Re-gathering
Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 9:25 AM 
My thoughts are fleeting. I want to write to capture my essence - my soul - the world reflected in my eyes and mirrored in my heart. I love this time of silence today - a time I haven't easily carved out in these full days of summer. In this moment - gentle fan blowing - ipod softly playing - the monks have joined me again. I am a monk in the world. One who finds beauty and calm in the midst of the chaos.
Life continues to throw hard balls and curves. I duck and dodge like a ninja - feet firmly planted while body bends and turns. I want to stay grounded - to be like the ancient Irish tree - reaching into the earth and stretching toward the heavens. The light in my eyes flickers - when I open the door to an unwelcome message - when I rush around and feel cranky with my husband - when I jump up from bed and hurry to the next thing - when I charge out the door to yoga - something feels very wrong about that...
And so, I settle into my blue-flowered cocoon in this light of morning and I dream I am in Bermuda with the ocean breeze flowing across my skin. I am centered and calm - a prayerful stance - floating above the ground yet still fully connected to the Universe. God is with me - around me - within me. Earth uncovered. Soul recovered and reclaimed. It only takes a moment - less than 10; smaller than 5 - to connect - re-find & re-gather. I have come back to center.
I must be nourished and fed. This feeds me. God. Silence. Gratitude. Slowing down. What can I give up for 10 minutes each day? Sleep. E-mail. A rigid schedule. There's always a few minutes for restoration. I need this. I love this. My ritual is my writing. How could I have forgotten that? My writing is my ritual.And you? Where do you find nourishment? What might you have forgotten? Is there a piece of you you'd like to reclaim or re-gather? It only takes a moment...
per special request - a new photo of aslan - 're-gathering'
Reader Comments (15)
Your ninja description made me think of that scene in The Matrix where Neo leans back in slow motion dodging bullets.
I've recently returned to full-time working in an office for a few months' contract and need to re-find that space of time and nourishment among the dodging.
Beautiful new photo of Aslan, by the way ;-)
tess - you nailed the scene that was in my head. i'm not a matrix aficionado, and didn't want to misquote so went with the ninja description :-)
it can be kind of frightening how easily (& sneakily) the space for nourishment slips away! hope you regather yours soon!!!
glad you like the photo ;-)
I'm enjoying Christine's 7-day "Monk in the World" segments. They're a bit of respite from the noise of the world, inner and out.
Blessings be yours.
Mmm...I'm taking a moment to savor this, these beautiful thoughts, these beautiful words...
Yes, this is how I want to be, too, calm, grounded--the eye of the storm. Let the chaos wail around me, I will be still and quiet right here, right now...
How? Yoga. The Dance of Shiva. Meditation. Reading words such as yours. These things quiet me, these things ground me...
Great post lucy, a wonderful way for me to re-enter reading my favorite blogs. Love this: "I am a monk in the world. One who finds beauty and calm in the midst of the chaos." xoxo
I, too, am a monk in the world. I savour the silence that surrounds me. I have to push myself away from the computer to do so. It is more cyber noise than regular, garden-variety noise that distracts me. I am hoping these few days of reflection will set me on monkish path for the fall. For me, I feel the need to busy-up a bit to rebalance myself.
I love pictues of Aslan. I put some more of my boys on my blog a while ago.
how nourishing to regather oneself back through a writing ritual
visual journaling is a regathering ritual for me, and lately I've been exploring it through a different way than my usual pastel/crayon/marker journalling in a white paged book
Blessings on your capturing your essence, the beauty and calm in the midst of chaos, on your being grounded, your settling in your cocoon, your being connected to the Universe. Blessings on your soul recovered, the silence and the gratitude.
I found nourishment right here, reading your blog.
Thank you.
Lucy - thanks for this. At the moment I seem to have lost my groundedness, my equilibrium, my calm. A timely reminder of the importance of finding - or better, prioritising 10 minutes for that which is truly important.
hey, maureen - we monks need to stick together :-)
karen - sending warm waves of groundedness your way. xo
christine - many thanks to you and the abbess for leading the way!
barbara - i love this line "busy-up a bit to rebalance". it makes perfect since to me. hugs to you and the boys :-)
kel - i adore the explorations you're doing at your place. i've also been integrating some drawing and coloring into my journals. it's fun to mix up the way to balance!!
claire - my cup runneth over as you offer the nourishment right back to me. it's a beautiful ocean of love!
les - many hopes for you to gather your 10 minutes a day for what you know as important. glad you stopped by.
cherishing the words from each and every one of you!! xoxo lucy
"my ritual is my writing"
This speaks deeply to me today Lucy...such clarity and oneness with this statement.
jennifer - after those words popped out in my journal, i thought of you :-)
Beautiful post, Lucy - you speak for so many, it seems. I've been a monk in the world all my life, but now something else is calling (or re-calling). I want to be earth-mothery, flower-childy, immersed in healing remedies/modalities for self and others. Another life is beckoning to me now, but it can be completely incorporated into my contemplative one.
Thought I had to sign your blog. My name is Lucy Dyment and there is quite often a play on my name. To remember my name say - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. and when I married - my father told my husband - he always wanted a Diamond in the family.
Great blog.
http://mixedmediummusings.blogspot.com/
welcome lady lucy dyment!!! what a fabulous name to play with :-) i look forward to hopping over to your blog space soon. thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment.