"Where Does the Temple Begin, Where Does it End?"

I was riding my bike with a group of women on the Katy Trail two weeks ago. It was a hot, humid Missouri day. Everything was moving slow, including us. We watched turtles slowly cross the trail and noticed the beautiful wild flowers on the banks. It was a wonderful few hours of taking time to notice the sacredness of the journey. I remembered one of Mary Oliver’s poems “Where Does the Temple Begin, Where Does it End?” I thought of my writing and how long it has been since I’ve posted something on my blog.

My purpose in writing is to help me be more conscious of finding the sacredness in common places and to learn more about dwelling there. For me that means slowing down in order to see and listen deeper – a process of reconnecting my soul with all that surrounds me. Although I’ve not been able to precisely define sacred , I think it’s experiencing the joy of life itself.

I hope I’ve captured a little of the joy of the Katy Trail "temple" in the photos below.

At the end of our ride, my daughter and I were astonished as we stood still and listened to the meadowlark sing its benediction for our ride.

I would love to hear what you’ve noticed in the common places and what you're learning about dwelling there. Ponder these words of Emerson....

"We see the world piece by piece,
as the sun, the moon,
the animal, the tree, but the
whole, of which these
are the shining parts, is the soul."

Standing On Holy Ground

Earlier this month, I returned from a retreat in Sedona, Az. One afternoon three of us hiked these beautiful red rocks to reach the top of this mountain. We were anxious to experience the energy at the site of the Boynton Vortex.

Apparently the energy at the site strengthens the yin/yang or masculine/feminine balance. There were many pyramids of rocks piled at the point of greatest energy. Although I felt a great sense of energy from being there, I also know that I have an energy that is readily available to me in those moments when I recognize I am always standing on holy ground.

I've been pondering the question "who would I be if I actually felt the sense of freedom that would come if I could more often remember I am always standing on holy ground"?

I know this experience is available and it takes a fierce kind of attention to recognize the fullness of these moments. I have them.....and oh.....how I wish they were more than just moments.

I "wake up" when I climb to a beautiful vortex site or when my 5 year old granddaughter says, when I've just told her she can spend the night, "Oh Grammy, I could just cry tears of joy".

And.....I "wake up" when I've just read one of Mary Oliver's lovely poems.

As you read the following verse from one of my favorites, think about how much fierce attention you'd have to have in order to notice this:

"This afternoon a gull sailing over

our house was casually scratching

its stomach of white feathers with one

pink foot as it flew.

Oh Lord, how shining and festive is your gift to us,

if we only look and see."

Will you ponder with me the question "Who would I be if I actually felt the sense of freedom that would come if I remember I am always standing on holy ground?"

I'd love to have you share with me your ponderings.