Oh, what a beautiful and honest piece this is, April—I can feel a deep inner strength in it. This especially lingers in the silence after reading:
“I found myself laughing more with my daughter. Feeling the dirt in my hands as I repotted plants. Noticing the way sunlight warmed the grass beneath my feet. Seeing the birds dance together when I walked.”
The truth is, even though I’m a yoga teacher and I lead forest meditation teacher trainings—so it’s not like I’ve just started practicing mindful presence—I have to admit that it’s a constant wavering. The same goes for eating and snacking; for me, it’s an ongoing struggle. And also with spending too much time in front of the computer.
For example, right now the sun is shining brilliantly outside, and our 80-year-old pear trees are in full bloom. So I’ve decided to put aside reading these wonderful Substack pieces for a while and go outside—to bathe in the spring.
If I hadn’t read your writing, I would have probably sat here at the computer all day. I’m only saying this so you can feel the power of what you’ve written. Thank you.
Truly thank you so much for such kind words - I'm glad this resonated with you! I think as teachers we often need to be reminded that it is all also a practice for us. There are always places to go deeper, redirect habits or even just understand at a new level. I hope a few moments in spring gave you amazing gifts - nature usually does.
Oh, what a beautiful and honest piece this is, April—I can feel a deep inner strength in it. This especially lingers in the silence after reading:
“I found myself laughing more with my daughter. Feeling the dirt in my hands as I repotted plants. Noticing the way sunlight warmed the grass beneath my feet. Seeing the birds dance together when I walked.”
The truth is, even though I’m a yoga teacher and I lead forest meditation teacher trainings—so it’s not like I’ve just started practicing mindful presence—I have to admit that it’s a constant wavering. The same goes for eating and snacking; for me, it’s an ongoing struggle. And also with spending too much time in front of the computer.
For example, right now the sun is shining brilliantly outside, and our 80-year-old pear trees are in full bloom. So I’ve decided to put aside reading these wonderful Substack pieces for a while and go outside—to bathe in the spring.
If I hadn’t read your writing, I would have probably sat here at the computer all day. I’m only saying this so you can feel the power of what you’ve written. Thank you.
Truly thank you so much for such kind words - I'm glad this resonated with you! I think as teachers we often need to be reminded that it is all also a practice for us. There are always places to go deeper, redirect habits or even just understand at a new level. I hope a few moments in spring gave you amazing gifts - nature usually does.