Bluebells
I took a walk through the woods today and saw the sheer beauty of carpets and carpets of bluebells. The woods were dark, but dabbled with sunlight and mystery. I had the distinct feeling of not being alone. The woods have that affect on me. When I’m in them I always feel I’m surrounded by presence. I have no language to articulate it. It’s not an ominous thing, just a mysterious and beautiful presence.
Light and Shadow
Light shines through, shadows give way, but it’s the door, the door that must also be opened.
Nature’s nature
Nature is always true to her nature. It’s human beings who betray theirs. I have long let go of that absurd dictum that only human beings are the crowning glory of creation, and that somehow they stand apart, or above all of Nature.
Haiku 07
From my Sketchbook:
Once a home
now haunted by
ghosts of the past
What Draws You?
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” Rumi
I’m discovering that this little phrase, “being drawn by” has a profound sense of freedom about it. It seems to me that as you practice it the exertion in life is eased and is slowly replaced by a natural kind of attraction and a “movement towards.” And so, the ethic I try to follow has much to do with, in Rumi’s words, feeling the strange pull of what I really love.
The Tools of the Masters (The Tate Britain)
JMW Turner 1775 – 1851 Seascape with Buoy
Staring down at the old brushes and paints in the glass case, I was moved by their time-worn appearance and history. They belonged to the the great English artist J M W Turner, and there I was, actually looking down at them.
There’s something wonderfully magical about standing close to and looking at the tools of a famous artist, writer, or any craftsman for that matter. They hold within themselves something of the mystery of the person’s genius and exquisite talent. To think you’re actually seeing the very objects used by those masterful fingers, guided by a beauty of mind and vision, can be quite overwhelming.
Touch
This morning I got up with a heightened sense of touch. I felt the softness of water on my face, my wife’s loving embrace as she left for work, the tug of the leash as I walked our little dog, the brushing of a gentle breeze on my cheeks, the enfolding comfort of my favourite chair and the warmth of a strong cup of tea.
Again it reminded me that the earth and everything in it is naturally sensual. I’ve found that the more I’m in touch with this, the greater the joy I feel. So, I’m going into this day, as I try to do on most days, with a deep desire to offer time and awareness to all that I will touch, and to all that will touch me.
Haiku 06
In misty silence
a lonely horse
cropping the grass
Haiku 05
A distant horizon
fading into an illusion
Always a beyond
Reflections
A natural mirror
nature looking
at herself
