Working with What Is
I am thankful that plenty of leaves have fallen in the past few weeks as I have had time to rake, pick them up and dispose of them in our organic garden and farm areas. It seems raking leaves is one of those tasks that one can do while also meditating on one’s purpose and relationship to other community members and the larger world. At least, this has been the case for me recently. Raking leaves is a good way to get the heart rate up, breathe some fresh Colorado air and get some muscles toned too!
One of the meditation points that has recurred time and again for me while raking leaves relates to “who else sees what needs to be done around here and why aren’t they doing it?” Of course, you know where this internal conversation is going…nowhere, exactly nowhere. Anytime such eruptions launch from my subconscious mind (feelings, feelings, feelings) I remember my Life Purpose coaching statement is “To deeply know and connect my expansive pioneering spirit with all.”
Raking leaves or doing other seemingly mundane tasks gives me time, space and opportunity to exercise my pioneering spirit as a matter of attunement with the greater cycles of creation. What are the greater universal and constant forces I can unleash on earth by doing what I see needs to be done? I am reminded of the story of Job in the Bible and all of Job’s tribulations. Job kept his integrity and did not blame himself or anyone for anything. He did know and stayed true to the ordinances of heaven (which include creative attitudes) even when the earth of his very body and earthly estate were falling apart. Surely there are lessons from this ancient story to be appreciated now in our times of trouble.
I didn’t rake up even one leaf today but I know the piles I left sitting on various lawns yesterday are still there waiting for me and friends to care for properly. My “leaf meditation” undoubtedly will continue until the first snow falls…providing a new opportunity for exercising my expansive pioneering spirit. What awaits release via your expansive pioneering spirit today?
-John Flood
