a spontaneous garden day
hands in the dirt
leaves in my hair
clouds in the sky
love in the air
Meditations
Searching for Silence..
It’s a beautiful day in San Diego! I’m watching the city disappear, the landscape appearing to rush by me as myself and the train rush by it.
I’m headed to a retreat center just North of Joshua Tree where I will fully immerse myself in meditation for 10 days. I will be eating simple vegetarian meals, rising long before the sun to sit in stillness and experience myself, my thoughts, my mind and body, moving slowly through my day with others yet not speaking with others, and I will be far from any form of communication with the world in which I know.
I have no idea what to expect. I’ve never allowed myself the luxury of silence for such a great period of time. I’ve never sat in meditation without the everyday distractions, the patterns and habits which are so ingrained in me.
I am grateful for this opportunity to explore myself and to listen to my own wisdom. I know it’s there.
An Early Morning Walk in Ocean Beach..
I drove myself down to the greens today, crawled on top of the green machine, strapped on my stilts, and went for a jaunt. It was an amazing way to begin the day. Suddenly I felt strong and bold and so very alive!
I found myself doing strange and challenging exercises, engaging in interesting conversation with other early morning explorers, almost getting knocked over by a flock of birds who were startled by my long legs, and relaxing into a new and exciting way for me to explore my body and the world around me.
I’m grateful for this new perspective!
Morning Meditations
A few photos from a morning walk to the Nhu Lai Thien Tu temple by my house.
sit down and listen.
I.
You.
He.
She.
We.
.
In the garden of mystic lovers
these are not true distinctions.
.
There’s part of us
that’s like an itch
call it the animal soul
a foolishness
that when we’re in it
we make hundreds of others
around us
itchy
and
there is an intelligent soul
with another desire
more like sweet basil
or the feel of a breeze
listen
and be thankful
even for scolding
that comes from the intelligent soul
it flows out closer to where you
flowed out
but that itchiness
wants to put food in our mouths
that will make us sick
feverish with the aftertaste
of kissing a donkey’s rump
it’s like blackening your robe
against the kettle
without being
anywhere near
a table of companionship
the truth of being human
is an empty table
made of soul intelligence
gradually
reduce what you give
your animal soul
the bread
that after all
overflows
from sunlight
the animal soul itself spilled out
and sprouted from the other
taste more often
what nourishes
your clear light
and you’ll have less use for the smokey oven
you’ll bury that baking equipment
in the ground
.
Rainy Day Clovers
Connecting with nature today.
Hands in the dirt, raindrops on skin, and climbing tall trees.
In my secret playground.
A breath of fresh air!
touching with her ears..
[photo by Sarsten Noice]
There is a Boddhisattva,
whose name is Avalokitesvara.
It means:
“Listening deeply to the sound of the cries of the world“.
And listening deeply is the practice of mindfullness.
But if you are full of pain, full of anxiety, full of projections,
and especially full of prejudices, full of ideas and notions,
it may be very difficult for you to practice deep listening.
You are too full.
And that is why to practice in order for you to have space,
to have freedom within,
to have some joy within is very important for deep listening.
Avalokitesvara, Quan Yin, she practices deep listening to herself, and to the world, outside.
She practices touching with her ears.
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Peace on a mountain top
Sorting back through photos I came across this beautiful moment. This is Nina taking a moment to look at the vastness of her world, to see this limitless view of opportunities. The magic goes on forever.
Rachel Dragonfly 
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