Every day I walk out my door up and over two soft hills,
turn right and follow a short trail to a piece of ground tucked in among box
elder, spicebush, maple and honeysuckle. This is my sit spot. For
almost 5 months now I have returned to this spot daily with a simple objective-
to watch and open my awareness to what is happening in this place.
I've been in other worlds like this throughout my life.
What I have never done is anchor myself to one particular spot, where I
return every day. This other world has been a safe place. It is a
place where I am sometimes startled, other times amazed. Here I dance
other dances. I try to relate to individuals whose language I don't
speak.
Some of the main characters I visit with in this world are
Blue Heron, Box Elder, Pileated Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Squirrel, Lesser
Celandine and Deer. I observe these characters in a way I never
have before. The repetition of my visits offers me the opportunity to
notice patterns. Who is where, when and why...Pileated Woodpecker likes
to visit in the morning. He likes to dig into the aging maples. Deer
visits and browses the winter creeper vine but not too often. Kingfisher
is busy most of the day and loud. Squirrel sleeps for days when it is too
cold, but knows exactly where to dig through the snow when it comes time to eat
again. Blue Heron has particular spots she returns to time and again. Box
Elder grows wherever it can and also breaks a lot. Lesser Celandine will
start to grow in December even between snow storms.
Here I also meet myself. I meet my moods, my thoughts,
my fears, my energy. I like this setting and approach to meditation where
I am not trying to conquer anything or shut anything out. I am not trying
to silence or shut down my senses. I am welcoming them and engaging them,
focusing and shifting focus. Filling rather than emptying.
This world is the other world I'm trying to make not other.
There is much I don't know about it. But some things I am starting
to see. And that is very nice.
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