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Fruits of morning mindfulness practice.

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Crabapple visitor-- 5.23.15, Anchorage, Ak
Crabapple visitor– 5.23.15, Anchorage, Ak

This morning I stood on the back deck for my nature meditation. I watched my breath moving through my body while listening to the songs and cries of the birds, and as I did so, a gentle rain began to fall. I felt I was being tenderly caressed by nature.

When I came inside and looked at some artwork, I noticed how the details of the work came to me with great clarity with little effort of attention applied to the task.

By bringing my subtle awareness into play with my senses available– by breathing mindfully while beholding the world with my senses– my senses had become more acute.

I went outside with the camera to take a shot of one of the crabapple blossoms, and a visitor arrived, tenderly caressing the blossom.

It is sage advice, what William Wordsworth has said:

Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.

The Tables Turned

By William Wordsworth

Up! up! my Friend, and quit your books;
Or surely you’ll grow double:
Up! up! my Friend, and clear your looks;
Why all this toil and trouble?
The sun above the mountain’s head,
A freshening lustre mellow
Through all the long green fields has spread,
His first sweet evening yellow.
Books! ’tis a dull and endless strife:
Come, hear the woodland linnet,
How sweet his music! on my life,
There’s more of wisdom in it.
And hark! how blithe the throstle sings!
He, too, is no mean preacher:
Come forth into the light of things,
Let Nature be your teacher.
She has a world of ready wealth,
Our minds and hearts to bless—
Spontaneous wisdom breathed by health,
Truth breathed by cheerfulness.
One impulse from a vernal wood
May teach you more of man,
Of moral evil and of good,
Than all the sages can.
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;
Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:—
We murder to dissect.
Enough of Science and of Art;
Close up those barren leaves;
Come forth, and bring with you a heart
That watches and receives.

 

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