Our hands imbibe like roots,
so I place them on what is beautiful in this world.
And I fold them in prayer, and they
draw from the heavens
light.
St. Francis of Assisi
There are two things I try to remember to do each day – look up toward the sky – day or night – and look downward toward the dirt, soil and earth. This a way of stirring awe and reverently remembering the astounding gift of existence.
Within any moment, countless beings – above and below – are slithering, shining, spinning, creeping, crawling, loping, floating, flying, walking or simply resting. There are some super old beings – stars are estimated to be 14 billion years old, mountain ranges and bacteria are 3 or more billion and some sea life like jellyfish at least 500 million years old.
In my childhood there was no need to look up or down – the earth and sky were all around me. The rich, open plains stretched evenly toward the sky in all directions. There were only a few interruptions to the smoothness of the horizon – the small town to the north of our family farm and a few other farms in the distance. Being enveloped in such vastness instilled a lasting and humble perspective of humanity, equivalent to one cell within a massive organism.
I nourish and sustain this early lifetime awareness with my daily habit of remembrance of the hidden, yet ever-present wholeness of life. In having such an awareness, I am anchored in sense of belonging to something infinitely beyond my imagination or understanding. It gives me a heart-felt appreciation that all living beings are divinely inter-connected and true well-being is shared.
This awareness inspires me to live more simply and respectfully for all life, held within the above and below. 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 poem is from Mala of the Heart: 108 Sacred Poems, page 89, by Ravi Nathwani and Kate Vogt (editors), published by New World Library. This practice is an excerpt from Our Inherited Wisdom: 54 Inspirations from Nature and Poetry by Kate Vogt, pages 217-218. H E A R T H is posted each new and full moon on katevogt.com. KateVogt©2024.
