This morning I went outside and sat on the warm stoop for my nature meditation. I immediately observed that the birch tree on the south of the grove had larger leaves. My mind took note and began to ruminate over this “fact,” branching out into related ideas.

Then I remembered: I am meditating, I am here to wake up. I am not here to submerge myself in the machinations of the mind. With some effort, I guided my inner awareness back toward itself, as I strove to maintain continuous unbroken awareness.

Even though I have been doing this practice for years, I still have to make an effort to wake up.

The different worlds are interfacing and contiguous, and one must relax completely (while awake)  to get into them.

We don’t cross into the ‘sphere of rebirth’ by power but by descent, by being swallowed.
~Sue Monk Kidd

Some photos from our recent trip to New Mexico in honor of May Day:

May, the month of Mary

Since medieval times in Ireland, there has been a strong association with the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary during the month of May. Much of the traditions associated with May have been incorporated into the Marian processions found throughout the country.

Children and adults collected flowers for crowning Our Lady in town processions. They also used them to decorate grottoes, shrines and church altars. It was and still is very common to have a home altar either in the kitchen or outside in the farmyard. Sometimes the flowers picked for this altar were made into crosses. The maintenance of these altars and their replenishment with fresh flowers continued on from the 1 May, throughout the month.

http://www.ouririshheritage.org/page_id__131.aspx

The VIrgen in Anchorage:

Using our creativity is a form of prayer.

–Julia Cameron