This week brings the full moon, the winter solstice, a moment of stillness as we shift direction in the cycle of life that plays out on so many levels. As I was feeding wood into the stove I saw how we’re living on the fruits of past efforts. The tree that grew for years, and then was cut and processed and brought to the stove. The beans I sprout and eat every day, grown, harvested, and dried months ago. The house I live in, built decades ago. Fruits of the efforts of other beings in other times and places, here to help us through the cold winter nights.
I was outside last night and just stopped walking, to just stand and steady my breath. Everything was still, not a whisper of sound from the air, the birds and squirrels, traffic and other people, totally silent. The thermometer said the temperature was cold, but I felt a warm embrace. The earth, cold and dark as she may appear, carries along the fruits of the past, and lays the groundwork for growth in the cycle yet to come.
Like this I’ve been thinking of the recent time spent volunteering, and of the people I worked with. I remember A, always in the kitchen washing dishes, alternating between laughing and telling difficult stories. I remember S, who suddenly appears out of nowhere at exactly the right time to handle exactly the task that needs to be done. I remember D, with endless energy and stillness, working tirelessly through the night. I remember N, who always and every time greeted me with a genuine smile.
And just like that these people are here with me, right here and now, I am not alone.
I notice I’ve been quiet since returning home from this recent trip, going to a few meditation satsangs but otherwise not interacting with many people. I still feel the people and experiences of that intense period reverberating within.
For this evening’s meditation we’ll explore the presence of the past, and bring in people, places, and events of the past. We’ll experience how this still reverberates within us, and we’ll explore how this is affected by the cycles of the moon and the seasons.