Wander|Wonder : See
With open eyes and open heart, I see the web of life before me, and know I am a part of something profound
This is a long post.
Settle in, or go grab something lovely to imbibe (tea is always my go to).
Maybe something to nibble (strawberries, always).
Are you ready?
(Shoulders down, relax, calm and deep breathing).
In my last post Do you remember your wildness? I mentioned that I would be sharing some prompts from a mini course I wrote at the beginning of last year, called Wander|Wonder. Go back and read that post if you want to read the story behind it all, but suffice to say I realised that as I was painting and connecting to wildlife through their eyes and the reflections in them, that I needed to see the wild reflected in my own eyes too. I needed to find ways to connect to the place I am rooted currently, and give myself enough self-compassion to experience the magic that is literally all around us (and stop being sucked into the constant need for more, more, more, do, do, do). I want to remember my wild heart, to be a human being, rather than a human doing. Or at least be doing what matters most to me on a regular basis - and for me that is finding wonder and curiosity, experiencing connection and engaging in acts of reciprocity to the wild world.
As an artist, this practice nourishes me. It inspires my painting, where disconnection stifles my creativity (and drains and dehydrates me). As a compassionate human, this practice reminds me of my place in the larger balance, and puts overblown worries into perspective. We are inherently wild creatures, we were born untamed, sometimes we need to be reminded of our wildness (and our connection to the rest of the wild).
Over these next five Fridays I am going to send you a missive with some rambling of my own, and then some prompts that you might like to use as inspiration, if you would like to participate in this together. I would really, really love for you to walk in the wild with me! I would love it if we share our experiences in the comments so that we can wonder-walk with others the world over, and so that we can connect our little community even more. Comment on each other's posts, and spread some love!
This was initially written as five senses for five days. I love the idea of languidly, gracefully, exploring and inhabiting one sense each week. A deep dive. A practice to practise. Delicious!
Below some guidance below on how to approach each sense prompt
(but I wont put all of this in each week!)
How to approach each week’s prompts
Go gently, dear one.
This is not a race, there is no finish line to cross. This is time just for you, for you to honour your own magic as you connect with the earth’s inherent enchantment and embrace the powerful energy, and the balance, that comes with that connectedness. There is no right or wrong way, there is nothing to tick off, no marked assignments. Go gently, and with an open heart. Immerse yourself in the commitment to reconnect with nature. Release yourself from expectation. Allow the wonder to seep in through all of your senses. Start with a gentle smile, surrender to the present moment and with arms wide accept the present of presence, the gifts of the natural world. This is a practice of undoing, and re-tethering, re-grounding. Give yourself permission to replace those feelings of stress and depleted exhaustion you have been embodying, with a deep sense of peace, gratitude and joy. These are tiny steps forward to a slower, more connected life that you can fit into your busy day. Done consistently, you will notice profound personal changes, and your relationship with the natural world will shift into a deeper curiosity, wonder, compassion, and reciprocity.
Not all of the prompts will resonate with you personally, and that is ok. Perhaps revisit a previous week's prompts, or use your inherent imagination to adjust the prompt to fit you and your needs. All of what I am providing here is inspiration - please, feel free to make it your own. What is important is that you find 10, 15, 20 minutes (or as long as you want and need) to set aside each day, uninterrupted. 10 intentional minutes is fantastic - and is 10 minutes more than you may have had otherwise. The effects are cumulative, the delight builds on itself.
If you are able to get out amongst nature, don’t feel like you need to visit far flung places, or travel distances (unless you want to, then go for it!). The point of these exercises is to bloom where you grow, to find the magic that is around you, that you can literally walk out into from your home. With that in mind, you will probably be revisiting the same places each day or week. You can do this whole adventure in just your own yard, if you are lucky enough to have one. While this series only goes for 5 weeks (and was initially written for just 5 days), if you continue the practice you will find so much interest in the way your special place changes over time.
I really encourage you to note down your observations over time, and you will find a deeper connection to the area as you do. Name the trees you see consistently. Sit next to that big rock and share stories with them regularly. Really inhabit your place, even if it is not necessarily the place you want to be in forever. When you enter into a relationship with place, you begin to see and feel the gifts that the place wants to offer to you too.
The main prompts will be Wandering and Wondering.
Wandering will be suggestions for getting out and into your place, your local outdoors.
Wondering will be some journaling prompts or philosophising to do after (or during, if you would like to take your journal with you outside).
Mantras (or affirmations)
Mantras are created to inspire - they are your ally, infusing their wisdom and expansion into your heart and mind with each repetition. If one of the mantras doesn't resonate with you, adjust it as you please, until it feels expansive and nourishing. Or you may find one that seems to resonate deeply and want to stick with that for each sense - that is perfect, too.
Observational Meditations
The practice of meditation trains our attention and awareness. An observational meditation is where you focus on an object or objects. This can sometimes be a more gentle approach if you find it difficult to sit in quiet contemplation with your eyes closed. It also suits our exploration of the senses perfectly because we can be completely focused on the sense we are working with, present to all it has to offer, and how we can use the sense to deepen our connection with our nature.
Journaling
I love to write. I find it soothing, it enhances my imagination, it excites me, it gives me space to further explore my thoughts. But not everyone likes to write, or to journal, and that is ok too. Wherever I talk about journal prompts, you can also use these as thought prompts instead - think or even speak your thoughts out loud (or record on a voice app) - no need to write unless you want to!
Come walk with me a moment.
Come, walk with me into the forest's blessed abode, To see the wondrous beauty the Earth has bestowed; We'll bask in the surreal splendor that surrounds us, And listen to nature composing the forest's grand opus, As sounds of whispering trees and burbling streams, Send our minds wandering into a poet's lovely dreams. We'll walk where sunlight sets the forest's leaves aglow, Weaving open paths to dapple golden light on all below; Where trees shade us from summer heat and harsh rays, Freeing our minds so we can see Mother Nature's ways, Of creating nurturing sanctuaries for life dwelling there, To shield its tender wards from storms too hard to bear. Come sit beneath the glowing embers of an autumn tree, Whose rich hues are a natural wonder many come to see, While colorful leaves glide down in a whirling course, Like embers breaking loose from their flaming source. Glowing for a moment as if falling to their ending fate, Instead, nourishing Earth for rebirth into a new state. The wintering forest seems to be a still, desolate place. Yet, under the snow and autumn leaves of a tree's base, Beats the promising pulse of new life that patiently waits For spring's warmth and rain to open wide nature's gates; Roam with me under the trees standing strong over it all, To watch them quietly sleep until nature's beckoning call. Let us stroll in spring's forest where we will reap The joy of Earth awakening its children from sleep, And hear life's chorus and watch its offspring grow, As waking trees renew their canopy over all below; Come share with me the forest's spirit at rebirth, So we too are reborn within this temple of Earth. Every now and then let us answer the forest's call, To come see life's beauty and the miracle of it all; If we listen with our hearts as we walk among trees, We may understand the message carried on a breeze, For us to blend with the forest's spirit so it will beguile Us into walking under its lovely trees for just a while. ~ Belinda Stotler, The Forest’s Blessed Abode
~ SEE ~
Human beings are intensely visual creatures. If we are lucky to have good sight, the way the world is set up is so much easier to navigate than if your sight is compromised. I watched my grandmother, a skilled seamstress, painter, and fine cake decorator lose her sight to macular degeneration over the course of a dozen years, and it was challenging to watch, I can’t imagine how it felt. She took it with good grace, sometimes frustration, but was always able to relive her experiences in her imagination. I do not take my sight for granted, even more so as an artist. Over the last year particularly, I have noticed changes in my vision (considering I am 49 this month, I guess it is age related!) and I find it quite confronting, and it makes me appreciate this sense even more.
You will find that all of your wanders (and wonders) will involve sight in some way, though for some of the exercises I will ask you to close your eyes, simply to prevent your sight being the dominant sense, and allow the other senses to shine through.
I think that sight is perhaps the easiest way to connect to nature, for me at least. Everywhere I look is a visual feast if I open my heart and mind to it, if I allow myself to find the little details, the little bits of magic that inhabit the world around us. To notice individual birds doing their thing. To see an individual tree for its own personhood, leaf, plant, root. To see a creature basking in the sun, blissfully present. There is so, so much goodness all around us, we just have to be present to it. Which is not always easy, with commitments and chores and expectations placed on us by modern society. But for now, for your own beautiful self, let's find a few minutes each day to make space for a sensory exploration of our place.
Mantra
With open eyes and open heart, I see the web of life before me, and know I am a part of something profound
Visual observational meditation.
The practice of meditation trains our attention and awareness. An observational meditation like this, where you focus on an object, can sometimes be a more gentle approach if you find it difficult to sit in quiet contemplation with your eyes closed, and it suits today's practice on sight, perfectly.
Let’s go macro, then micro. Stand in your yard, where you are wandering at the moment, or look out your window. What do you see?
[broad observation] Describe it as quickly as you can - write it down, or purposefully think of the words you would otherwise write if you are out wandering. Use broad stroke words. Describe, almost matter of factly, the plants or buildings or landscape that you see - hills, large trees, small shrubs, the sea, sand, fields. The basic shapes you see, how much of your frame of vision they take up. The basics first.
[more descriptive, details] Then break that down further into colours, shapes, hues even. Describe everything you see - you are being completely present now, really looking. Go into as much detail as you dare - again, you can write this down, or just notice it in silent contemplation. Description is an act of honouring, you are really seeing what is in front of you. It is an act of reciprocity, you are intentionally interacting with the world around you, finding your place in it.
[a tiny bit of magic] Then look for a tiny piece of magic, something you would not have seen if you hadn’t been paying attention. This will probably be in the details, or perhaps just observing this scene is magic enough. Be utterly present. Remember to breathe. Take your time, allow your observations to follow your vision, try not to forcibly ‘look’, allow your mind and heart to guide your observation slowly. Don’t let your attention wander - come back to what you are seeing, describe it, describe it, describe it.
[feelings and thoughts] How did that make you feel? Is there anything to add? Was there anything else that this process brought up?
For example, as I write this I am looking out my studio window. I see:
[broad observation] a shrub, a small tree, the fence, my neighbours roof, the sky.
[more descriptive, details] I see half of my view is taken up with a dark green, fully leafed murraya shrub. The shrub is planted right against the window and provides my studio with shade from the north facing sun. I am in the shrub, essentially - her leaves are in shadow to me, I can see all of her internal structure, the thicker main branches coming off the trunk, the smaller branches then the leaf covered tips. The leaves are the classic ‘leaf’ shape, a little lighter on the underside, dark forest green on top. The sun still shines through but is dappled and a little green tinged. The top of the shrub is trimmed to prevent it hitting the gutter, and there is new growth there, almost fluorescent green, reaching to the sun. To the left of that view, the small tree is the lemon scented tea tree. She grows up against the fence, and is twiggy, scrubby looking. Tiny pointed leaves are now scattered with tiny white flowers. There is a small branch that has broken, and it hangs all twiggy, skeletal. There are the dark brown roof tiles of my neighbours home as a backdrop to between the tea tree branches, and up to about two thirds of my window vista. It is late afternoon, so there are patches of brighter light on the left of the tiles. Above that, there is sky - only a small section of that classic sky blue, the rest fluffy white clouds with wispy edges, and grey lower clouds closing in, it is supposed to rain later tonight. Depending on whether the sun is out or under the cloud, the colour-bond fence is either cream, or golden wheat and the shadows the tea tree casts on it are either loosely shaped, nebulous, or in hard relief, a perfect replica of the tree, but to the right and slightly lower. The tea tree branches are covered in a flat lichen, a light dusty sage colour with hints of light blue, the branches themselves are quite light where exposed to the sun, and darker underneath and on the trunk, an average mid brown - if I were to use pencils, I would be looking for my Van Dyke brown, a little dark sepia, a little dark warm grey. (I admit, when in deep observation I often think about what pencils or paint I might use were I to try and capture what I am observing).
[a tiny bit of magic] There is a leaf-curl spider making her web right now in the murraya, setting herself up for some insect catching fun through the night. She is methodically going back and forth between twiggy branches, establishing the outside of her web with such purpose, such determination, such expertise. As I look closer I see below her the remnants of an earlier web, there is a black beetle suspended from the broken web - it must have flown into the web and destroyed it, but was still trapped enough to have remained stuck. The web filaments are minute, and yet the sun catches them - I start down the road of awe at the comparison of size of sun and web, but that just now they have come together in an incredible embrace that leaves tears in my eyes to consider. Magic.
[feelings and thoughts] There are lessons about impermanence here - the fleeting shadows, real but also ephemeral, the destroyed web and the new made meticulously again, the new growth on the murraya, the broken branch on the tea tree, the shifting clouds. I look out this window every day, and I will always notice something new. The other day I watched two cabbage moths doing their winged ballet dances. The weather, the light, the season, makes for changes dramatic and minute, but there is always something to see. This vista is often an anchor for me when I am working at my computer. If I allow myself to look for the green and the blue, the natural colours of our earth, then I feel calmer, more centred, and able to continue.
Wandering
If you are able to get out and about today, choose a particular colour or shape that you will look for as you wander. You might like to really hone in on anything you can find that is red, for example (particularly if that is not a very common colour in general in your walking area), really notice that red. Observe it, acknowledge it, consider it. Or look for a shape such as a star or a heart. What can you find that might embody that colour or shape?
Wondering
Today’s journal prompt is to write down a seeing memory - something that you experienced, in nature, that left an indelible mark in your memory because you really saw it. A moment that you were so present to that the experience is etched into your heart and mind. It doesn’t have to be a significant memory, though it can be. Be as specific as you can be, but also write down what you felt, how you came to observe it, why you continue to think about it. You can utilise the same prompts from the observational meditation - broad observation, more descriptive detail, the tiny bit of magic, your feelings and thoughts. Here you are using your memory, but also facets of imagination as you reconstruct the memory in your mind with the growth and experience that happens with time, and which can slightly adjust how we might remember the event.
Using a frame to find wonder
In teaching realistic wildlife painting, I suggest making a little frame to narrow down the detail in one area, prevent overwhelm, and truly be amazed at the level of magic that can be found in that tiny square or circle. I want you to do the same today. Grab a piece of paper, card, whatever is at hand. Cut or tear yourself a square I would suggest about 6 cm or 2.5 in. Cut a smaller square or circle in the middle, about 2 cm or 0.75 in - and use this hole as your little view-finder. Close one eye if you would like, and focus your vision just through that hole you have made. You can view a leaf through your frame, a photo of a wild creature, a petal so small. Whatever takes your fancy! Move it around. Make a couple of different sizes - look up at the sky with one, look at the crown of a tree, look at a tree’s bark. Marvel at the complexity you see - how many colours can you see? Can you find unexpected shapes - hearts or stars or dodecahedrons? Photography is another way to use a frame - particularly if you can use a camera with a viewfinder to look through, rather than just your phone. Windows make beautiful frames - if you can’t get outside to find delights to look at through your viewfinder, use your window!
That was a lot!
If you made it all the way here, woot!
I think this is the largest module, probably because sight is the easiest of our senses to describe, use, play with.
I hope you are inspired to play with embodying, ruminating on, and exploring your sight and how it allows you to connect to the wild one over the next week.
Please do tell me, dear one, all about your wander|wonder with sight - I want to hear it all, the broad observations, the details, the magic, your thoughts and feelings. Tell me about the wonder and enchantment where you are rooted. I can’t wait to read all about it!