You see all I need’s a whisper in a world that
only shouts.

-Passenger

Welcome to the Reflection for April!

Throughout the month of April, I have found that one line from the song, Whispers by Passenger, has been floating through my mind over and over again, “All I need’s a whisper in world that only shouts.”

This month in particular, it has felt like the world is such a noisy place and all I need are some moments of quiet.

I also noticed that every time I carved out time in my week to work on the Spirit Garden Reflection for this month, no words came except this invitation from my soul, “Listen to the quiet.”

It has finally dawned on me that listening to the quiet itself IS the reflection for this month.  Across the ages and across traditions, spending time in silence is held as a spiritual practice.  Resting in the silence can bring deep nourishment to our soul, it can bring healing and restore an inner sense of clarity, wholeness and well-being.

Many of the mystics wrote about the fact that the silence is not empty, it is full of spaciousness, possibility and nourishment.  It is in this place of pausing between movements, thoughts and actions that fresh awareness can arise, new ideas flourish, and our energy is replenished.

And so this month, our Spirit Garden Reflection offers you the invitation to settle into a time of quiet and silence.  I have put together a video of images and quotes that evoke the essence of silence and I offer you a poem I wrote, called ‘Listen to the Quiet’.  After spending time with the video and poem, there are some reflection questions offered to help you explore the role that quiet and silence plays in your own spiritual journey.

If you are also finding the world to be a noisy place these days with all that is happening around us, may you find this reflection time nourishing for your soul.

With quiet and replenishing blessings,
Kathy

P.S.  If you are interested, here is the song Whispers by Passenger:  Whispers

Watering the Garden

We have all heard the saying that April showers bring May flowers. 

On this last day of April, as I sit down to write this Spirit Garden Moment, the April rain is pouring down in big, juicy drops.  Surely this will help the trees, flowers and gardens to flourish.

For the last number of days, I have been thinking of the Buddhist notion that we also need to water the ground of our inner life if we are to flourish.  This notion is one that invites us to recognize our basic goodness and to water it with loving compassion.

Recently, I was speaking with a friend who said that this spring she feels like a cranky bear that has been woken up from its slumber, only to find that there is nowhere to go and nothing to do.  I wonder how many of us can relate to this as we continue to lay low due to the pandemic.  I know I certainly can.

It is at these times, when we feel that strain of our living that we might use the practice of watering our inner garden with compassion and loving-kindness.

So I offer you this simple meditation inspired by Tara Brach’s work with mindfulness and self-compassion.  May it nourish your heart like April rain so you might blossom with the flowers of May.

With gentle blessings,
Kathy

In Closing

The season of spring is a time of awakening.  All around us, leaves are tenderly unwrapping themselves from their buds and flowers are opening themselves to the sun.  This spring, may the practices of resting in silence, noticing moments of quiet and watering your spirit with compassion support your inner blossoming. 

Spring blessings,
Kathy

Connect & Share

You are invited to share any of the words or lessons that the element of water has evoked for you, or perhaps what you look forward to each spring. May we help each other welcome the energy of this new season!