It's All Extraordinary!

The sun-soaked amber grass warms both soles and soul. I envision the flowing energy of water as I execute a Qi gong form known as the turtle, whilst in the midst of a Garry oak meadow. At first blush one might ask how is it possible to visualize water surrounded by trees - my answer, it's all energy. I spend considerable time in the company of these trees and while I almost always see some of the more familiar of my standing tall clan, I am delighted and awed by the continuous new discoveries each time I go. As for the energy, to me it is easily recognizable, the same swirls and eddys once observes in the flow of a stream or the current and surge of the tides, can be seen in the grow pattern of the trees. It's there in some of the smallest twigs and branches and can be seen in the overall posture of the tree as it spirals towards the heavens, arms outreaching to accept the ongoing blessing of creation.

It's all there to behold - like wisdom held within the trees, I can learn to find the stillness and then simply watch (& listen) a cirque du soleil - esque extravaganza of life will most certainly become more apparent the more one can learn to pay attention. For example I sat on a rock after meditating and watched as two humming birds were catapulted out of the canopy of an oak tree like they were shot out of a cannon. They went skyward with such velocity, it was outstanding! Incidentally, their aerobatics assumed the same spiral patterns as they joyfully celebrated unencumbered life force energy. Think about it, it serves no practical purpose to do that maneuver - "shortest distance between two points being a straight line" (and all that) done I suspect, simply because they can and for the sheer pleasure of it. Consider the incredible power being harnessed to do that - oh sure they weigh next to nothing, but nonetheless they are generating the power to blast off like that, themselves! Try it, first thing in the morning, from the horizontal orientation of slumber try and launch yourself even upright, never mind airborne. If you're anything like me, the next thing that occurs is the disequilibrium of an all-consuming head rush, followed by a allemande left over some strewn articles of clothing with the finale becoming up close and personal as I kiss off the bedroom wall. I'll grant you it would make great "physical comedy" but might well run a distant second to the pirouetting humming birds.

As I said this meadow is constantly changing (as it remains the same) and is teaching me to appreciate the extraordinary where I may have previously only perceived the mundane. Boredom being the product of the "grasping mind" it can take some time and practice to seek, find and develop any degree of comfort with this stillness. It calls upon one to come to know themselves at depth and the world around them and then to discover the inter-relationship. Though I'm no biologist I seem to recall that during one of my waking moments in high school science, that same spiral pattern exists in the strands of our dna - though the lecture on genetics lulled me into a coma, I'm fascinated (now) with how deep these relationships run and how increasingly the illusory sense of separation vanishes.

I sat on that rock allowing some early morning vitamin D to embrace me sipping the coffee I brought along - how abundant is that?! This meadow is my cathedral - in part because it is only a 15 minute walk from my suburban condo (which faces onto a busy thoroughfare). In just a brief heart expanding stroll, I am literally in another world. I have shared heart and soul with those trees. They and their myriad of occupants willingly share in kind - wisdom and teaching always there for the asking.

As I was preparing to leave - I noticed a cache of empty beverage bottles and cans - I have never gone to the park with the sole intent of "cleaning up" but I do make a point of clearing the energy where the situation calls for it, as I said, this place is sacred to me. What a journey I have walked to go from one that at one point in my life, would have been the one desecrating just such sacred sites. I simply didn't know any better. I now don't hold myself or those that currently practice unconsciousness in contempt. I know the darkness of complete disconnection (even though illusory it can and does feel real, complete and absolute). Nobody awakens through the force of judgment or criticism, I know in my case my unconsciousness ultimately shook me into a state of awakening - I reckon others deserve the dignity of that choice as well.

On my way out of the park I placed the empty bottles and cans on the rim of the garbage can so the "binners" can collect this small windfall and avoid the undignified digging through the can. One of the colourful cans caught my attention - I picked it up to see what was being "marketed" why it was the "tropical delight" of a beer and grapefruit juice blend! Yuk, was my first thought - then I considered who knows, might taste ok - gratefully I will never know. I then marveled at the creative lengths humanity goes to, in order to achieve and maintain unconciousness. Back in my day - the beer choices were warm or cold and I had to walk all the way to science class drinking one or the other!