Invitation to Come Back Into Balance

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.

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.

My first attempt at meditative sand raking