The 10,000 Things
Life has been showing up at high volume of late. May is bursting out all over… leaves! grass! blossoms! There’s been much joy - our teachers from India were here and shared their wisdom and caring generously; a friend surprised me with a visit, and we spent time in a pasture with about twenty gamboling lambs, and then gathered dinner from an endless sea of ramps; another friend is freshly and totally in love. There’s been much to celebrate.
And also a lot to mourn. One in my circle lost her husband in a tragic accident; another is facing eviction; illness, both mental and physical, is impacting several loved ones. People often say,“It’s a lot.” Well, yes, it is. The world is wild, it is too much with us, and we all suffer in our turn. Sometimes it feels like all 10,000 things are running around my head at once.
During the yoga retreat, I slept poorly five nights out of seven, body exhausted, mind racing, heart hurting. Too many details, too much pain in my awareness. During the day, I taught my classes, held space for the retreat, and as much as possible, sank gratefully into the role of student, sitting humbly at the feet of my teachers, and the timeless wisdom they were delivering; I was nourished by their grace, the light of the ancient teachings, and good company. Hard nights, beautiful days - both realities true.
Taoism speaks of The 10,000 Things; yoga calls it prakriti, an ever-evolving reordering of cosmic energy. Twice this week, I cried in the arms of a friend, knocked off my feet by some of those swirlings. And, too, the birds sing before dawn these days; yesterday I placed a hundred dainty onions in the ground; the quince has bloomed; and I’m about to leave to visit ancestral lands with my family. Vedic wisdom says the fullness of experience is the point, and that there’s also that which lies beyond it.
Tonight I board a jet bound for Germany. I’m traveling without my laptop, so will take a break from these musings until June. In the meantime, thanks for being here, and be well.
Safe travels! And thank you for this helpful report from the field. “Hard nights, beautiful days.” and the difficult fullness of experience being the point. your writing always brings some order and enlightenment to my days and nights and experiences.
Missed being with you all last week. Have a wonderful trip. I'm glad you're sans computer. What a relief!