In the spirit of illustrating the essence of being tuned in to the present moment with acceptance and openness to whatever arises, here is another poem that highlights the mindful attitudes of compassion and beginner’s mind. Notice what you see, hear, taste, smell and touch, as you navigate the world around you. Notice what you feel inside, however it may be, in terms of emotions, thoughts and body sensations. Rather than judging what you notice, or filtering things out, let your awareness stay immersed in every aspect of the present moment exactly as it is. This striking poem, Wild Geese by Mary Oliver, carries an important message about the resilience and haunting beauty within the natural world, the peace and renewal we can access if we take a moment to notice what lies around us, and to remember that we are alright just as we are right now. As you read the words, notice how they resonate for you and if there are particular impressions that arise as you make sense of the message held for you.
Wild Geese | Mary Oliver
http://livelovesimple.com/wild-geese-mary-oliver/
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting–
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.