Snow Geese
Oh, to love what is lovely, and will not last! What a task To ask Of anything, or anyone, Yet it is ours, And not by the century or the year, but by the hours. One fall day I heard Above me, and above the sting of the wind, a sound I did not know, and my look shot upward; it was A flock of snow geese, winging it Faster than the ones we usually see, And, being the color of snow, catching the sun So they were, in part at least, golden. I Held my breath As we do Sometimes To stop time When something wonderful Has touched us As with a match, Which is lit, and bright, But does not hurt In the common way, But delightfully, As if delight Were the most serious thing You ever felt. The geese Flew on, I have never seen them again. Maybe I will, someday, somewhere. Maybe I won’t. It doesn’t matter. What matters Is that, when I saw them, I saw them As through the veil, secretly, joyfully, clearly. ~ Mary Oliver Photo by Wendy Wei from Pexels
0 Comments
These have been the most welcome words for me this week.
*Relax back* into this moment. Practising mindfulness is a gentle invitation, not a demand to be present. Perhaps you are aware of a kind of strident tone that comes in when something reminds you to be mindful, to be more present. It might be very subtle and it’s just another thing to become aware of with curiosity and friendliness. We can smile at and let go of the judging thought telling us to be more or do better. The words ‘Relax back’ have been really helpful for me recently, whenever I have found myself tilting forward into the future and missing what’s here in the moment. And when you relax back, there’s nothing you need to do differently in this moment other than to feel into it just as it is, to let it in. To release expectations, pressure, striving… These are things we can practice (join us for our next introductory course!) “One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.” ~ Iris Murdoch
This is your regular reminder to let in the good! Little treats are out there - but we don't always allow ourselves time to let the good stuff in. When I get stuck in negative loops I practice noticing and letting in the good so that this becomes a healthier habit. We are always practising something - human brains are especially good at practising worrying - but mindfulness opens up the possibility of choosing what we practice. I treated myself to a mid-week meet up with my mum and dad yesterday. Discovered a beautiful hidden mosaic angel, fed the splashy trout, sailed a leaf boat and generally enjoyed being a child again The little things... they aren't little. |
AuthorI'm Claire - and I (re)learn something every day from practising and teaching mindfulness... Archives
March 2022
Categories |