It is warm and sunny today, 50 degrees F. It seems like we have had one long Indian Summer this autumn; there have been very few cold, blustery days that usually characterize November here.
As a result, I’ve spent much more time than I usually do outdoors. And so has everybody else. We’ve all been “making hay when the sun shines,” as the expression goes.
The park, which is usually quiet and still this time of year, has been bustling with activity on most days. I normally have my road to myself this time of year, with everyone else hunkered down in their cozy houses. This year, every time I’m out I see people out enjoying the mild weather. We all know what’s coming.
I love seeing all this activity and being a part of it. It feels like a celebration of our collective reprieve.
However, my walking time is usually my “silence and solitude” time. Nature has always been my sacred temple, and my walks are my prayer.
So I realized today that I must cultivate silence and solitude. I’m missing it, because it is one of the foundations of my connection with my inner essence, or true self.
Silence and solitude are not optional for me. They are very grounding, and they connect me with the sacred in my life.
I know that the sacred is in everything, but it is far easier for me to see, feel, and engage with the sacred when I have regular silence and solitude. Nature is also a connector for me in this way.
Very soon, the winds will blow and snow will fly, and I’ll again have the park and my road to myself. Until then, I’ll find another space and time for silence and solitude, in another way.
What connects you with the sacred in your life? How do you cultivate silence and solitude?
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