Meditation exploration

24 June. After weeks of teaching online via Zoom I was planning a face to face outdoors meet up with some of the lovely people I share yoga and meditation with. It was a bright sunny day and the whole family headed to Walkmill for me to explore and find a good route for a walking meditation. Jon and the kids set up with various activities:- Jon some spoon carving, Rosie some John Muir inspired sketching and the little ones exploring what they could find. It's very rare I get chance to be alone in nature and it was a wonderful experience. First I found a lovely secluded spot big enough for us to do some gentle warm ups and stretches. I walked around, hearing some rustling along the way and as I observed this area from the other side I was privileged to see a deer standing just where I had been. I stood and watched for a while then tried to take a picture but as you can see from the pic with the flower in the deer gracefully slid back into the woods. I started a walking meditation through the trees. Some of the paths I had walked before and some were new to me. At one point just before the path I was on was about to reach the main path I saw a beautiful clearing on one side of the path. I walked in thinking and feeling what a beautiful spot it would be for us to just stand and breathe. I did just that for a few moments and then at the edge of the clearing noticed a tiny path. It must have been a deer path. I followed it in awe and wonder that even after so many years Walkmill holds such beautiful places to be discovered. The path faded and then became clear again several times before it rejoined a more well trodden path. It brought to mind the fact that in life sometimes our direction and path is obvious and other times less obvious or maybe there is no one defined choice. On this walk I was able to be with the not knowing and trust I would find a way through. When the path became less obvious I paused, took some deep nourishing, calming breaths and looked all around. In time the way always became clear. A metaphor for life maybe.