And yeah,
You're very welcome to close your eyes for this sit,
And you're also welcome to open them if there is some element of nature outside your window,
If you're near a window,
And just gaze out at whatever is out there.
It might be a snowy landscape,
Or maybe you're in Hawaii and it's a palm tree,
Or it might be something in the middle,
Like here in California,
Kind of gray,
Foggy,
Wet.
And if the eyes are closed,
Or even if they're open,
Imagine the body as spacious,
So beginning to pay attention to the body as a big,
Spacious container.
Begin to pay attention to the breath as it gently expands into the body,
And maybe even expands the container of the body.
And if there's any restlessness,
If there's an urge to move around,
To move the body,
Or if there's worry,
I don't have time for this,
When will this end?
I have to do this,
I have to do that,
My to-do list.
See what happens when you create imaginal space first,
Just creating space for all that's happening,
Not trying to stop it from happening,
Just making space for what is.
Just in this moment,
Making space for whatever is present,
Whatever hindrances might present.
And then imagining being in nature somewhere,
Your favorite version of being in nature.
Or being with nature,
It could be as simple as just holding a bouquet of flowers,
Or looking out your window at your favorite tree,
Or might be being out in nature,
Bundled up,
Or pared down,
Whatever version of being in nature best supports your body,
Your mind.
And seeing how in nature there is no worry,
There is just whatever is happening.
There is no restlessness,
Just the natural movement of the trees and the rivers and the oceans and the wind,
Rain and the snow,
And the other beings,
The other beings.
And imagining or knowing that that's all that we are as well,
Just part of nature.
A piece of wild things,
Says Wendell Berry,
The poet Wendell Berry says,
A piece of wild things.
