I have a friend who takes pictures in the park just like me except unlike me he seems to have only one agenda: to take pictures in the park.
People often stop to ask him what he’s seeing or “have you been able to take any interesting pictures today?” It happened just this morning. As I was on my walk I stopped and asked him what was going on as he was standing on the edge of the trail looking into the woods with his camera. We had a brief chat as a crow cawed from above us. I bid him a good morning and kept walking. I wasn’t too far down the trail when I could hear some joggers going by him and they asked “are you taking any interesting pictures this morning?“
As I thought about the differences between our ways of being in the park I thought he is there with one singular objective; to take interesting pictures in the park. As a result, he sees what most park-goers don’t see.
He sees bobcats, and owls and pileated woodpeckers and amazing sunrises. He looks deeper into the woods than most people do. He goes slower and takes more time to notice and to see than most people do.
Therefore, he sees.
The meditation I created is called Experiencing Oneness in a Divided World. In it, we explore a deep and comforting truth: that everything is connected.
As I venture out this morning, I'm thinking about the Mary Oliver poem, wild Geese, where she says, “You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.
I just want to bow 🙇♂️ in gratitude (also laugh because there’s a 🙇 bowing emoji)
For a period in my life I used to go to a particular place in a park not far from my house to meditate and pray. It was the beginning of a practice that I continue to practice to this very day, although this post is about a time when I took a break.
Our guest today is author Eric Janzen. Eric is probably best known for his high fantasy fiction books. He's written a trilogy called The Dreamtrekker Journals Trilogy, and more recently released a new series entitled The Essence Tales. In Eric's bio, he says he will continue writing until he can't anymore.
Our daughter Jess gifted me with a poem today. She says... Wrapping up my last few days on the coast for now… it’s been so amazing to get so much “normal” time with my family, and one of my favorite things is morning walks with dad. His practice of noticing and of being quiet enough in spirit to notice the minute details is always a gift.
Our new little bundle of joy - August (Gus) Matthew Toews - has reminded us all how powerful and incredible love is.
I am contemplating emptiness this morning which I know sends cautionary shivers down the spines of some Christians. I was warned about this by a "well-meaning" Christian on the weekend when I used the word emptiness at a retreat I was co-leading.
snowy days (meditation) Hints of Gladness
Are sounds like this (birdsong, babbling brooks) meant to touch our souls? I think they are.