....leaf essence

Yogis,
Leaves, leaves and more leaves…… 

Changing their colors high above, swirling through air with each gust of wind and now covering the garden beds. This was the week of the leaf in our area and it became my meditation. My focus. My awareness.

When we notice something, we first tend to do it from a zoomed out perspective. A general idea of what something being labeled a ‘leaf’ means. I sweep them from the porch steps in the morning, and they are piled again by afternoon. They get stuck in my windshield and blow in through the open door.

I walk to the backyard where most are dried and browned, but I now see they are sprinkled with those of bright yellow and vivid orange. Like candied decorations on a cake. Even the browns come in a plethora of shades when I observe.

And the variety of sizes! From cute mini red maple leaves to some twice the size of my hand. Slim and long. Short and fat. Heart shaped from the redbuds. Serrated edges, points and rounds. Each with their own imperfections.

I get closer.

Within a leaf there is an intricate design called a venetian, which comprises the network of veins which carry the water and nutrients. Often the design is a fractal, meaning it mimics the branching of the tree from where it came. They are beautiful.

I get even closer.

The night’s rain causes the surface of some to glisten. One that looks yellow from afar I find to have a palette of greens and reds running through. Standing over them, they all appear smooth, but up close I see completely different textures emerge.

Every leaf unique.

For me this week, it was leaves, but it really can be anything. Rocks, the river, birds, the sky. Consciously giving your full attention and time to something will slowly peel back its layers until you begin to sense its essence. Its ‘I am’ ness.

This week I saw the leaves,
SARAH