reflection upon our patterns ~

holiday treats ~

rolling in the sunshine ~

enjoy! ~

looking back ~

these were taken from the car on our drive to nova scotia from out west...

peace as a turning ~

This week I have been grappling with the wind. These last several days the wind has been relentless, blowing fiercely all day and all night. I found that everything rose up in me in resistance to it, or maybe I should say, everything I am in resistance to rose up in me. I raged at the wind and the wind raged right back. I was running against the wind in more ways than one.

And then today it seemed quieter. The wind though still strong had died down a bit, was no longer gusting or howling. I decided to go out for a long walk along the shore. I watched the waves hit the rocks and then rise up like big beings only to suddenly fall back down again. I walked into the face of a north east wind.

On my way home, I had the wind behind me and was being pushed along. The words from the Irish blessing came to mind: may the wind be always at your back. All at once these words made sense not just conceptually, but reverberated throughout my body as a physical truth.

Yes, may I go forward with ease, may the road rise up to meet you. When I experience resistance of any kind I can always change my direction, and have the wind at my back, even in the most imperceptible way.

And so in my battle with the wind this week I came to a deeper understanding of peace. Peace as an action. Peace as a turning. Peace as a choice to turn toward what is, and a turning away from inner and outer resistance. Peace as a turning of the face towards the sun. A turning of the other cheek.

*words in italics from an irish blessing

prayer of st. francis ~

introspection ~

peace on earth ~

david bowie and bing crosby

old mr. g ~

earrings before they receive their hooks ~

brilliance ~

gusting winds ~

I was just contemplating whether or not to brave the weather and go out for a walk when I heard on the radio that winds were gusting to 99km/hour in our neighbourhood. Come to think of it the trees do seem to be swirling around and about. Think I'll hold off for awhile.

the places that scare you ~

If we look for that soft, unguarded place, we always find it.

Pema Chodron - from The Places That Scare You

an old buoy ~

I was amazed at how much the old paint was like lichen.

transitioning ~

it seems like effort is needed to move from one dimension to the next...but once there maybe less exertion is required.

keep walking your path ~

even if it sometimes feels like a long hard slog...

love ~

is what is left when you let everything go...

erich schiffmann

how do i love thee bob ~

let me count the ways...!
ps. sorry for the ads, they get a bit more bearable after the one minute point...