Breathing With My Heart

     I am a walker by nature. To immerse myself in the landscape, rather than merely viewing it from afar, is to experience a real connection to the land, a kinship.

     Perhaps it is my creative eye that constantly seeks out the details of the wonders that hide within the tall grasses and wildflowers, on the woodland floor, or even in a city park; to catch the sparkle of reflected light from the wing of a dragonfly; to trace with my fingers the imprint of a deer's hoof left in the mud of a creek bank; to hear the hollow drum sound of a woodpecker rhythmically tapping against a dead tree trunk; or watching as a hawk drops from the sky, talons first, as he hunts his dinner....all of these things speak to me intimately. Bit more importantly,  being in nature fills my heart to overflowing.

     This earth, I believe, is more than a place that we are merely living upon, separated in our existence from everything else, but rather that we are extensions of a whole and vital organism. We have the power to choose whether we share our gifts and add to the beauty of life or whether we selfishly hoard them and add to the imbalance that is rampant on earth at this time. 

     Walking is a meditation for me. Concentrating on my breath, on the changing landscape, everything falls away. Especially during times of my life filled with stress and pain, loss and grief, walking has literally been a life line, pulling me back up out of the depths of my own darkness into the light of day once again.

     Quite recently I found myself in a situation where I was deeply unhappy. I had made some life changing choices that I quickly discovered were not right for me. The choices that I had made I did not look on as mistakes because when you set out to try and make positive changes one never knows how they will work out. For what ever reasons the situation was not a good fit. When we have invested a lot of time, money and effort we naturally feel hesitant to uproot ourselves once again. Oh what to do, what to do?

Walk. Walk. And walk some more.

     Then, one day, a thought popped into my head. (Thank you guardian angels). Hearts. I have a collection of hearts made from stone, pottery, and glass. I grabbed a few and dropped them into the pocket of my coat and off I went on a walk. I started placing the hearts against the Earth, within the bark of trees, nestled in moss, in a nest, within flowing water and in the crooks of tree branches.

     My eyes scanned the landscape for just the right places to position my hearts. It was a creative outlet. It took my attention away from my problems and quieted my mind so that in the end I was able to truly listen and see with greater clarity which ultimately led me to making more changes.

      I didn't realize at first that a subtle conversation was taking place as I was happily taking my pictures. I was looking for a place for my heart.

     A place where my heart was engaged, full to over flowing, where it was loved and where it could express its own love, a home. Sometimes it takes leaving a place to realize that it was the right place.

     Home IS where the heart is, where it is engaged and nurtured and nourished. It is a place where your own heart is connected to the 'Heart of the Universe' for you.  I also feel that in placing these hearts within nature I am drawing attention to the fact that love is everywhere.

     My heart had decided where it wanted to be...

     (All pictures taken by myself. 2018.)