Ponderings, Poems & Practices
for Living Your Brilliance!
Hello Loves,
“What does exploration mean to you?” That’s the question Ranger Katie, our guide at Wind Cave National Park, asked our group at the beginning of our cave tour.
Deep in that astonishing cave, the answer that came to me was, “To meet an experience, place or person with curiosity and openness; not having pre-conceived ideas of what I will find.”
Since that cave-day, “What does exploration mean to me?” has been a good question for me to ponder. I’ve come back to it quite a few times over the past two weeks.
That question was followed by “How do I untangle my explorations from my tendency to fit what I’m experiencing into something I already know?” It’s easy to jump to “These trees remind me of the aspens in Colorado” … “This would be more beautiful if the sun was lower in the sky”… Comparisons and judgements are often my traveling companions. They can get in the way of pure curiosity and openness to see something as brand new.
In the spirit of exploration I’ve been experimenting with some fun practices:
~ On a walk, I’ll take in my surroundings and experience them without labeling them with a name or story. Can I see “this” as if for the very first time?
~ Another practice is to turn up the volume on one of my senses and give myself totally to that sense. Deeply listening to the surrounding sounds or putting all of my attention on the smell of a scent. And, similar to the first practice, experiencing these without naming, “traffic, birdsong, wind, rose”.
I’m captivated by exploring the world of new locations, cultures and experience, but the complex exploration of relating with another person, or exploring my own quirky and unpredictable inner terrain, also intrigues me.
It’s not as easy to direct those two practices toward another person or toward myself, but there has been rich value for me in that reflective exploration.
Here’s what I’m asking of myself …. Become curious. See with new eyes. Don’t make assumptions. Remember, this moment has never been here before. Open up to being surprised and astonished by this precious life, just as it’s showing up.
So, Dearheart …Ask yourself, “What is exploration to me?” and see where that leads YOU!
It’s a delight exploring life with you.
In love,
Sharon
