Awe

When we are filled with awe in the presence of Nature, we begin to think about things outside ourselves. To see ourselves as part of a much larger continuum. To not see ourselves as the center or the pinnacle. When I look at this arbutus tree, I am in awe at its ability heal, to […]

May Peace Prevail on Earth

When we think and pray ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth,’ all people are embraced by those deep and vast words of love, even though we may not be praying for them directly. All the people who are unloved, all the people who are unforgiven, all the innocent children, all the tiny organisms whom no one […]

Activity of the Soul

Consider a man sitting quiet and contemplating, with no purpose or aim except that of experiencing himself and his oneness with the world. He is considered to be “passive,” because he is not “doing” anything. In reality, this attitude of concentrated meditation is the highest activity there is, an activity of the soul, which is […]

Root Booster

This week we treated our newly planted forest friends (70 new beings in total) to Root Booster. As we were carefully measuring out each tree’s portion, I reflected on the similarities between the growth needs of trees and humans. We were counseled by our arborist that we must help these young trees establish broad, strong […]

Trees and Divinity

What is the relationship between kami and trees? And why do we refer to the forest here at Shin Mei Spiritual Centre as “Chinju no Mori” 鎮守の杜, or “Sacred Forest”? The scholar Norinaga Motoori (1730-1801) explained the word “kami” this way: In general, the word kami refers to, first of all, the various kami of heaven and earth spoken […]

Emptiness

One of my favorite writers on spirituality is Thomas Moore. His discussions on emptiness and mystery in “The Soul’s Religion” are particularly compelling. Moore writes, “It might be good to approach the spiritual life without the need for understanding and clarity. In this area it is appropriate to be less certain, to be forced into […]

May You Grow Still

May you grow still enough to hear the small noises Earth makes in preparing for the long sleep of winter, so that you yourself may grow calm and grounded deep within. May you grow still enough to hear the trickling of water seeping into the ground, so that your soul may be softened and healed, […]

What is Your Connection?

Musubi 結び means connection, or knot.  During prayer, the primary focus of our energy is vertical musubi—vertical connection—between amatsu (heavenly) kami, kunitsu (earthly) kami and ourselves. Our mission beyond this, however, is the practice of horizontal musubi—to be able to realize the connection between all beings. This begins with one’s self and immediate family, expanding outward to our extended family, our community, our nation, and […]

May Your Mind Be Like the Ocean

May your growth be like that of trees Whose secrets is patience May your healing be like that of the forests Whose secret is regeneration May your blossoming be like that of the seeds Whose secret is transformation May your transitions be like that of the moon Whose secret is remaining beautiful and light through […]

Clouds in Each Paper

The “Web of Interbeing” is the concept that all phenomena are interdependent.  I particularly like the explanation by Thich Nhat Hanh in the simile called Clouds in Each Paper: “If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no […]

The Earth Remembered Me

I thought the earth remembered me, she took me back so tenderly, arranging her dark skirts, her pockets full of lichens and seeds. I slept as never before, a stone on the riverbed, nothing between me and the white fire of the stars but my thoughts, and they floated light as moths among the branches […]

In Nature, All is Accomplished

Just two days ago, I was enthralled by these fuzzy buds which called me to touch and stroke their soft, feathery casings in the cold winter air. And today, as we approach Solstice, here in the Pacific Northwest we are being blanketed in snow. Yet these furry beings remain unchanged in the cold snowy weather, and this amazes […]

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice marks the change in the solar cycle. The Northern Hemisphere is tilted the farthest away from the Sun. The Sun has the least angle to the Earth and thus we receive less sunlight and warmth. I tend to think of Winter days being the shortest, and the least light. But actually, it is […]

Have a Sacred Place

A sacred place is an absolute necessity for anybody today. You must have a place, or a certain time, where you do not know what was in the newspapers that morning. You don’t know who your friends are. You don’t know what you owe to anybody. You don’t know what anybody owes to you, but […]

Retreat into Nature

Whenever we touch nature we get clean. People who have gotten dirty through too much civilization should take a walk in the woods, or a bath in the sea. Entering the unconscious, entering yourself through dreams, is touching nature from the inside and this is the same thing. Things are put right again. Carl Jung

Mindfulness

Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become still in any surroundings, like a clear forest pool. All kinds of wonderful, rare animals will come to drink at the pool, and you will clearly see the nature of all things. You will see many strange and wonderful […]

Lakota Creations

In the Lakota tradition, a person who is grieving is considered most wakan, most holy. There’s a sense that when someone is struck by the sudden lightning of loss, he or she stands on the threshold of the spirit world. The prayers of those who grieve are considered especially strong, and it is proper to […]

Forest Bathing

Qing Li, a physician and researcher on the healing properties of forests, has written a book Forest Bathing which offers a thoughtful introduction to the scientifically proven benefits of spending time among the trees.

Divinity in the Forest

Above: Kinomori Jinja in transit