Tenderly, I now touch all
things,
knowing one day we will
part.
St. John of the Cross
Translated by Daniel Ladinsky
As mentioned in my last HEARTH post, I have been enamored by the subtle shifts of the summer season gradually ebbing into fall. Even though the calendar shows that seasonal change is still several weeks away, the trees, flowers, streams, soil, light, birds, reptiles, deer, and most of the other nature beings are not waiting for that date. They seem to instead fully touch and then release each moment of their existence. Just a short time ago some fawn, waterfalls, butterflies, blossoms and lush greenness that had seemed to appear out of nowhere have almost disappeared.
Now, spider webs, blackberries, fungi and chilly winds are beginning to appear. This seasonal cycle, I’ve been particularly stunned by the fungi. I can be out on one day, walking and visiting the neighborhood nature-kin – trees, plants, etc. – and not see any indication of fungi. Then, on the next day I am captured in pure amazement at the overnight arrival of a large frilly being on a tree trunk or along the ground.
Like the summer blossoms, the physical presence of the fungi will be momentary. In their brief visibility, I am reminded that they are momentary expressions of a large seasonal cycle. A blossom or a mushroom offers only one glimpse of one season, e.g., early, middle or late summer. There is a subtle yielding of one expression into the other. Within that yielding, I feel each living being is a temporary expression of the sacred, invisible circle of life connecting all.
In my being enamored with the transient expressions of the seasonal movements, I am also touched that they are reminders of the significance of the unseen supports in life. They are not only the elements like the sun, rain, and air, but also the countless humans and other beings that are invisibly present within my everyday life. For example, one strawberry on my kitchen table has been grown, picked and brought to the local farmers market by other humans. The box that they are stored in has been touched by countless hands, and paper has come from trees. Everything has been transported using fossil fuel from the earth and countless resources for the vehicle. Within that one strawberry are additional layers of unseen support.
So, regardless of whether it is blossoms, fungi or any other seasonal appearance, each for me is a divine expression of the whole of life. And, they inspire me to live by the words of St. John of the Cross, “tenderly I now touch all things, knowing one day we will part.” I hope you will join me.
Practice
This practice supports awareness of reverence within everyday life.
Prepare—
- Gently close your eyes. Imagine that you can release any tension in your eyelids and your eyeballs. Slowly move your eyes up to down, left to right, and then diagonally (first, upper right to lower left, and, then upper left to lower right).
Practice—
- Open your eyes with a soft gaze.
- Slowly let your eyes scan around the room or area where you are.
- Allow your eyes to rest on the floor or ground beneath you. Then slowly shift your gaze to a few other spots.
- As your rest your eyes in a particular spot, notice the textures, colors, etc., without judgment. Return your gaze to the first spot.
- If you are indoors, let your mind take note of the source of the materials. For example, a natural wood floor would come from trees. A concrete floor would likely come from sand that has been ground and mixed with water.
- Imagine the sources, as though your true self resides here instead of in your thoughts.
- Wherever you are, silently acknowledge the gift of the space around you.
- Then, lightly close your eyes and sit quietly for a few moments with a feeling of great reverence for life. (Please feel free to keep your eyes open, if that is more comfortable for you.)
Transition Back into Your Day—
- Continue to sit quietly for a few moments.
- Breathe. If comfortable, notice the gentle rise and release of your breath. Perhaps acknowledge the gift of your breath as an ever-present reminder of your constant link to all of life, that above and below.
- When you are ready, return to your day.
This verse appears in Mala of the Heart: 108 Sacred Poems, edited by Ravi Nathwani and Kate Vogt, page 83, published by New World Library. H E A R T H is posted each full and new moon. KateVogt©2026.
