....skyward

Yogis,
This week I wasn’t sure what to write about. That happens sometimes. Sunday morning will arrive and the sheet in front of me is blank with no inner direction on what words to place there. My heart tightens slightly. Perhaps this is the week when no words will come.

I head out for my morning run with hopes of inspiration when a concrete bench facing the small lake nearby catches my eye. Spotlighted by a golden sun beam it asks me to sit a while. I do. I tell her that in all my years of passing, I don’t think I ever sat. Eyes closed, I feel both the crisp air on my skin and the warmth of the sun. What should I write?

I imagine opening the crown of my head, like the car’s sunroof, trusting that guidance will pour in. As I eventually open my eyes, what I see first is the expansiveness of a brilliant blue sky. A flock of snow geese pass noisily overhead, their bellies glistening from the low morning light. Ah yes.

Winter is when sky becomes the stage.

Arriving at the beach it’s the clouds leading the show. Small ones float midair as they pass quickly over the ocean. Enormous plumes stream one after another over the dune. Multicolored they soon fill the sky with beauty reminding me how small I really am.

Winter is sky season. Look up! With leafless trees and earth sitting quietly we are given the chance to witness the infinite world beyond. Is that a hawk I see soaring above?

Yes, there are wonders to behold if you shift your gaze skyward. But there are other gifts as well. The phrase ‘things are looking up’ didn’t arise from nowhere. When we make a habit of looking upward, our chest and heart follow and our mood shifts. Unlimited possibilities present themselves. Gifts, such as inspiration, pour down.

The new crescent moon hangs low in the sky as the sun begins her descent. Pinks, purples and orange paint the horizon. As she finally leaves us behind the sky darkens. Walking through the deep black of a winter night you can’t help but notice the stars. They seem to shine a bit brighter this time of year.

The big dipper frames the east sky as I look up.  

Thank you bench,
SARAH