Wonder: September 27 - October 3

Last week, I shared how I get out of my head when life overwhelms me. Stillness is the ticket. I pause. I breathe. I get still. Like muddy water, my thoughts settle if I make space and give myself a bit of time. Like a stone tossed into a deep lake, I drop from my head to my heart. If I'm quiet enough, I hear the silent voice from within. I belong. I am loved. I am enough.

This week, I share another remedy for when life overwhelms me. I not only get out of my head, I get out of the house. Whether it a sunrise on the beach or a star-studded sky at night, nature reminds I am part of something much bigger than my daily struggles. The seasons, caterpillars, the moon, and trees all fill me with awe at the magnificence and mystery of life around me.

Feeling my feet on the earth anchors me. Breathing the gift of oxygen from the trees and green plants connects me to all beings everywhere. The sweetness of an apple is proof the earth continually nurtures and sustains me. How can I watch a hummingbird helicopter from flower to flower and not recognize all of creation as holy? The universe is my home. Amazing!

Practice

This week's practice has two parts. Pick whichever fits with your life today. Maybe try the other tomorrow.

Part 1

We are stars and oceans and the clay of the earth. Spend time today in nature. Use all of the senses to experience the outside world: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Check out the beauty of the changing seasons and send me a photo.

Part 2

Be inspired by discovering something new. Check out any of my favorite books. Each of these authors has changed how I see and understand the world.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

An Immense World by Ed Yong

The Light Eaters by Zoe Schlanger

Our Moon by Rebecca Boyle

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery

Share the books that have shaped you. I'm always looking for the next great read.