I awake each morning
Smile into the day
Soak in each moment.
Pause
Find calm
Let calm find me
Amidst the turbulence.
Category Archives: Reflective Moments
The Woodcarver
When I walk in nature and see the panoramic creation, I recall this is a gift. Each day I am present and stop to meet what is there, is a day I move beyond my ego. I am grateful for simply being . It is the greatest gift.
The Woodcarver
Khing, the master carver, made a bell stand
Of precious wood. When it was finished,
All who saw it were astounded. They said it must be
The work of spirits.
The Prince of Lu said to the master carver:
“What is your secret?”
***
Khing replied: “I am only a workman:
I have no secret. There is only this:
When I began to think about the work you commanded
I guarded my spirit, did not expend it
On trifles, that were not to the point.
I fasted in order to set
My heart at rest.
***
After three days fasting,
I had forgotten gain and success.
After five days
I had forgotten praise or criticism.
After seven days
I had forgotten my body
With all its limbs.
***
“By this time all thought of your Highness
And of the court had faded away.
All that might distract me from the work
Had vanished.
I was collected in the single thought
Of the bell stand.
***
“Then I went to the forest
To see the trees in their own natural state.
When the right tree appeared before my eyes,
The bell stand it also appeared in it, clearly, beyond doubt.
All I had to do was to put forth my hand
And begin.
***
“If I had not met this particular tree
There would have been
No bell stand at all.
“What happened?
My own collected thought
Encountered the hidden potential in the wood;
From this live encounter came the work.
Which you ascribe to the spirits.”
***
Palmer, P. J. (2004). A hidden wholeness: The journey toward an undivided life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Parker Palmer attributed his source as The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton and published by The Abbey of Gethsemani in 1965.
Very Inspiring Blogger Award
I received a nomination for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award from Ricardo at Film Photography is not Dead.
I am learning about virtual communities and their formation. It is about learning and not predetermined outcomes.
Virtual communities emphasize reciprocal practices which include a sense of trust that someone views and validates our contributions. We measure practices with followers, likes, and regular comments which resemble conversations. Since July 14, 2012, this blog went from 500 to 1000 likes, gained 75 followers, and has daily, running commentary.
We are involved and remained in virtual communities as a result of an ethic of relationship and this makes returning a conscious choice and mindful. Active participation is receiving and giving gifts thus has emotional and personal components.
An aspect of my gratitude is the face-to-face conversations Kathy and I have. She contributes to all the posts in many ways: takes pictures, edits, and questions purpose in a post. I am grateful to her and others who valorize what I am doing each day.
The rules are:
- Link back to the person who nominated you
- Post the award image to your page
- Tell seven facts about yourself
- Nominate 15 other blogs
- Let them know they are nominated
1. Thank you Ricardo for nominating me, it’s an honour and privilege. Check out his blog called Film Photography is not Dead for insightful ideas about photography and great pictures.
2. 
3. 7 facts about me
- I love nature.
- I am a collector of many things.
- I am a very nervous flyer.
- I am completing a PhD in Leadership Studies.
- I love brewed ice tea.
- I listen to the Old Radio Shows.
- My favourite fictional genre is westerns.
4. This section is challenging. I follow many blogs and feel guilty each time I do this, because I know I miss some great blogs.
My nominated blogs:
Waterfalls! Waterfalls!
I disconnected yesterday as the Internet was unavailable. It was a dreary day, but we toured parts of the Crowsnest Pass. One stop was Lundbreck Falls. It is a stop you can easily miss, even though it is just off the main highway and visible from the secondary road. I liked it because I was able to get up, close and, personal. My fear of heights did not intervene too much.
This is a spectacular sight, but within 50 metres there is a pool at the base of the rock cliff where fly casting is possible.
Kathy took this shot from above the falls. I did not go on the overview platform.
Waterton has many waterfalls. Cameron Falls is on the outskirts of the town site and I was able to see it from below and climbed a bit to see it from above.
The red in the rock is from iron oxide deposits. The view below is from a stairway that goes up the hill along the falls.
Some waterfalls in Waterton are less accessible. Kathy took these pictures on the walk around Cameron Lake. The mountain, on the Montana side of the lake, is Mount Custer. It is named for a surveyor, Henry Custer, who worked in the area.
The source of the waterfalls is the snow pack on the mountain.
We hiked into Blakiston Falls which are bridal veil falls as they resemble a bride’s veil. I saw the falls from a distance and Kathy, the mountain goat she is, was able to get closer. This was my view and I was sitting on the ground.
Kathy took this picture from the platform almost directly above the falls.
Platform at bridal falls
The terror drains energy
View through others eyes.
Have a great August 3 wherever you are.
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
We went to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Interpretive Centre a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 50 km from Pincher Creek and with Waterton’s majestic skyline.
This area is the traditional home of the Niitsítapi (Blackfoot Confederacy) which means ‘original people.’ The Piikáni (North Piegan), a member of the confederacy, traveled to Waterton’s Blakiston Valley and gathered at Akaitapi (good campsite). The area was also used by the Ktunaxa (Kootenay or Kootenai) who came from the west and provided food, water, and shelter.
The Niitsítapi gathered at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and used innovative strategies to hunt the plains bison. Legend has it the name comes from an unfortunate incident when a young man wanted a closer view of the action. He waited at the base of the cliff, but the hunt was extremely successful and, when he was found, he had sustained a broken skull and died.
Archaeologists discovered evidence that this site was on a migratory path for indigenous people at least 5500 years ago. A buffalo jump or ‘pishkun’ in Niitsítapi used drive lanes marked by rock cairns. The buffalo ran in the drive lanes and, as they approached the cliff, the last part of the drive lane sloped up and the jump was not noticeable. The process required perfect human timing and was extremely dangerous.
A small herd of bison live in a paddock at Waterton, but at one time these animals covered the Great Plains of North America. The bison is often called a ‘walking supermarket’ as almost all its body parts were usable and often harvested.
Super store on legs
Symbolic prairie icon
A sideshow item.
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is at the confluence of three geological formations. The Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains are well-known. The picture below is the rise into the Porcupine Hills. In the foreground is a hill where young Niitsítapi men transitioned to manhood through a vision quest. The hill, due to its spiritual significance to the Niitsítapi people, does not have public access.
Young person’s journey
Discover one’s inner self
Quest into adulthood.
We watched traditional dancing and heard traditional drumming and singing at the interpretive centre . The drum is symbolic of Mother Earth’s heartbeat in Niitsítapi tradition.
Drum reverberates
Symbol of Mother Earth’s heart
We are one with Her.
Another Day in Paradise
It was a less eventful day today with no bear sightings. We saw some deer late in the day, but they were in a hurry to get somewhere so did stop for pictures. What I have are some pictures of the natural beauty of Waterton Lakes National Park.
As we drove south from Pincher Creek, this is the view of the mountains before a person drives into them. The sign says, “Where prairie meets the mountains” and they do.
This was a similar view, without the bales, later the same day just before sunset.
And, if you give it a few minutes, this is what it looks like.
Sun embraces mountains
The sky in peaceful fury
Signals the day’s end.
This is the view from the beach at the town site of Mount Vimy. Can you imagine waking up to this every day? It would be pretty intense, but 88 people do everyday. According to Stats Can that is the official year round population of Waterton.
This is a view from the boat of the approach to the American side of Waterton Lake.
This is at Kootenai Lake which was at the end of our hike into Glacier National. The ramparts are spectacular.
Rise above it all
Magnificent natural ramparts
We feel safe below.
This is across Kootenai Lake. We waited but the moose did not show himself. He was there five minutes before we arrived.
At the end of the day, just before we left the town site, the moon appeared above Vimy.
Fair maiden appears
Light for evening’s journey
Keep us safe til morn.
Have a great August 1.
Appreciate Neighbours
The Internet is slow particularly when uploading images. I may need to wait until tomorrow morning and post early before we head off for the day. In the meantime, I jotted this as we walked to Kootenai Lake.
Neighbours near,
Some visible
Ducks laugh and swim
Distract us, grouse–
Protect family and spouse
Woodpecker’s fly by lunch
Delectable larvae, I’m sure.
Others less evident
A fish plays–
Teases with hide and seek
Loon momentarily there
Beaver away from lake house
A moose–
Tracks and droppings
Insects whir in the stillness
Butterflies flit and feed
And move seed
A phantom breeze brushes floor
A solitary leaf responds,
And waves
Up high
Trees sigh.
What watches me?
I am not sure
Neighbours present,
A community–
Puzzles pieced together
Each a part
Seamless, yet not form fitting.
We are part of communities and this past few months I feel more of that; at Gonzaga, with my blog, and on nature walks with Kathy. I appreciate being one small part of communities made up of many parts.
International Peace Park
Kathy and I wanted to travel down to Glacier National Park, Montana, but the logistics were challenging. We put this on the back burner this year and traveled to Waterton Lakes National Park in the southwest corner of Alberta. The two parks combine and form the first International Peace Park and are often called the Crown of the Continent, but there is no easy way to see both without a lot of traveling or so we thought. Luck intervened and we found our way down to Glacier National Park.
In national parks you can get up close and personal with the wildlife. They are still wild and skittish, but as long as you are careful they stay and. I took this picture just outside the ticket offices for the boat tours. She grazed, let several of us take pictures, and we were within a couple of metres (five or six feet) of her.
Oh my dear, it’s a deer.
We were able to travel to Glacier via an alternate mode of transportation: a boat. This is the US International, an 85-year-old boat, that makes four round trips on Waterton Lake to the south end. Part way through the trip, we crossed into the US and Kathy and I chose to stay for a couple of hours to do some hiking.
An icon of Waterton is the Prince of Wales Hotel. It was built in 1927 and overlooks the lake. It is open from mid-June until mid-September. We have missed it on other trips due to traveling in the off-season, but this year we are stopping for ‘high tea.’ This is a view from the boat.
When Kathy and I got to the US port of entry at Goat’s Haunt, we stayed and hiked into a small alpine lake called Kootenai. It is about an 8 km walk (5 miles) and took about 2.5 hours. This is the ranger station and border crossing. We showed passports and answered routine questions.
This is a view from the path along the way.
Nature’s cathedral
Light dances with shadows below
A benediction.
This was a small stream we passed over twice. The flow of water has worn the rock flat. Nature is rich with paradox.
Life’ rapid current
Smoothing and shining rough edges
Until next rough spot.
We are off for another day of adventure.
Sabbath in Waterton Lakes National Park
Shimon who posts at The Human Picture left a comment on my post Sabbath’s Circle. I am grateful for his explanation of the roots of the word ‘sabbath’ which indicates sitting. It is always good to know what the roots of words are so when we use them we understand them more fully and, when I sit with something in quiet time, it finds its way into my practice.
Kathy and I will drive to Waterton Lakes National Park and I will enjoy my day of disconnecting in a place that is important to us. We spent part of our honeymoon there and it is a special place for us. I am looking forward to spending time in a special place full of God’s many gifts. We are not sure what we will do, but the next 3 days we will just let intuition guide us.
This is a view from about 50 km (30 miles) away from what we will be re-exploring.
I will have more to post when I return on Monday.
Heading Home – Haiku Haven
Kathy and I head home after a great month in Spokane and at Gonzaga. I enjoy my time here and find the “pause that refreshes.” Part of this is paying forward which happens and the flow of time within this relational space. I see paying forward as a circle. Yesterday, we said good-bye to a colleague on his way home. He reminded me I lent him one of my papers his first summer here and how much that meant to him at a time he was ready to pack it in. I told him my first experience here was similar and someone reached out to me. I find the same thing in virtual community. It is harder to carry on conversations and build relationships, but I find a qualities that are unmistakeably human: care, reciprocity, and trust. I am grateful for the daily support I receive in each form of relationship.
Hearts open in time
The reward is worth the wait
We listen deeply.
A place of comfort
The circle invites us in
Its safe reach shelters.
Community calls
Alchemy not formula
Companionship grows.
I found this quote at Circle Toward Wholeness and it speaks to the circular nature of life and how gifts are constantly received and returned. The quote can also be found at Unitarian Universalist and Circle Fellowship in a more linear form.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 