SEASON WINTER

I welcome Winter. It is a time of digging into the depths of this Years harvest. Diving Deep, tossing the Compost around, back and forth, sorting the fresh from the rotten. Recycled healthy ground is needed, for new seedlings to be set. Roots spreading out, like long fingers growing, feeding on the Light of my Dreams, until at last they find an opening and burst out into the Light, the Joy of Birth, Buds ready to Blossom in Beauty.

A Poem from Galway Kinnell:

"The bud stands for all things, even for those things that don't flower, for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing; though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its lovliness, to put a hand on the brow of the flower and retell it in words and in touch it is lovely until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing..."

As Buddha said:

He realized that he'd practiced the wrong way, that the spiritual life is not about fighting the self, but sitting in the midst of all things and letting the self open to them with the heart of compassion and the beginner's mind of a child.

picCopyright jwe

Winter gives me delightful memories of childhood. Then, when a magic reality is accepted as normal! Isn't it beautiful how we bring down the stars in winter onto and into our houses, streets and trees. The Snow half covering them, colorful jewels patted into white soft Cotton. The days getting shorter and colder, fingers and toes frozen, the nose red and dripping, knowing warm chocolate and cookies are waiting at home. Night falls fast, the smell of wood burning in the ovens and fireplace, candlefairies are dancing, the wind howling outside, bedtimestories, dreaming of angels in the snow and snowmen with carrot noses.

It is okay to slow down, to look around, to rest sosay and explore this years harvest of Being. Most of all, to enjoy the seeds gained, listen to what they have to say. Express the stories through words, colors, music, dance, song. There is plenty, so it is good to give and to share, with joy. Most of all, to be grateful and to bless every breath taken and given, moment by moment.

Ah, isn't it wonderful to feel alive.