I was sitting in the sun, on my yoga mat, in the brightly grassed clearing across from little cabin in the woods, simply listening to the sounds of the forest around me, breathing deep, meditating on the Psalm I read in the earlier morning hours, feeling the heat of the day on the skin of my back and the blonde of my hair, eyes shut, other senses wide open. I was there like that, unfettered in silent kindness, for quite some time. When I finally opened my eyes, there was a dainty snake on my yoga mat with me, curled in a series of tiny, parabolic waves, beside my knee. I stayed very still, let out a little scream, glanced at his tail for rattles, and since there were none, I let the minuscule snake stay. I looked very closely at the beautiful details of its scales and darting tongue (like a flame flicker, moth sputter near an old, drafty, manse window). I found myself thinking, “Thank God, for this too.” All creatures great and small.
Last night, while driving home from work, up the steep and rutted road to the cabin, my bones jingling in their sockets and the dust seeping in through the open windows, I saw a buck divine, standing on the edge of the road, in golden grass. To have eyes as wise as that must require a thousand years of living. His antlers were without velvet and stark, newly-born white in the softness of sunsetting. There are, perhaps, one million deer living in the Methow Valley, I see them all the time, but this one was special. Perhaps it was the light, or some merciful sweep of the great plains of my being, but the beauty of that buck moved me to tears. In the end, all things seem like tenderness and tiny, wild joys, galloping like rainbows from the black, rising like hawks: flaming seraphim swaddling me in an ocean of wings and eyes. There’s some sort of holy protection woven into the glorious grip of love and beauty.
————————————-
I think my heart resides within four narrow walls — a wooden frame built of knotty pine through which to view and feel the landscapes of the world around me. I love to see. Seeing is believing.
i love the first picture, amazing
Thanks, Helen.
To take the time to see is also a gift. I wonder how much goes unnoticed in the rush and push of the days of so many people.
Hope you are well.
p.s. The new rings you unveiled are exquisite!
I always wonder the same thing.
Thanks for the ring love, babes! x
What composure you had!! I might have screamed and lept off of my mat in fear- so cool that you did not! 🙂 Knotty pine frame through which to view the world around you with an amazingly open heart. And those rings you shared previously are just divine! My favorite is the green flower shape with drops of water appearing on it. Happy Sunday!! Glad to see you are settling in to LCIW.
I did scream! But I was able to not leap…I actually thought it was a rattler at first and don’t know why I was able to stay so still in body (especially since I really do fear snakes with most of my being).
I think, though, in your beautiful example that ‘believing is seeing’ too… or to quote:
Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries,
And daub their natural faces unaware.
ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING, Aurora Leigh
———————————–
You are gifted with seeing that wonder as you believe the fingerprints of the Divine that put them there!
Eeeeeeep that snake?! I would have opened my eyes and levitated 50’…!! (At least this time you didn’t sit in their nest, hah!!)
xo
mel
needle and nest design
Ahh…what a beautiful EBB quote. Thank you, Mel. x
How beautiful, Jillian. I will be bookmarking this to read again! It puts me in mind of this quote by C. S. Lewis: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
Happy Sunday to you!
Erin! I love that Clive Staples quote! Hope you had a beautiful Sunday too. x
From this distance, I can appreciate the little snake’s beauty~but I must admit I think I would have flipped off of my mat in some sort of Ninja move. I agree with your thoughts, I always feel so lucky and blessed when I realize I am noticing and appreciating God’s creation (in any form) as well.
I feel sad to think of the times I’ve just rushed by without soaking it in.
~E
PS. Love that CS Lewis quote, Erin. : )
Another Eileen! Crikey! How lucky am I?
I’m telling you, ladies, I don’t know what on earth made me stay still in body when I saw that snake. Stillness in the face of snakes goes against my cellular make up. I fear them terribly.
A snake hanging out with you whilst meditating, I think that is what they would call an “auspicious” sign in yoga. What a beautiful gift, the snake, and your composure.
Well let’s hope it was auspicious!!! 🙂
as i awoke this evening, from my daysleep, i was singing in my head, the lines from that buddy miller song: God is close to the ones broken-hearted.
you were given the eyes to see, just as you were given the words to share.
i thank God for you.
xx
You little beauty! I love that song.
I hope your sleep was deep and restorative!
X
Yes,YES.
xo
🙂
X
Wow, how lucky to see your bucks without their velvet so early. Ours are still covered. Maybe because it’s still so hot here? Curiouser and curiouser…
I don’t know if it really was lucky. I think this is the time of year when they start losing their velvet. The rut is just around the corner and I believe bow hunting is in season here already! This is the first I have seen with unveiled antlers — last week, at the old house, the bucks were all still in velvet. Perhaps this fellow is precocious.
i mean really. when is your sweeping opus coming out?
In the end, all things seem like tenderness and tiny, wild joys, galloping like rainbows from the black, rising like hawks: flaming seraphim swaddling me in an ocean of wings and eyes. There’s some sort of holy protection woven into the glorious grip of love and beauty.
sigh. just perfect.
xxxooo
letter coming this week. pinky promise swear.
I wish for it soon.
In the meanwhile, I am writing, writing, writing.
XX
Oh! That snake is so beautiful, but how in the world did you not jump out of your shoes when you saw it?? whoa man. your blog is so lovely! I shall soon return. 🙂
I don’t know. Usually I do! Jump and scream, that is. I did scream yesterday but my body was frozen. It was strange. Thanks for being here!
beautiful beautiful beautiful
I LOVE that you were brought to tears…(now I know I am not the only one lol)
how lovely is it to be moved by creation
something so forgotten in our modern world
thank you for sharing this
it is good to hear
I have been having a bear to keep me company during my morning runs this week
a young one…scared of The Puppy Prince, but curious enough to take a look…he moves me
oh
and BTW
you might wanna make a visit http://loveandlight-cat.blogspot.ca/2012/09/mondays-offeringvisuals-of-weekend-and.html#comment-form
something awaits you there : )
love and light
ps i named him Ruffis!!!lol
Living in wonder of creation is what keeps me going……Thanks for a reminder to not forget to live in daily wonder (because as we all know it can be so easy to become blind to miracles we are surrounded with)
I love the things you create, and I love your insights into the world.
Have a blessed, BLESSED day!