We Wonder at Still Water

"Breathing in, Breathing out, I am water reflecting what is real, what is true..."

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Illusion, perception, and the purpose of inner reflection, were our topics last Sunday as we waded into the still water of pebble meditation's third image. Here's some of our highlights...

"Breathing in I go back to the island within myself... "

(click here for lyrics or read from home page side bar) 

The Island Within is a beautiful song. Useful as a lullaby, or soothing mantra, we found it's peaceful simplicity, a gentle reminder of the safe haven that is always available to us from within.

Julian & Chad on you tube

Enjoy this charmingly soulful version, as Julian & Chad  from Wakeup Netherlands combine "The Island Within" and "Call Me By My True Names"... don't be surprised if you find yourself humming along!  

After our poem & stretch, we dove right into our clear thinking discussion using a sampling of images from The Art of The Illusion by Brad Honeycutt to create our exercise. Everybody got an image to reflect on, figure out, and share with the group. Together we discovered how some of the illusions seem to need a certain amount of distance in order to see the second image clearly. This led to the connection that space between ourselves and a difficult situation can often help us see conflict another way. The discussion was lively! We found that getting quiet, taking the time to stay with each image, keeping an open mind, and a willingness to see something different, all helped bring the alternate view into focus.

"Breathing In, I see myself as still water

Breathing out, I reflect things as they truly are."

Keep the conversation going at home 

with some additional illusions and a new mindful challenge...

click here a collection of challenging perceptions

"What is true happiness? 

Often we think that we cannot be happy if we don't get 

what we want. There are a million ways to be happy, 

but because we don't know how to open the 

door to happiness, 

we just chase after the things we think we want." 

In the Chapter Chasing Clouds by Thich Nhat Hanh from A Pebble for Your Pocket, He tells the story of an energetic young stream rushing from a mountaintop in search of the ocean. Her impatience, clinging, and inability to see a deeper beauty, cause her so much sadness. We follow her bitter sweet path of realization as she goes back to herself for the very first time, stays, listens, reflects, and joyfully comes to experience the very foundation of her happiness. This entire book is a wonder.

We practiced our food contemplations, and enjoyed blueberry yogurt together. Yum! (click here for The Seven Food Contemplations)

We invited the bell to meditation  and imagined ourselves still water. Most shared they pictured themselves lakes, although we did have one lovely forest stream...

Reflections on paper. By thickly painting on only one half of the sheet, then folding the paper over, we created a reflecting effect for the still water poem. Beautiful reminders each and every one. 

(click here to go to the Art Gallery!)

NEXT Sunday we breathe space ~ here's a look ahead...

~*~
Week 7 
we breathe space
~.~

Sing-a-long 
Peacefully Free  
Planting Seeds CD
~.~

Poem and Stretch 
Waking up 
Planting Seeds
~.~

Discussion
Giving the gift of space 
~.~

Activity 
The Amoeba Roll 
Meditating with Children
~.~

Food contemplations
 Puffy pop corn and whip cream milk
~.~

Story  
A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood
~.~

Meditation 
seeing myself as Space/Free
 A Handful of Quiet
~.~

Let's make a Paper Kite!