On the way home, it being twilight because I’d stayed talking about the state of our country and what William Penn House can do to support action and resistance, I was fortunate to see bats swooping for mosquitoes. In practice, we contemplated dharma and integrity.
The other day I found myself wondering how and whether my life would have been different if at 20 I had been introduced to the writings of Abhinavagupta instead of those of Derrida.
It is always interesting to contemplate “what might have beens,” as long as it does not invite regret or disappointment. I might have continued as a philosopher instead of shifting to law or have practiced yoga with greater intensity earlier on if I had been reading Abhinavagupta instead of Derrida, but who is to know what really could or would have happened if things had been different. We need to act as though we can shift and change, but we must at the same time accept that we are ultimately not in charge.
The cherry trees are starting to flower–two weeks earlier than an average spring and likely to set a record.
In my own yard, the greens that over-wintered and are newly coming up are suffering from lack of rain and May/June temperatures. Though it is still technically winter, the lowest lows are in the high 40s F in the 15-day forecast. It is still risky to take out the tropicals, though if the 15-day forecast looks the same in mid-April, I will go for it, even though historical last frost is in May.
What cannot wait is planting cool weather vegetables such as snow peas. They still might not thrive if the unseasonable warmth and lack of rain do not level off. But Spring is so early that now is the chance to catch the growing season.
As I can go to the grocery store and the farmers’ market, I could just let the season pass me by, ignoring the realities of the season we are getting.
Much of the reason I garden is to heighten consciousness and connection to nature. If I do not make sudden adjustments the way a farmer would to, then I am missing out on a great opportunity. That meeting the unexpected time constraints imposed by abnormal weather patterns is not in sync with my schedule just highlights the importance of us needing to shift ourselves to be aligned with the great flows of energy.
Enjoy your gardens (strawberries will be early too–i already have some plants starting to form fruit).
Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
This week, after having let it go for far too long long, I had my cooking knives professionally sharpened.
How often should I be getting them sharpened, I asked the expert. It depends was the response, along with the question how much time I used the knives. Professional chefs get them done every couple of weeks. I would need something less, but for the knives I use most often, more frequently than I have been doing.
Then I was offered this: a knife needs to be sharpened when it takes unnecessary effort to cut something with it.
Same guidance applies, I think, to living in balance. When work/activities are taking more and unnecessary effort than usual, it’s a sign we are run down and need some maintenance.
