Saturday, June 23, 2012

All is a Miracle


I like to walk alone on country paths, rice plants and wild grasses on both sides, putting each foot down on the earth in mindfulness, knowing that I walk on the wondrous earth. In such moments, existence is a miraculous and mysterious reality. People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child- our own two eyes. All is a miracle.

~Thich Nhat Hanh
The Miracle of Mindfulness

Yesterday I decided to walk mindfully around my house. As I am recovering from surgery, I can't "do" much of anything I love ~ Yoga, walking, gardening, and such. But the thought entered quietly, inhale, lift the foot, feel the foot floating through space; exhale, feel toes and foot touch the floor. Sometimes we do this mindfulness practice in class or on retreat. The beach is a perfectly lovely place! For now it is simply the place where my feet gently touch whatever is beneath them...

1 comment:

  1. When you are resting in bed, use creative visualization doing the same thing you are talking about here except add the backdrop of the beautiful ocean, sand, ... hear the water ... watch your foot come up and lay back down ... you get the drift ...

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