As I stepped outside the morning after the first snowfall here in Maryland, a comforting silence hung in the air. It immediately felt like peace, like all of the muffled noise had vanished and I was being embraced by a blanket of calm. I suddenly felt like everything in front of me became acutely clear; like all the inner chatter came to an abrupt halt. I could hear the birds conversing loudly, I could hear my footsteps crinkle the snow underneath my feet. I could hear the squirrel gathering its nuts across the street. Those were the only sounds I heard and it all seemed so peaceful and perfect. The snow has a way of ushering in an inviting silence – a gift maybe you might not know you wanted or were even looking for. I had been feeling this longing for a few weeks now and was so excited to wake up to the snow covered landscape, as I knew what I would feel once I stepped outside.
Nature has a way of offering us this gift of presence, if we can only take the first steps. As I continued to walk I kept looking down at the fresh animal tracks next to me. The perfect
reminder of the wildlife that walks side by side with us on this Earth. I saw many fresh squirrel and bird prints on my walk and I couldn’t help but smile thinking of these animals scurrying along, perhaps just as excited at the first snowfall as I was. It’s these moments outside where I feel so connected to all of Nature it makes me feel so grateful, full, and happy. These moments outside, to pause from the hustle and bustle of this season, and be present with what is right in front of me feels like the best present of all.
One of the many gifts passed down to the students of our programs is the practice of “Sit Spot”. This is the practice of observing using all of your senses, of melting into the landscape so the wildlife goes about their business without any disturbance and you get to experience the forest in its most natural state. It is about being truly present to the moment – an opportunity to release the mind chatter and see again what is in front of you. One time, a few years back, I was hiking up Mt. Shasta in northern California. It was just me and between the many pine trees and clear blue sky I decided to stop and lay down to rest. I took out a thin cotton blanket and laid down on top closing my eyes. After some time here a squirrel walked right over me! I couldn’t believe it! At the time I was incredibly surprised and a bit scared truthfully. Looking back I recall it as a huge gift to have a wild animal that close to me – I was just a part of the forest floor to the squirrel while he meandered right over my body. I had completely and a bit unintentionally melded into the landscape. 🙂
The ongoing consistent practice of Sit Spot is an invitation to be one with the wild around you; to see things from the perspective of the forest floor, or a strand of tall grass, or a snail; to observe and learn about and from the subtle life all around us. I personally believe if we accepted this invitation consistently, of going outside to sit – to observe- to step outside of ourselves- to become immersed completely in nature – the peace and understanding we would find would blow us away and the trajectory of our collective future would most likely experience an enormous shift.
I feel like the snow is Natures subtle invitation to us to feel the peace it creates merely with its presence. I hope this holiday season you get the opportunity to step outside into the snow, outside of the hustle and bustle, and connect to Winters subtle invitation of peace too.
Wishing you a happy and peaceful holiday season!
Post Submitted by Laura Rose – Field Instructor