Reflections from the Sanctuary
This morning’s inquiry, “is the simplicity I seek already here?”.
I ask this question with all sincerity and a curious and open heart. I’m not asking my mind but I’m asking my direct experience. Is the simplicity I seek already here?” In my looking I notice the tiny flickering of the candles I lit this morning; my cat is asleep on the couch; a sliver of light coming in through the curtains; a porcelain dove with her head slightly tilted to the side; a small stack of books; soft looking; a vase of pussy willows; a mat by the door. It’s as if all of the objects in the space of the room are sending me signals of simplicity. Look here. I am graced again by asking a simple question that interrupts the urgency in my nervous system that is busying my mind.
In my listening, quiet and receptive, I notice a gentle hum in the background; the sound of an engine starting up; a car going by, coming and going, and another car and silence. Not a hurried silence but a silence that seems to have no beginning or end.
The simple taste of coffee warms my throat and my hands as I hold the cup; the feel of my feet on the ground; warm cozy socks; the weight of my body in the chair; simple and resting; back supported by the couch; solid and here; hands on the keyboard; cool to the touch; dancing fingers; words appearing on the screen; simple words; simple pointers; simplicity is inviting me here; come closer; come closer.
I notice some urgency in my body; tightness and contracting; an ache; some softening; hands; feet; fingers and arms; soft gaze; soft listening to the body; all welcome here in the simplicity of right now. I wonder about the paradox of simple and urgent; ease and constriction; openness and contraction; quiet gaze and clenched jaw. There doesn’t seem to be a problem in the simplicity of this moment.
Urgency will always grab our attention when we’re not mindful about where our attention is going. Urgency fuels the mind with negative and scary thoughts. This is a simple practice of orienting your attention towards direct experience. If urgency or thought pulls you back be gentle and patient with yourself. This is a strong habit in the mind/body.
What is simple and here for you right now?
Love,
Candace
All of Candace’s services are Trauma, PTSD, Complex Grief, Chronic Illness and Benzo withdrawal symptom sensitive.