Deliberately blurred, path into Wolsfeld Woods
I returned to my beloved Wolsfeld Woods yesterday for the first time since last spring. With the very wet summer that we had, I hadn’t braved the muddy trails and mosquitoes until now. It was good to spend time with the trees. My soul expanded and I breathed in and breathed out…
Here! Now! This!
I love spending time in this remnant of the Big Woods which once covered a large swath of Minnesota. It is a place where I always feel closer to spirit, to my own soul, and to the earth. Walking under these wise old trees feels like walking in God’s cathedral.
Presence
Presence, palpable as air
and equally transparent —
love-filled, shining, abiding
in the heart, divine in origin,
effortlessly spacious and awake.
When I pay attention to
that presence, everything slows
to take in love’s embrace.
Presence whispers, “Here. Now.
Everything you need to live in
harmony and connection with
the One is all right here.”
I choose to trust this message.
— Danna Faulds
I met no one on the path during my late morning walk Friday. That’s one of the things I love about these woods. I am often able to hike beneath the tall trees with no one else in sight.
The trails were very dry. Even the small stream that one usually has to cross balancing on round tree trunk steps across the stream, was dry. The trees did not appear to be in distress because of our dry September. But then these woods have survived for a long time through seasons of plentiful rain and drought.
Color Peeking Through
Though at first it appeared that the sugar maple leaves had not begun to turn, I caught a glimpse of color shortly after I entered the woods. One tree had turned shades of gold and orange. I could see it through the still green tree tops nearer the path where I hiked. As the days of October speed by more and more of the trees will turn to gold. And walking here will feel like walking in a golden light filled cathedral with leaves raining down all around you. The path will be covered with golden leaves too — golden above and golden below.
Though it was late morning when I began my hike, because of the shade of the trees, I caught only glimpses of sunlight as I hiked. The bright sunlight created patches of back-lit maple leaves high above me.
And occasionally I caught sun stars photographing the sun shining through the tree leaves.
This walk beneath the canopy of the tall sugar maples, oak and basswood trees is my way to feel deeply
Here Now This.
Being here makes me feel closer to wonder, delight, joy, and amazement at the beauty of the world. The trees nourish my soul. It’s good for everyone to seek out places and spaces where wonder and amazement are likely to appear. What are the places that bring you a sense of wonder and delight?
For awhile I sat on the trunk of a fallen tree simply soaking in the sights and sounds (mostly silence with an occasional bird call). I watched a few leaves slowly drift down from the high treetops. This magical place fills me to the brim with joy.
Wherever Wonder Leads
Poised on the edge of wonder,
I let myself slide into clear
blue sky. The slant of light
this morning points toward
autumn and a hawk flies near
the mountain with a single,
piercing cry. For me, this is
the season of possibility.
Cooler air brings energy
and hope. What seemed out
of reach in summer’s heat
is now just a matter of resolve.
Wherever wonder leads today,
I make the choice to follow.
— Danna Faulds
The days of fall will fly by, too fast by my reckoning, but right on time by nature’s reckoning. I intend to soak up the warmth of these fall days, spend as much time as I can under the canopy of the Wolsfeld Woods trees, and look at and listen to the natural world around me. How will you spend your fall days? May you experience many “here, now, this” moments during the coming week.
May you walk in beauty.
0 Comments