all images and stories are the property of Catherine Beerda-Basso and are not to be used without given permission...thank you

Thursday 17 May 2012

Holy Stillness


Last Friday I had the blessing of attending a day of stillness
at our local Monastery,
WestMinster Abby
given the week I had just walked through
it came at the most perfect time...


Do you believe that is coincidence?
I don't.
~I believe~ 
if we allow
if we believe
if we are intentional
if we create practice
if we spent time in ritual
if we dream
if we pray
if we ask
things will forever and always
be happening around us
that are for our greater good
this I believe
this I continue to experience
this is my daily


the day was beautiful
the grounds inviting
the Abby enchanting
the energy peace filled...






and as the deers welcomed us
(because of course their were deer waiting for the women to arrive)
I could feel myself exhale
"I am where I need to be"
were the words I said to myself
these are the reflections of that day...


"I have a simple philosophy:
Fill what is empty
Empty what is full
Scratch where it itches"
~Alice Roosevelt Longsworth


morning spirit card 
Cat:
"It is time to strike out on your won and relinquish your over dependency on others"
~it's so easy to slip into a comfortable dependency with anything or anyone
~to make truly autonomous decisions, don't get caught up in the polarities of being dependent or independent. Instead make your own choices form a place where you maintain your own authority and power, and accept 100% responsibility for those choices and their consequences.


journal reflections:
When my son left
something was opened inside my heart
a place was touched
a place I needed to venture on inside and take a look at
my yoga practice helped me go there
I did not know that it would
but fortunately for me
my teacher is a friend of the family
she loves my son as much as I
she knows us
we had a hug and a cry and then the others began to gather



have you ever been somewhere
listening to someone speak 
or experiencing something
and you are sure that that speaker was directly talking to you
or you feel the whole experience had been tailored to you
that is what that class what like
she opened up my right side through intentional movement
and exposed my deep sadness with in
this sadness was not just about my son
but this place was where I stored that
and similar types of sadness


and the core of that sadness was
rejection


in the stillness
I go there
I reflect
find out when it started
and now that I have acknowledged this
I am learning to be sad


I am learning to be sad
with out being mad


I am learning to be sad
and not be afraid of the vulnerability it brings
I am not afraid of exposing a weak spot
I will instead
find my strength in this weakness


God lives here
Attention All
Goddess is with you from the crack of Dawn


and in the stillness
I was given
an invitation to continue...


A day seemed not enough
and yet
A day was more than enough


This is the gift of being still
the fullness of this practice
I am
I am one
I am many
I am earth
I am sky
I am mountain
I am tree
All the things I worship
are a part of me
All that I honour
on the outside
Lives inside of me




using what we journaled that day
we wrote a French Pantoum...
this is mine:




I had not seen it's face...
as the sickness left me



 just be with me
*
I am learning to be sad
as the sickness leaves me




Wise one...I am learning to be sad




Soul Fire
Wise One




It just needs to be with me
creating
Soul Fire




I had not seen It's Face....
*


A Holy Stillness
what a gift
Is it a gift you give yourself?


Love and Light


(ps monasteries and temples are great places to find stillness. Their grounds are often open to the public to come and enjoy. You do not have to be part of their religious order or any order to do so....
Holy stillness is waiting there for you...)

5 comments:

  1. amazing words and amazing photos - captivating. thank you so much for sharing your heart here. xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am breathless and wordless about this post. absolutely beautiful. words, thoughts, pictures. amazing. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. We have no monasteries near us but I crave that often. Try to make my home a monastery in a way..you made me crave being there. I am so glad you are healing and finding and seeking. You have a great support system. Lovely words:) Thanks Cat.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This post is full of life and I can't digest it all. But, any good meal takes time to enjoy and celebrate. Thanks for your offering.
    I appreciate your reminder that sadness needs space and time. xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful words and pictures Cat, I am so glad I got to share that day, that place and that stillness with you.

    ReplyDelete

Your voice is welcome here, your connection appreciated. Love and Light