photography his definition of a contemplative practice does two things for me. One is that I gain experience in my craft, where practice helps me become more adept at using my gear. Secondly, it provides me the opportunity to be in the present moment where I’m able to see the dragonfly, or the baby cottontail hiding under a bush, or hear the chickadee sing, or notice the light beam striking a rose or the orange sunset beaming light over the Front Range. I believe a contemplative practice allows me to receive the gifts of nature for my photography as well as in my spiritual journey. I like being in the holiness of the present moment. Now coffee!
I, who live by words, am wordless when I try my words in prayer. All language turns To silence. Prayer will take my words and then Reveal their emptiness. The stilled voice learns To hold its peace, to listen with the heart To silence that is joy, is adoration. The self is shattered, all words torn apart In this strange patterned time of contemplation That, in time, breaks time, breaks words, breaks me, And then, in silence, leaves me healed and mended. I leave, returned to language, for I see Through words, even when all words are ended.
I, who live by words, am wordless when I turn me to the Word to pray. Amen.
Madeleine L’Engle, “Words”
Those prayers of my youth for help have evolved over time to become more about gratitude, listening and staying present. I like that. Prayer has become much more than the words I say and more about the words I hear, yet are unheard. I like that. I can also say the same thing with my journaling, blogging and my photography. Each is becoming what it is meant to be. I like that. My friend shared this poem with me. I found it to resonate with me so I wanted to share it with you. This is last night’s sunset along Overland Trail. Directly behind me is a pond with a wonderful chorus of croaking frogs. I like that. Moments like this have become prayer to me, no need for my words. Well, maybe “Thanks.”
To live a contemplative life means to consciously put aside the thousand demands of the world and offer ourselves the gift of being in the present moment, alert to the signs of the sacred that are breaking through everywhere, always…
This was the scene this morning over Dixon Reservoir at Pineridge Natural area. Meadowlarks, magpies and robins excitedly sang as this new day began.
“… silence is one of the great victims of modern culture.”
John O’Donohue, Anam Cara
I mention silence quite often on this blog because it’s become an integral part of my life. So it isn’t surprising that the above quote has inspired me to write a few words on what it means to say silence is a victim of modern culture.
I’ve come to believe silence does not mean the absence of sounds or words. I’ve experienced silence in a church and in an open meadow that’s filled with the songs of birds, and even in the chaos of a busy coffee shop. For those who know only the world of sounds or words, silence can seem like an emptiness, uncomfortable, fearful and try to avoid it at any cost. More than one of my spiritual guides suggests that sounds and words have their source in silence. And when I allow myself to be open minded, I have to wonder if silence is something we carry within us, a gift we all are given at our very conception, begging us to embrace it. Maybe it’s something we experience in the ground of our very being. I’ve learned from my practice in quiet prayer, meditation and journaling, that I can have the capacity to detach from a chattering, talkative mind and embrace silence. It’s in these times I find the expansiveness of silence to be inexhaustibly rich. And, I therefore want more.
So, I’ve enjoyed contemplating this question that John O’Donohue asks because I know individuals who do not like silence. I will continue to ponder his statement because I’ve also wondered if silence has become a victim that’s been drowned out by a culture obsessed with man made noise, out of control busyness, consumerism and almost total separation from nature? Or, have we turned away from or forgotten the silence already within us? If either of those, or both, are true then we can easily reclaim our silence.
I apologize if my ramblings do not make sense but I’m going to push the publish button and send it out there. If you have thoughts to share please offer them and give us that insight. Hope you had a great day!
A couple inches of wet snow fell during the night, the best kind. Took this on my way home from the coffee shop at Pineridge Natural Area.
Half of me is filled with bursting words and half of me is painfully shy. I crave solitude yet also crave people. I want to pour life and love into everything yet also nurture my self-care and go gently. I want to live within the rush of primal, intuitive decision, yet also wish to sit and contemplate.
This is the messiness of life – that we all carry multitudes, so must sit with the shifts. We are complicated creatures, and ultimately, the balance comes from this understanding.
Be water. Flowing, flexible and soft. Subtly powerful and open. Wild and serene. Able to accept all changes, yet still led by the pull of steady tides.
It is enough.
Victoria Erickson
I also experience the messiness of life she talks about in the above quote, those constant changes, challenges and especially the surprises. At this time of my life these changes and challenges are becoming more acceptable and in many ways I’m eager to face them with all the gifts and talents I’ve attained in life so far. Some of these challenges have become adventures. Not sure I would have said that 20 years ago but I do now. Hope you enjoy this quote by Victoria Erickson. I especially like this line, “I want to live within the rush of primal, intuitive decision, yet also wish to sit and contemplate.” Hope you have a great weekend!
