Care of the soul…
I have been reading “Care of the Soul” by Thomas Moore for about one year now. The book has me wrestle with ideas, chew my cud you might say, until I can fully digest the philosophy and religious ideas presented beautifully in the book: digest meaning understand, not necessarily agreeing.
My current foray into the pages was felt as a surreal experience. Listening to rain on the roof, soft music playing so as not to interfere with the sounds of nature. I tackled Part IV titled “Care of the World’s Soul”. I love this section of Moore’s book! It speaks of the soul within all things, animate or inanimate.
As I was reading the hard copy book I was aware of appreciating the old fashioned tactile enjoyment of turning the pages, appreciating the bookmark ( a gift from Nepal), and even deeply feeling the beauty of time itself . I had this wonderful time and space in that moment to revel in historical words of wisdom. I could sense it all.
A standout quote to share with you is “… objects express themselves not in language but in their remarkable individuality”. An animal reveals it’s soul in it’s striking appearance, it’s life habits, and it’s style.” He talks about, and I know this experience well, how we can be deeply affected by natural places. Perhaps you can think of some place in nature, or a beautiful creature, where you had to stop and just take in the scene, perhaps it took your breath away.
In those moments we are emotionally and energetically connected to the beauty of the place: we are fully present. According to Moore that same presence and attraction can be said of man made objects. He uses the example of fine art, music, ancient and modern architecture, and maybe even modern technology. Think about some manufactured examples that have captivated you.
Moore goes on to talk about daily living and the small moments that captivate us, inspire joy, promote curiosity. This was my experience yesterday, and in small ways, most days. For instance, there’s something amazing for me about hanging out the washing: It brings my senses alive. So much so that I couldn’t imagine not being able to do it.
I recently had to go house-hunting and toyed with the idea of getting a unit or apartment. The thought of not connecting with grass, trees, birds, weather, the smell of sunshine in the clean items,the way the clothes and linen flap in the breeze… made me reel back in horror at the thought of missing out on this simple ritual. Hanging out the washing feels like a communication of something small and natural that is beautiful and beyond words.
Moore talks about washing the dishes and how he hasn’t gotten around to using his new dishwasher that he’d had for a year at the time of writing the book. I think I can relate to his presence in washing up too. What about making the bed with clean sheets, getting into a freshly made bed at night at the end of a long day, looking at the painting your child made in school that day displayed proudly on your fridge, the furnishings you appreciated enough to buy to make your home beautiful?
I wonder, in this stressed out and time poor existence, if you take the time to just stop and see the beauty you have created in your world. Yesterday I did in a much more connected way that I usually do. I have noticed connecting to my “objects” more lately as I have been carefully packing them away in preparation for moving. In amidst the packing and appreciating, I’ve noticed my creativity and intuition reawaken, the ability to reconnect with feelings of compassion, and the feelings of stress and pressure of life soften immensely after a few very challenging months.
In Psychology there is a body of knowledge and therapeutic models that speak of mindfulness, and shifting your focus away from things that cause distress, to things that feel relaxing and calming. This is often facilitated by some form of meditation or perhaps connection to the breath. If you’ve read my website you’d realise by now that I’m a huge advocate of mindfulness meditation.
However, the times spent in presence, awareness, and appreciation of daily tasks or objects, also opens doorways to clearer minds and calmer bodies. Last night I didn’t think about the trauma and tragedies I was processing from my work, the family upsets that happen from time to time, the feeling of emptiness of dearest people absent from my world, or the work and preparation I have ahead to ensure the house move runs smoothly.
Last night I revelled in the feelings of the pages in my hands, the sound of the rain on the roof, the warm glow of the heater, the feeling of the couch as I lay on it like a child with my feet up over the back. I thoroughly enjoyed cooking my dinner, cleaning the kitchen afterwards. I snuggled consciously into my bed as I smelled the fresh crisp cotton sheets at bedtime: that always makes me smile.
And then today, loving the fact that there was more rain around resolving to go walking in the rain, after coffee of course. Walk I did… Along the water front, rain lashing into the side of my face at one point, I watched the weather, the waves, tasted the fruit from someone’s front hedge, felt the rain sneaking inside my raincoat, and appreciated the beauty of objects. I was touched by life and I felt the soul of the world. Life took my breath away today.
As I walked I wondered how I can help other people be touched by life. I recognise that I am touched by life in sad, angry, fearful ways. But I could also see beauty in those moments because I can connect with presence to life in many ways. Today I remembered people I know personally who are suffering in some way. They, and I, when stuck in a groove of suffering become closed off to diversity and beauty of the world around and within us. We lose compassion for other beings, and shut out the world. How can we open up the heart-mind to see more? Connecting to and caring for the soul of the world…
Today I listened to a Jack Kornfield podcast from Heart Wisdom titled “The Heart of Compassion” where he mentioned how an elderly person will make the effort to plant and tend to small flowers in a garden, or an impoverished child can be seen hugging a kitten to their chest, both caring for the souls of things.
During my walk I was inspired to write and share my experience here. I also wrote a piece in From the Heart titled “Today You Took My Breath Away” you can read.
There is so much beauty in the world, if we could just stop to be with it as it happens. Here is a video I took on my way home from work after night shift a few days ago. I saw the most beautiful sunrise and just had to stop and be a part of the new day. It took my breath away. After parking the car and walking towards the beauty, all my senses came alive, washing away the tensions of listening to peoples trauma (which I feel honoured to do), my tiredness, and in that moment all was right with the world. I don’t usually take my phone camera with me when I walk but as I had access I captured this to share. May it bring joy to your senses and inspire you to see the beauty and magic in every day life… after all the sun rises every day .