I go outside and walk my backyard in my neighborhood when I’m able, slowly and mindfully, taking in all the little details I can, all the many miracles. I’m also reading folks who bring the natural world alive for me.An Immense World by Ed Yong and Good Soil by Jeff Chu.
That sounds like your own personal walking meditation practice, Kathryn, and it's a wonderful tool for connecting to the awe and wonder that can help us thrive and grow in these times. Along with your reading, of course. And I have a suggestion to add to that particular thread, a new book: Blue Plate, by Mark Easter. It's a personal look at the carbon balances in what we eat. Thought-provoking and quite inspiring.
Last night, I ate dandelion greens from my garden. I dug the weeds out of my lettuce bed. I cooked bacon bits, added onion and vinegar to the fat, then poured the hot mixture over the leaves to wilt them. My mouth hummed with the first offerings of spring from the earth right outside my front door. I thought of how the first people in this place must have cherished these early greens. My tool: grow where you are planted.
That's a wonderful tool Martha! Eating in season from the land where you live is part of what Jill is emphasizing in her post on building seasonal rhythms. I'm so glad that you can grow and bloom (and eat from) where you are planted.
The Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. ( From AA).
Thanks for the mention, Susan! I find animals to be extremely helpful. Pets and random wild animals (foxes, squirrels, etc.) are doing their own thing, much like plants are. I call one of our cats "Chief Therapy Cat" because she's warm, loving, and blissfully unaware of the world outside her microcosm (which includes the people in her world). Animals are obviously experiencing their own lives, apart from us, and that's also part of why they are great. Theirs is a world without a newsfeed, mean people in traffic, or worries about the future of the planet. They also know to take care of themselves. Chief Therapy Cat takes her "me time." When she goes under the bed, I say she's going into her office and shutting the door. There may be a lesson there for people who perpetually worry about everything and everyone.
Christina, I agree: The company of other animals is a balm in these times, and anytime really. "Theirs is a world without a newsfeed, mean people in traffic, or worries about the future of the planet." Yes! And yes to their modeling of how to take care of themselves. It sounds like Chief Therapy Cat is not only a soothing and loving companion, she's a mentor too. Bless her for it, and you for paying attention and learning from her example!
This is so much my experience too. When my husband died I added to my animal family. I now have a dog, two horses, three cats, and three chickens. As domestic animals, all of these creatures look to me for their care, exercise, and entertainment. Taking care of them feeds my need for care. Our relationships are mutually supporting. I am continually learning how better to live alone and in close contact with the natural environment around me here in rural France. (Additional detail: I am 87 years old).
Sylvia, I am so glad you have your animal companions--that's quite a crew for an 87-year-old to tend! I love thinking of you there in rural France with your horses, dog, cats and chickens. May their companionship continue to bless you and bring you closer to both the community of humans and the community of the land!
In the afternoon I walk with my walker to one of the local coffee shops and while I'm drinking I read a book. Lately I've been reading Seed to Dust: Life, Nature and a Country Garden by Marc Hamer. His musings about being a gardner for a widow in Wales is real and connected to my experience as a gardener. If the weather permits, I follow this with a walk to the cliff above Puget Sound. Sometimes I birdwatch with a light pair of binoculars and a camera, often I watch the tide go out or in, sometimes I call friends, sometimes I just sit there. The waves can be interesting in themselves and nobody can control their actions. On a few occasions I have observed square waves, resulting from conflicting currents. Mostly the waves come from the southwest and roll along the beach from south to north. If I am there near sunset I can often see a spectacular sky as the sun drops behind the Olympic Mountains. On a clear day the imposing cone of Mount Baker in the northern Cascades is visible past the looming presence of Whidbey Island. On rare occasions I have seen Orcas from the Fishing Pier near this island and a humpback whale from my vantage point on the cliff. Harbor seals and brant geese are much in evidence lately. Yesterday a great blue heron landed on the incoming tide and became a silhouette next to Brackett's Landing.
I love the area you're describing. Even though I didn't grow up there, I have family in the PNW, and it feels like going home, both to be with the people and to be with the mountains and the water.
Your walk and reading time is a wonderful tool for staying sane and strong in these times, David! I'm very glad you have that cliff you can reach with your walker, and I have to say that bringing your own seat (the walker seat) along is brilliant, because that makes it possible to sit and watch from that vantage point as long as the weather and your energy allow. That way you get your Vitamin N, your sun exposure, and all of the gifts of the edge where the ocean meets the continent. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Right now my best tool is music! It's been many, many years since I've played any instrument, but I'm learning a new one right now, and it's the most absorbing, grounding thing in my life. And, terraphilic, I would argue - think birdsong at dawn, and the way musical rhythms evoke natural rhythms. Not to mention the way music improves my own mental and physical health by stimulating the release of those wonderful endorphins! My music lessons have facilitated my connection with people I wouldn't normally interact with, such as my young music teacher, much younger even than my youngest child (though too old to be a grandchild). This connection outside of my 55+ neighborhood and mostly similar-aged friends feels to me like a way to strengthen the fabric of this world against those who seek to divide us.
Doris, Thank you for the reminder of how music re-weaves us into the living world, and how the connection with others we wouldn't ordinarily meet re-weaves the fabric of community too. Such great points! I am glad you are learning music again, along with a new instrument. And may that reminder of how we share nature's songs continue to buoy you in these times--nationally and in your personal journey too. Blessings and a hug.
"Solvitur ambulando"..."it is solved by walking". Not everything, unfortunately, but I walk twice a day, every day. sometimes I sort things out in my head, others I stay away from anything but staying in the moment. I close my eyes and use my ears to sift through the sounds of birds, the rustle of leaves, grass, my own footsteps. I breathe in and out with Mother Earth. and give thanks.
Barbara, I love that phrase, and thank you for the reminder! Walking is indeed a wonderful tool for staying balanced (and fit) in these turbulent times. It makes me smile to think of you out there walking in the wonderfully rumpled and mountain-edged landscape of the Bighorn Basin. Blessings!
I really liked Karen Davis's comment. I use several of the same tools. Routine is important to me and making sure I get my needed rest. Walking in nature is important noting I am mindful of the birds, plants, trees, and the sky. Many times I stop and take pictures as I am in awe of the beauty I see.
All wonderful tools, Linda, and very terraphilic. Thanks for sharing them. I use all three too, and walking in nature nearby is my solace and my medicine. I shoot photos too, in part to share the wonders I find. Blessings!
I go outside and walk my backyard in my neighborhood when I’m able, slowly and mindfully, taking in all the little details I can, all the many miracles. I’m also reading folks who bring the natural world alive for me.An Immense World by Ed Yong and Good Soil by Jeff Chu.
That sounds like your own personal walking meditation practice, Kathryn, and it's a wonderful tool for connecting to the awe and wonder that can help us thrive and grow in these times. Along with your reading, of course. And I have a suggestion to add to that particular thread, a new book: Blue Plate, by Mark Easter. It's a personal look at the carbon balances in what we eat. Thought-provoking and quite inspiring.
Thank you for the rec!
Last night, I ate dandelion greens from my garden. I dug the weeds out of my lettuce bed. I cooked bacon bits, added onion and vinegar to the fat, then poured the hot mixture over the leaves to wilt them. My mouth hummed with the first offerings of spring from the earth right outside my front door. I thought of how the first people in this place must have cherished these early greens. My tool: grow where you are planted.
That's a wonderful tool Martha! Eating in season from the land where you live is part of what Jill is emphasizing in her post on building seasonal rhythms. I'm so glad that you can grow and bloom (and eat from) where you are planted.
The Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. ( From AA).
Oh, yes! That's a lovely one. Thanks for the reminder, Judith. And blessings to you.
Thanks for the mention, Susan! I find animals to be extremely helpful. Pets and random wild animals (foxes, squirrels, etc.) are doing their own thing, much like plants are. I call one of our cats "Chief Therapy Cat" because she's warm, loving, and blissfully unaware of the world outside her microcosm (which includes the people in her world). Animals are obviously experiencing their own lives, apart from us, and that's also part of why they are great. Theirs is a world without a newsfeed, mean people in traffic, or worries about the future of the planet. They also know to take care of themselves. Chief Therapy Cat takes her "me time." When she goes under the bed, I say she's going into her office and shutting the door. There may be a lesson there for people who perpetually worry about everything and everyone.
Christina, I agree: The company of other animals is a balm in these times, and anytime really. "Theirs is a world without a newsfeed, mean people in traffic, or worries about the future of the planet." Yes! And yes to their modeling of how to take care of themselves. It sounds like Chief Therapy Cat is not only a soothing and loving companion, she's a mentor too. Bless her for it, and you for paying attention and learning from her example!
This is so much my experience too. When my husband died I added to my animal family. I now have a dog, two horses, three cats, and three chickens. As domestic animals, all of these creatures look to me for their care, exercise, and entertainment. Taking care of them feeds my need for care. Our relationships are mutually supporting. I am continually learning how better to live alone and in close contact with the natural environment around me here in rural France. (Additional detail: I am 87 years old).
Sylvia, I am so glad you have your animal companions--that's quite a crew for an 87-year-old to tend! I love thinking of you there in rural France with your horses, dog, cats and chickens. May their companionship continue to bless you and bring you closer to both the community of humans and the community of the land!
Thank you, Susan for your reply... I appreciate your encouragement. I look forward to reading your next writing...
Thank you very much for your support as a paying subscriber, Sylvia! I am honored and truly appreciate it. Blessings.
In the afternoon I walk with my walker to one of the local coffee shops and while I'm drinking I read a book. Lately I've been reading Seed to Dust: Life, Nature and a Country Garden by Marc Hamer. His musings about being a gardner for a widow in Wales is real and connected to my experience as a gardener. If the weather permits, I follow this with a walk to the cliff above Puget Sound. Sometimes I birdwatch with a light pair of binoculars and a camera, often I watch the tide go out or in, sometimes I call friends, sometimes I just sit there. The waves can be interesting in themselves and nobody can control their actions. On a few occasions I have observed square waves, resulting from conflicting currents. Mostly the waves come from the southwest and roll along the beach from south to north. If I am there near sunset I can often see a spectacular sky as the sun drops behind the Olympic Mountains. On a clear day the imposing cone of Mount Baker in the northern Cascades is visible past the looming presence of Whidbey Island. On rare occasions I have seen Orcas from the Fishing Pier near this island and a humpback whale from my vantage point on the cliff. Harbor seals and brant geese are much in evidence lately. Yesterday a great blue heron landed on the incoming tide and became a silhouette next to Brackett's Landing.
I love the area you're describing. Even though I didn't grow up there, I have family in the PNW, and it feels like going home, both to be with the people and to be with the mountains and the water.
Your walk and reading time is a wonderful tool for staying sane and strong in these times, David! I'm very glad you have that cliff you can reach with your walker, and I have to say that bringing your own seat (the walker seat) along is brilliant, because that makes it possible to sit and watch from that vantage point as long as the weather and your energy allow. That way you get your Vitamin N, your sun exposure, and all of the gifts of the edge where the ocean meets the continent. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Right now my best tool is music! It's been many, many years since I've played any instrument, but I'm learning a new one right now, and it's the most absorbing, grounding thing in my life. And, terraphilic, I would argue - think birdsong at dawn, and the way musical rhythms evoke natural rhythms. Not to mention the way music improves my own mental and physical health by stimulating the release of those wonderful endorphins! My music lessons have facilitated my connection with people I wouldn't normally interact with, such as my young music teacher, much younger even than my youngest child (though too old to be a grandchild). This connection outside of my 55+ neighborhood and mostly similar-aged friends feels to me like a way to strengthen the fabric of this world against those who seek to divide us.
Doris, Thank you for the reminder of how music re-weaves us into the living world, and how the connection with others we wouldn't ordinarily meet re-weaves the fabric of community too. Such great points! I am glad you are learning music again, along with a new instrument. And may that reminder of how we share nature's songs continue to buoy you in these times--nationally and in your personal journey too. Blessings and a hug.
"Solvitur ambulando"..."it is solved by walking". Not everything, unfortunately, but I walk twice a day, every day. sometimes I sort things out in my head, others I stay away from anything but staying in the moment. I close my eyes and use my ears to sift through the sounds of birds, the rustle of leaves, grass, my own footsteps. I breathe in and out with Mother Earth. and give thanks.
Barbara, I love that phrase, and thank you for the reminder! Walking is indeed a wonderful tool for staying balanced (and fit) in these turbulent times. It makes me smile to think of you out there walking in the wonderfully rumpled and mountain-edged landscape of the Bighorn Basin. Blessings!
I really liked Karen Davis's comment. I use several of the same tools. Routine is important to me and making sure I get my needed rest. Walking in nature is important noting I am mindful of the birds, plants, trees, and the sky. Many times I stop and take pictures as I am in awe of the beauty I see.
All wonderful tools, Linda, and very terraphilic. Thanks for sharing them. I use all three too, and walking in nature nearby is my solace and my medicine. I shoot photos too, in part to share the wonders I find. Blessings!