This is good for the reasons that you stated. It is a learning exercise. Here is a short piece from earlier yesterday.
The sparrow is now coming closer than he did a few weeks ago. I want to gain the trust of him and all avians who visit my front yard. It is early morning and the seeds are on the ground. The sparrows see them. One comes near me and seems to smile. What a beaitiful innocence. There is no guile in birds. They are wary and watchful, because they have to be. They know. But they can trust. How I see myself in the birds. The sparrow flies away.
Thank you Perry. Some people pull oracle or tarot cards for answers and guidance but Nature is always there for us. Love that you wrote this yesterday--seeing yourself in the birds.
I love how nature acts as a mirror to our experience, but does so in a very gentle way. When you tune in and allow your attention to wander, it always delivers something beautiful back to you. I'm currently enjoying some soft evening sunshine here in the UK, after a very miserable and rainy start to the summer!
Yes! Thank you for contributing "a very gentle way" and "always delivers something beautiful back to you". Enjoy your soft evening sunshine Joseph! It's crazy hot in New England for June.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, letting the world around me seep into my senses. The first thing I notice is the scent of blooming jasmine, delicate and sweet, wafting through the air. It's carried by a gentle breeze, cool against my skin in the warm afternoon sun. I open my eyes and see the flowers themselves, small clusters of white against the deep green leaves, swaying slightly as the breeze moves through them.
The sunlight filters through the trees, casting dappled patterns on the ground. The light feels warm and comforting, creating a soft, golden glow that seems to envelop everything. I watch as the leaves rustle, their shadows dancing lightly across the grass.
It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, but moments like these bring me back to a place of stillness and appreciation.
In writing about this experience, I realize how much I value these simple pleasures.
Thank you for sharing Mohika! Jasmine is one of my favorite scents. It's wonderful that you received a realization from the exercise. You don't need to share but were you able to see yourself in your Nature attraction? For example, since it is what you first mentioned... do you recognize yourself as "delicate and sweet", "warm and comforting"?
An excellent idea and it's one of the reasons I continue to practice street photography—it's a way for me to document and then reflect on how to answer this question. And being deliberate about the practice has helped me get better with noticing over time.
Great idea!
This is good for the reasons that you stated. It is a learning exercise. Here is a short piece from earlier yesterday.
The sparrow is now coming closer than he did a few weeks ago. I want to gain the trust of him and all avians who visit my front yard. It is early morning and the seeds are on the ground. The sparrows see them. One comes near me and seems to smile. What a beaitiful innocence. There is no guile in birds. They are wary and watchful, because they have to be. They know. But they can trust. How I see myself in the birds. The sparrow flies away.
Thank you Perry. Some people pull oracle or tarot cards for answers and guidance but Nature is always there for us. Love that you wrote this yesterday--seeing yourself in the birds.
I love how nature acts as a mirror to our experience, but does so in a very gentle way. When you tune in and allow your attention to wander, it always delivers something beautiful back to you. I'm currently enjoying some soft evening sunshine here in the UK, after a very miserable and rainy start to the summer!
Yes! Thank you for contributing "a very gentle way" and "always delivers something beautiful back to you". Enjoy your soft evening sunshine Joseph! It's crazy hot in New England for June.
Beautiful photograph!
Thank you!
Super interesting Tania!
Thank you Mohika! I'd love to see what you write if you do the exercise. 🌿
Sure! Here’s what I wrote:
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, letting the world around me seep into my senses. The first thing I notice is the scent of blooming jasmine, delicate and sweet, wafting through the air. It's carried by a gentle breeze, cool against my skin in the warm afternoon sun. I open my eyes and see the flowers themselves, small clusters of white against the deep green leaves, swaying slightly as the breeze moves through them.
The sunlight filters through the trees, casting dappled patterns on the ground. The light feels warm and comforting, creating a soft, golden glow that seems to envelop everything. I watch as the leaves rustle, their shadows dancing lightly across the grass.
It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, but moments like these bring me back to a place of stillness and appreciation.
In writing about this experience, I realize how much I value these simple pleasures.
Thank you for sharing Mohika! Jasmine is one of my favorite scents. It's wonderful that you received a realization from the exercise. You don't need to share but were you able to see yourself in your Nature attraction? For example, since it is what you first mentioned... do you recognize yourself as "delicate and sweet", "warm and comforting"?
So powerful just to connect with my own sense of attraction. What I am drawn to. This is a lovely exercise with a lovely twist- thank you!
Thank you for reading and sharing Jennifer! Happy that you found it powerful. 🌿
An excellent idea and it's one of the reasons I continue to practice street photography—it's a way for me to document and then reflect on how to answer this question. And being deliberate about the practice has helped me get better with noticing over time.
I never correlated this exercise to the nature photos I take... thank you for pointing that out James! 🌿