I needed this... I miss the big rock at my mom's house overlooking the valley and the bluff stretching into the Indian ocean of the Wild Coast. Where I would sit for hours in a part of the rock that was just perfectly indented to hold me. I read so many books there, and it never felt urgent or rushed.
Ahh, thank you so much for sharing this memory! I can feel it in my body, reading this comment. I also feel some of that saudade style heart ache sensing into the missing of spaces that held us and shaped us as children which we no longer have access too, and remembering that all grief is evidence of love that still remains.
And the magic of a stone that holds your body just perfectly is really special. There's one by the temples at the Ashram I was raised on that as soon as it was placed when I was maybe seven years old, I'd always climb it and ride it and call it "Nandi" which is the name of Shiva's cow. It held me so well, and, well, felt like riding a cow or a horse. I walked past that rock yesterday with my toddler but I have never really introduced him to it, and I think I'll change that now.
What a beautiful piece! I love rocks. I used to love jumping boulders at my elementary school. Perhaps we can not only sit on rocks but also jump timelines into more elevated ones! Your comment about the atom bomb reminded me of this piece about Einstein and how he regretted the letter he wrote suggesting its creation. So often in fear we believe in false dichotomies that are lose lose. But from love and from seated on the rock, how might we stop atrocities without creating more of them?
Thank you for sharing this, these correspondences with Japanese colleagues and audiences from Einstein are new to me! I am going to share this with my mother who, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, has been meeting with members of her Buddhist satsang in Japan via zoom every single friday night (saturday morning for them) to practice and pray for peace. She recently visitied them for the first time and had a very profound experience, and I think she and they will appreciate seeing this.
And yess, what you're saying about jumping timelines is actually very much the plot of the novel I recommended, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, have you read it?
(Spoiler alert I suppose—) Also very connected with the nuclear issue, the premise is that we are at the brink of nuclear war and the only way to stop it is to shift the timeline. Charles Wallace goes out and lays on a rock and an interdimensional unicorn being comes to him and helps him travel in time to a number of different moments in the past, in that specific place. His body doesn't travel, his consciousness does, landing in the body of a person who lived at the time he is visiting, and with that subtle consciousness being present within them, he helps shift subtle choices away from fear and aggression and separation and toward love and care and shared power. These subtle shifts of choice accumulate to completely shift the timeline in the present, and only he and Meg seem to remember the other version of reality. It's amazing, and I think I'm due for a re-read!
Wow! That is so very special. Thank you for sharing that connection with your mom with me! I remember Kaia Ra sharing from her trip to Japan a really special time at a Buddhist monastary where Quan Yin was honored and they brought out a very special dragon that was seen as an aspect of Quan Yin!
The way you speak of time as something we can re-enter, re-embody, felt like an ancient, organic bell ringing somewhere deep within. I’ve been feeling the disorientation you name, especially while visiting family and old stomping grounds, and I really appreciate the reminder to turn to stone. I’m currently on my way to the west coast of Canada, and looking forward to spending some no-time time on the coastline this weekend.
I actually interviewed Marcia Bjornerud somewhat recently. We spoke about deep time, belonging, and the slow intelligence of Earth. The conversation is called Fathoming Deep Time: Belonging Within the Slow Story of Earth.
I appreciate your generous reflection and kind words of support. It means a lot coming from you. Bless your wild, wondrous path with beauty, depth, and grace.
This was the best thing I have read in a long long time. I saved it to come back to. Thank you so much.
Thank you Rachel, this is such a meaningful comment for me to receive. May this practice serve you many many times over!
I needed this... I miss the big rock at my mom's house overlooking the valley and the bluff stretching into the Indian ocean of the Wild Coast. Where I would sit for hours in a part of the rock that was just perfectly indented to hold me. I read so many books there, and it never felt urgent or rushed.
Thank you for surfacing this memory.
Ahh, thank you so much for sharing this memory! I can feel it in my body, reading this comment. I also feel some of that saudade style heart ache sensing into the missing of spaces that held us and shaped us as children which we no longer have access too, and remembering that all grief is evidence of love that still remains.
And the magic of a stone that holds your body just perfectly is really special. There's one by the temples at the Ashram I was raised on that as soon as it was placed when I was maybe seven years old, I'd always climb it and ride it and call it "Nandi" which is the name of Shiva's cow. It held me so well, and, well, felt like riding a cow or a horse. I walked past that rock yesterday with my toddler but I have never really introduced him to it, and I think I'll change that now.
What a beautiful piece! I love rocks. I used to love jumping boulders at my elementary school. Perhaps we can not only sit on rocks but also jump timelines into more elevated ones! Your comment about the atom bomb reminded me of this piece about Einstein and how he regretted the letter he wrote suggesting its creation. So often in fear we believe in false dichotomies that are lose lose. But from love and from seated on the rock, how might we stop atrocities without creating more of them?
https://www.popsci.com/science/einstein-letter-to-japan-auction/
Thank you for sharing this, these correspondences with Japanese colleagues and audiences from Einstein are new to me! I am going to share this with my mother who, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, has been meeting with members of her Buddhist satsang in Japan via zoom every single friday night (saturday morning for them) to practice and pray for peace. She recently visitied them for the first time and had a very profound experience, and I think she and they will appreciate seeing this.
And yess, what you're saying about jumping timelines is actually very much the plot of the novel I recommended, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, have you read it?
(Spoiler alert I suppose—) Also very connected with the nuclear issue, the premise is that we are at the brink of nuclear war and the only way to stop it is to shift the timeline. Charles Wallace goes out and lays on a rock and an interdimensional unicorn being comes to him and helps him travel in time to a number of different moments in the past, in that specific place. His body doesn't travel, his consciousness does, landing in the body of a person who lived at the time he is visiting, and with that subtle consciousness being present within them, he helps shift subtle choices away from fear and aggression and separation and toward love and care and shared power. These subtle shifts of choice accumulate to completely shift the timeline in the present, and only he and Meg seem to remember the other version of reality. It's amazing, and I think I'm due for a re-read!
Wow! That is so very special. Thank you for sharing that connection with your mom with me! I remember Kaia Ra sharing from her trip to Japan a really special time at a Buddhist monastary where Quan Yin was honored and they brought out a very special dragon that was seen as an aspect of Quan Yin!
The way you speak of time as something we can re-enter, re-embody, felt like an ancient, organic bell ringing somewhere deep within. I’ve been feeling the disorientation you name, especially while visiting family and old stomping grounds, and I really appreciate the reminder to turn to stone. I’m currently on my way to the west coast of Canada, and looking forward to spending some no-time time on the coastline this weekend.
I actually interviewed Marcia Bjornerud somewhat recently. We spoke about deep time, belonging, and the slow intelligence of Earth. The conversation is called Fathoming Deep Time: Belonging Within the Slow Story of Earth.
Here it is if you're curious:
https://www.coyoteicounsel.earth/wild-heart-revival/e41-marcia-bjornerud-fathoming-deep-time-belonging-within-the-slow-story-of-earth
Blessings, friend.
Oh Tei, YES. What a perfectly aligned conversation, I can't believe I hadn't seen this yet!
Thank you as always for the beautiful depth you lead with in all of your work and co-creations. I look forward to dropping in and listening to this.
I hope your journey is deeply supportive of your sense of return, even through the shaky parts, and ever supported by the ground that holds us all.
I appreciate your generous reflection and kind words of support. It means a lot coming from you. Bless your wild, wondrous path with beauty, depth, and grace.
Lucid, coherent, and beautiful. Thank you. 🙏🏼