“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly… What is essential is invisible to the eye.”
~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
On this last day of 2018, it is time to turn the page, and to wish you all a wonderful New Year! No matter what seems to be happening in your world there is always so much to be grateful for. There are a myriad of unseen wells of wisdom waiting to be re-discovered and lived for, to fecund and nurture your hopes and visions. What may seem too simple, can also be the most essential….
As a little girl I always felt connected to the Earth, her rhythms and seasons. I loved to predict the weather from the light, the clouds and the breeze. I loved and cherished every moment sitting under a tree listening to the leaves dancing in the wind, breathing deeply into their smell; or, looking at the sky at night feeling infinitely small while gazing at the stars and the milky way. I knew every single plant in my surroundings, knew its shape, smell and taste as well as their favourite places to grow. There was something profoundly reassuring, nurturing and grounding about being in touch with Mother Nature. Children are naturally connected to The Source…to The Essential. Unfortunately the tendency in our societies is to forget and distance ourselves from what we don’t see…which, however is at the heart of our existence!
Recently the south piece of land adjacent to Sequoia Naturopathic Centre got completely shaved from its natural beauty and boundaries. Hundred year old cedar and hemlock trees which previous generations surely enjoyed and admired, under which they may have sat and dreamed are completely gone… pulled from their root beds as insignificant rightless sentient creatures. My heart ached. How can certain individuals have so much control on our environment knowing how many years it takes for a single tree to grow and considering how shortly in comparison these same individuals will even live on the land they just purchased. How can we bring awareness and consideration on how these destructive actions affect the adjacent neighbouring ecosystem, trees and natural life. What about the precious irreplaceable forests that are at the heart of our communities? Think of Mount Elphinstone and of all the people whom for decades have given their time and energy here on the Coast to protect it for future generations. Are we not supposed to be the guardians of the land? Ancient wisdom and first nations knew that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. We live in societies which depend on economic systems that have no eyes for the essential and that have lost their ways! As Saint-Exupery said so well: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
More than ever, to find our way back to what matters most we also need to reconnect with the natural world within… body, mind, spirit… with our own intuition, feelings, gut feelings, to the truth: a living tree; a forest; a thriving natural ecosystem, within and around us; a simple life; a safe mother to be there for an innocent child to grow confident; adults and parents being attuned to the children; health, pure air and water; naturally grown organic food for our bodies; a roof over our head with accessible nature; joy, time and space for creativity; and finally, a community to hold us, to be a witness for each other. When we are connected to our heart, we are connected to The Essential, and we know what matters most…. The most precious things in life can not be seen only with the naked eye… but felt from the heart.
It starts with each one of us.
“Love is light. This force explains everything and gives meaning to life. This is the variable that we have ignored for too long, maybe because we are afraid of love because it is the only energy in the universe that man has not learned to drive at will.
With the winter solstice, comes the time to nourish our bodies with warm nutritious and soothing dishes with root vegetables. These two recipes have been part of some of our family’s favourite. Enjoy!
With the winter solstice, comes the time to nourish our bodies with warm nutritious and soothing dishes with root vegetables. These two recipes (see the […]
Ingredients: Instructions: Optional: 15 minutes before serving add chunks of roasted chicken or lamb cooked in olive oil with plenty of garlic. “Three things shine […]
To be inspired on seeing with the heart, let revered Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, invite you to a 15 minute meditation. Through mindfulness, he teaches us that we can learn to live happily in the present moment—the only way to truly develop peace, both in one’s self and in the world.
Photo: Denise Rochon
It is with such a deep gratitude for each one of you, for my family, friends, and community, that I wish you a Bright Holiday Season and a Wholehearted New year!
As nature pauses to take a moment of silence for us to listen…may we find Love, Peace and Happiness within, and let the gratefulness overflow into Blessings all around us!
‘Look up at the sky- The heavens so blue, the sun so radiant, The clouds so playful, the soaring raptors, The meadows in bloom, the woodland creatures, The rivers singing their way to the sea, Wolf song on the land, whale song in the sea, Celebration everywhere, wild, riotous, Immense as a monsoon lifting an ocean of joy And spilling it down over the Appalachian Landscape, Drenching us all with a deluge of delight As we open our arms and rush toward each other, You and I and all of us, Moved by that vast compassionate Presence That brings all things together in intimate Celebration, Celebration that is the universe itself.’
~Thomas Berry-From: “Every Being Has Rights”
“May the light crack through our shadows, bringing global healing to our individual, collective and earthly wounds, so that we may become united to cultivate love and peace for all beings on earth!”
~ Denise
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