May 2009

What inspiration awaits discovery in the other-than-human world in which we all exist! The world of nature is there to teach us and to share with us, as we let go amidst the challenges and the sense of struggle we sometimes feel that allow us to be thrown out of alignment with Spirit.

Ahhh…. Rain comes to the Sonoran Desert. One particularly delicious morning this past winter, we had a wonderful sense of renewal as the gentle, slowly-moving storm from the previous day cleared, leaving the scent of desert rain from the creosote bushes and inviting more cactus blossoms to open. In the summer that renewal is fierce, with its sound and light show of zigzagging lightning streaking down to earth, followed by window-shaking, thunderous booms. The monsoon rains flood the desert floor in sheets and fill the washes with life-threatening torrents that rip out vegetation and tumble rocks. This is part of the cycle of renewal. In the March blog, “Managing Tougher Times,” Jonathan reminded us how the destructive forces of fire hold within them the seeding of new growth.

Living in the desert is a wonderful opportunity for me to attune to the living beings - animals, birds, plants, rocks - with whom I share my day-to-day world. Their lessons are rich and deep. In particular, I appreciate how they seem to know who they are and why they're here, and how they simply go about their activities with that knowing. When it was time for me to prune a tree recently, it had already begun blooming and the tree was humming with hundreds of bees. They knew why they were there, and I "explained" why I was there, and that my work would help keep the tree healthy. And we all did fine working together. In these moments, I feel the oneness with all sentient beings, as we exist together in the same current of attunement.

Gardening involves maintenance, including the shed that holds all those spades, rakes and weeding tools. The wooden baseboards of the shed’s outside foundation need caulking and painting, and access to them involves clearing away soil and stones. I suddenly realize that I am focused more on the difficulty of moving the stones that are in the way rather than on the boards, which are functioning just fine. It’s not about the stones; it’s about the foundation boards.  As soon as my focus changes, the work becomes light and easy. In sharing the current of attunement, it’s not about what’s wrong -- it’s about what’s right and true. It’s about that wisdom of the physical body that knows how to heal itself. It’s about that soul connection to all that is. It’s about the Spirits of Love and Truth and Life that are part of each of us -- no matter what.

For me, attuning to and learning from all the energetic beings that inhabit this planet is helping me to move with this time of transformation. And to be moving with the attunement community is absolutely powerful!

Whether we plant literal or figurative “seeds,” as we tend the unique gardens that call to each of us, there are inspiring lessons that are revealed. Consider this an invitation to share your learnings and inspirations from the day-to-day tending of your “gardens.”  Let’s have a garden party using the co-creative communication of our blog site!!

Elsa Swyers