Although, the sign did announce that it was divine..."Divine Realty," to be precise.
"Divine Realty. Moving forward. Giving back."
Divine or not, it really made me stop and think. And I'm still thinking about it!
hmm....
"Realty" + "I" = Reality
A sign about homes. My home, your home...
The body is our home, our real realty--our everyday reality while in this world.
A home which we carry around with us wherever we go.
"Moving forward, giving back."
Yes. It is surely good to move forward and give back. But how, exactly, does the body move forward and give back at the same time? The image of the Buddha comes to mind. The Buddha is often depicted as walking forward, leaving a trail of lotuses instead of footprints behind him, a trail of beauty for us to follow. The Buddha is certainly a universal example of a human being moving forward while giving back.
Wonderings:
- While walking forward, are you moving forward into the future, while staying aware of the past behind you, giving beauty to those who come after you, or to those who were important in your past?
- Are you able to move forward and give back, without looking back or clinging to the past?
- Can you stay centered in the middle (present), while accepting forward (future) and back (past)?
- Can you be aware of what is in front of you and behind you at the same time?
- How can you "give back" to yourself and others, even as you move forward in life?
- Is turning your back to something or someone necessarily a negative thing? What if you are actually giving back by turning your back to it/them, so that you can move forward to the next present moment, the next steps in your life? What if by doing so, you are offering lotus flowers of beauty and goodness, a trail blessed by your continued presence beyond space and time?
- If you use a variation of the standard Alexander Technique directions (let the neck be free, to let the head move forward and up, to let the back lengthen and widen, to let the knees go forward and away), can you include a sense of generosity as you give your back lengthening and widening?
- Can you give neck free, give head forward & up, give back lengthening & widening, give knees, etc.?
- What are other ways you can "give back" as you move forward and up, both literally and figuratively?
Like the lotus flower, only in full bloom when we are wide open, fully exposed and vulnerable are we at the height of our beauty. Extend your open weathered hand, in a like manner to those who have helped you along the way.
ReplyDeleteBe kind in order to appreciate kindness. Give yourself, care for others and be passionate. We are not, here, alone.
The most important of these may be appreciation. Show appreciation to others and for Being. Carry appreciation around with you. Express it, often. Open it up, pass it around. Share yourself, it is important. We can't do this on our own and we wouldn't want to. Thank you Jennifer. This blog is important, you write so well.
Thank you, Jerry, for your wise words, which add beauty to these pages. They are very much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteAbout my blog: I don't know whether I write well or not, and I don't know whether the blog is important or not, but something in me knows I need to keep writing it for the time being, and so I do.
Many thanks to you and others who encourage me to express myself in this way! May it help those it is meant to help.