“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
~ Rachel Carson
Separation comes from the mind, love and connection comes from the heart. So many lessons have come into my first year of living in Findhorn. This time exactly one year ago, I packed what was over 3 and a half years of London shrapnel to start a new life in a small, but renowned spiritual community in the north of Scotland. But I did not know much about where I was moving to, having lived in London's first eco-village, moving/running/relocating to a new job which was based in another ecovillage seemed a natural fit, and a way to clear old hurt and start anew.
I was always always running from one place to another in London, feeding my distractions with so many things/events/workshops/gatherings/pubs/museums/galleries/openings/meetups/yougettheidea, so scared to stop, to consider, to embrace the pain, to accept rejection, to face the unknown, to be still.
And so the healing began, a painful process of unfolding, of sitting with inactivity and letting go of my busyness. To stop moving, to still the mind. To be present, to be grateful. To start to notice the symbolic beauty in the movement of birds, the ebb and flow of tides. To learn from nature's cycles, that told me each day to let go of old things like old leaves, that a bare and cold Winter would always bring new buds of Spring. I have met such kind, tender and open-hearted souls along this new and wonderful journey, each day brings the chance to meet and learn from them each day. A recent highlight was Satish Kumar, an Indian peace activist who dedicated a peace pilgrimage from India to the four capitals of the nuclear world: Moscow, Paris, London and Washington D.C. and decided to carry no money on the trip. His presence was inspiring, and since working for a tree charity, most of my learning has come from the tall quiet forest this last year. As Satish says: How much I can learn from a tree! The tree is my church, the tree is my temple, the tree is my mantra, the tree is my poem and my prayer.
Along with my daily dose of vitamin sea at Findhorn beach, within each ocean curl echoes Hoʻoponopono, an ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. There are four simple steps to this prayer, and the order is not that important. Repentance, Forgiveness, Gratitude and Love are the only forces at work as I say I'm sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you with each wave I see. The power is in the feeling and in the willingness of the Universe to forgive and love.
~ Rachel Carson
Separation comes from the mind, love and connection comes from the heart. So many lessons have come into my first year of living in Findhorn. This time exactly one year ago, I packed what was over 3 and a half years of London shrapnel to start a new life in a small, but renowned spiritual community in the north of Scotland. But I did not know much about where I was moving to, having lived in London's first eco-village, moving/running/relocating to a new job which was based in another ecovillage seemed a natural fit, and a way to clear old hurt and start anew.
I was always always running from one place to another in London, feeding my distractions with so many things/events/workshops/gatherings/pubs/museums/galleries/openings/meetups/yougettheidea, so scared to stop, to consider, to embrace the pain, to accept rejection, to face the unknown, to be still.
And so the healing began, a painful process of unfolding, of sitting with inactivity and letting go of my busyness. To stop moving, to still the mind. To be present, to be grateful. To start to notice the symbolic beauty in the movement of birds, the ebb and flow of tides. To learn from nature's cycles, that told me each day to let go of old things like old leaves, that a bare and cold Winter would always bring new buds of Spring. I have met such kind, tender and open-hearted souls along this new and wonderful journey, each day brings the chance to meet and learn from them each day. A recent highlight was Satish Kumar, an Indian peace activist who dedicated a peace pilgrimage from India to the four capitals of the nuclear world: Moscow, Paris, London and Washington D.C. and decided to carry no money on the trip. His presence was inspiring, and since working for a tree charity, most of my learning has come from the tall quiet forest this last year. As Satish says: How much I can learn from a tree! The tree is my church, the tree is my temple, the tree is my mantra, the tree is my poem and my prayer.
Along with my daily dose of vitamin sea at Findhorn beach, within each ocean curl echoes Hoʻoponopono, an ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. There are four simple steps to this prayer, and the order is not that important. Repentance, Forgiveness, Gratitude and Love are the only forces at work as I say I'm sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you with each wave I see. The power is in the feeling and in the willingness of the Universe to forgive and love.
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