Tag: seeing

The Truth in Our Journey.

My friends, this morning I’d like to share one of my favorite passages  from author, Wendell Berry who writes:

“And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles,

no matter how long,

but only by a spiritual journey,

a journey of one inch,

very arduous and humbling and joyful,

by which we arrive at the ground at our feet,

and learn to be at home.”

The search for truth is an endeavor universally shared. We seek to understand, to lend greater meaning…to find purpose within our despair.

And for as long back as we can remember, we’ve shared our journey with countless others; travelers bound by a common thread. Yet, somehow always knowing – that which we seek, is already here.

The light can either illuminate or detract; a life constrained by edges, or one of boundless hue. The infinite is in the finite of every instant; released by the question and emboldened through courage.

In peace, sweet friends…

Namaste ❣️

The Art of Seeing.

“Fame is no more than the sum of all the misunderstandings that gather around a new name.”

He was tasked to write the biography of the artist Rodin. But as Rainer Maria Rilke struggled to fill the blank pages before him, he realized that a greatness such as this could never be limited by the construct of word.

Oh, no – Rodin was born great. And to that end, even as a young boy too busy etching through worn scraps of wood, there was something far greater still – an unimpeded connection to the ever-growing life force of this world.

Rodin not only understood this energy, he mastered it – allowing nothing to challenge his capacity to see.

Artists such as Rodin – the true masters – exude an air of always knowing. To those, ‘the chosen few’, doubt is an unknown current. They see that which exists beyond physical form, connecting deeply to the source of spirit within.

Can you imagine living your life so freely, my loves? That the instinct to do is greater than any self-imposed worry?

For even the depths of a seemingly endless grey winter sky, yield the treasure of an ‘invincible spring.’

In peace…

Namaste ❤️

This World as We See It.

“I’m having a bad day,” he said, looking forward through a half-frosted window. The morning was bitterly cold with the coming of winter, and his thoughts were as dark as the sky.

He explained to me his troubles at home; a dishwasher that ‘barely got the job done’ and kids with ‘far too much’ energy. He paused just long enough to sip his coffee – a venti caramel macchiato with just a hint of cinnamon against the edge

I watched his face as he prattled on – lamenting home, work and the traffic both ways. With every word he fell more deeply into ‘self’, creating a ‘reality’ of world absent that much bigger picture.

I watched his face as he stared blankly into the parking lot — missing completely the elderly homeless man now picking through last night’s trash bins.

Nietzsche once asked, “Why does man not see things?” — offering perhaps that it was man, himself, standing in his own way.

We see what we wish to see, arranging this world to suit our ‘vision’. Logically, we understand these aspects of cause and effect – though often fail to see our role within it.

The eyes see clearly, yet also deceive – influenced by the voices which haunt our past history.

“Do you see that man standing out there,” I asked, pointing to the parking area. “He’s here every single day. I’d once asked him the source of his smile – and do you know what he said?”

The young man lowered his eyes and he shook his head slowly.

“He said, ‘I’m alive, I have food and now – the blessing of your company.'”

We see this world as we wish to see it. To some, a paradise; to others, a prison.

And, to those – the truly awakened souls, every moment becomes a cherished blessing.

A little something to consider, my loves…

In peace…

Namaste ❤️

These Blessings of Chance.

The day will come when you realize, my darlings – that this life if far more than any limitations of dream. That new beginnings are often wrapped within the magnitude of ‘ending’.

Not everything is as it seems, my loves. Even a speck of dust lends itself to the ruby-ness of sky.

And, yet the heart is plagued with emptiness – as we long and move and stretch into the sharper contrasts of disillusionment.

Never once engaging the caution of pause; aching only for that which we inherently regret.

And, then – as if by magic, the veiling clears. We expand to greet this moment; no more, no less.

The music of this earth gladly waits for those who dare to comment faith.

The day will come when you realize, my friends – that this life if far more than these blessings of chance.

In peace…

Namaste ❤️

 

Having the Courage to See.

[blockquote source=”Nisargadatta Maharaj”]

“Absolute perfection is here and now, not in some future, near or far. The secret is in action – here and now.

It is your behavior that blinds you to yourself.

Disregard whatever you think yourself to be and act as if you were absolutely perfect – whatever your idea of perfection may be. All you need is courage.”[/blockquote]

My darlings, one of my most favorite passages from Nisargadatta Maharaj – a reflection on this fundamental truth, that the warmth of our light can not ever be extinguished.

Our ‘perfection’ exists by way of our being – a miraculous gathering of spiritual ‘dust’, embodied in this most beautiful physical form.

As author, Eckhart Tolle so brilliantly reminds us – we are the Universe expressing itself as ‘human’ for a little while.

And all we ever need…is the courage to see.

Disregard whatever you think yourself to be, and step into the perfection that is you.

I promise you’ll not be disappointed, my loves ~

When We See With Love.

[blockquote source=”Antoine de Saint Exupéry”]”Here is my secret. It is very simple. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; What is essential is invisible to the eye.”[/blockquote]

When I was a little girl, I had a friend – Brian – who was blind.

I used to watch in fascination as he would recite entire passages from our favorite movies.  Line by line, his voice would dip with delight-filled inflection, as he captured the fullness and depth of each and every scene.

He knew the lines, for sure – but there was always something else, something so very much more.

I used to think it odd that we would ‘watch’ movies together – as I imagined all that he must be missing.

And, then one day while viewing the latest action film, he said, “That lady there ~ she’s the villain.”

At just 10 minutes into the movie, I hardly paid much, if any, attention to his comment. But, sure enough by the movies end, the horrid villainess had been caught.

son of a gun…

“Told you so,” he smirked.

“But, how did you..” I started, astonished by his insight.

“Never forget, Tara,” he  leaned in to whisper, “while you might be able to ‘see’…I see all that you can not.”

Indeed, there is a wisdom to seeing – one that extends far beyond our simple human measure. We see a young man waiting patiently in the doctor’s office; we watch as an older woman tends to her garden.

But, do we in fact see the much deeper part of their story? Do we see the tireless dedication of one young man, as he awaits news of his dearest wife? Or, do we know the pain that’s felt by this woman who spends hours hunched over her garden?

Author Mark Twain once said,

“The common eye sees only the outside of things, and judges by that. But the seeing eye pierces through and reads the heart and the soul, finding there capacities which the outside didn’t indicate or promise, and which the other kind couldn’t detect.”

It was in this moment that I first discovered what seeing truly meant.

I saw the softness of the trees swaying into the wind.

I saw the scent of honeysuckle clinging to the breeze.

I saw the purest joy cupped inside a little one’s giggle.

And through my dearest friend I learned, that seeing comprises so very much more than simply being in front of one another.

My dears, it’s only when we see with love – that a beautiful new world is revealed.

I’ll never forget my dear friend Brian, who – though blind from birth – could see so much more, than most ever would.

Love to you, dearest friend ~ and thank you for sharing your gift of ‘seeing.’