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| Can you even imagine doing this? -stock photo of stunning sand raking |
Often I'm drawn to the things that my soul needs, whether it makes sense to me or anyone else.
I really wanted a sand circle at Starry Meadows. I thought it would be a nice addition to the contemplative offerings at the farm, for retreatants, for children to play in, and possibly a small source of income.
Months later, I'm thinking my own soul was just trying to get my attention to
come
back into
balance.
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| stock photo sand raking |
When we enthusiastically dug out the circle, prepped and lined the circle, ordered sand and watched it dumped out, I really thought I'd rake the sand every day, for focus, for the discipline of creating -giving my whole self without clinging to any design - letting the rains wash it all away.
Intentions can be different than reality; I only half-heartedly raked designs twice before today. I've been far from contemplative this summer which is unusual for me. This summer has been a creative storm, birthing a children's picture book, planting and tending a wildflower garden, making flower bouquets to sell. All good, just unsustainable long term.
A new contemplative practice helps me slow down, listen more deeply to nature, Spirit, to my truest self. So now, I bring my reality to my intention and heed the call of rake and sand.
Today, I simply show up. Tomorrow I do the same.
I can't even imagine the time and patience it takes to rake a perfect design in the sand - as the above photos show. My hands feel clumsy holding a rake, my efforts feeble. I don't really have the tools I need, the stillness or the clarity of what I'm doing; I know none of that really matters....it's just mind chatter. The same thing happened when I learned other spiritual practices or other forms of contemplative prayer and meditation. My soul draws me and that is enough.
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| My first attempt at meditative sand raking |
