It’s happening again. Days stretch longer into night, and trees have exploded into green. Flowers bloom, and edible plants promise food to nurture body and soul. Springtime has once more given way to summer, and the outer world has come alive. Vibrancy that was hidden just a few weeks ago bursts forth now for all to see.
And what about us? While our culture no longer lives close to the land as in times past, still these seasonal rhythms call us to bloom. Have we responded? Have we moved further into the fullness of our being?
In Neil Gaiman’s darkly imaginative urban fantasy Neverwhere, Lord Portico is tutoring his young daughter in the family’s gift of coaxing any object~~doors, flowers, boxes, locks~~to open.“The most important thing for you to understand,” he tells her, “is this: all things want to open.”
Such wisdom in those words! There is a yearning within each of us to unfurl and to expand. This urge may be buried, but it is the longing of life itself and so is present wherever life is, including in the heart and soul of every human being. The Portico family’s skill was in seeking out this impulse and nurturing it into action. It is a skill we’d all do well to cultivate, for it promotes a rich experience of living.
The Summer Solstice arrives in a mere 11days. And even though the hottest temperatures are still to come, the days will begin to shorten. Autumn is not so very far away, and it will again turn us toward winter. It is then that we will more clearly hear life’s other call, the desire to reflect and to rest, the yin to summer’s yang.
But for now, the season of growth is upon us. With summertime’s riotous activity offering a plethora of examples to light the way, it is time now to stretch. It is time to flower.
But how do we do so? And how do we know which expression is calling us? It helps to begin by trusting Portico’s assurance. The ability to flourish is part of our apparatus as living beings. It is the dance we were designed for, and we need only listen for its melody.
Ah, but there’s the rub. We modern humans don’t listen all that well. So first we must quiet ourselves in order to hear what calls. Receptive prayer, guided visualizations, an intuitive kind of art work that allows new possibilities to enter our awareness, exploring images and themes from our dreams…all these can offer hints.
And then we choose our action. And we take that first step. And the next. And the one following. Such is the path of blossoming, each step a petal unfolding. And the season is ripe for it…and so are you.
So bloom, dear one. Bloom! Bloom! Bloom!
Leia
I’ll be facilitating an “intuitive kind of art work” event in Pueblo on the afternoon of Saturday, June 23rd. With the Summer Solstice just a few days past, we'll use guided meditation and collage to explore, clarify and nurture our intentions for this season of abundance. No experience or "artistic talent" is needed (really!), so please don't let shyness keep you away. The $40 cost will cover materials, though please feel free to bring anything you might like to include in your collage~~inspiring quotes, 3D items, and images that call to you from any source. For more information and to register, please contact me at fromthezafu@mac.com. And whether or not this is your cup o' tea, happy blooming, dear one!
