Tag Archives: Mindful Practice

Sabbath and Haiku Haven

Posted on August 11, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I am unsure whether I will be back today. We are sorting out our home Internet issues. We think the router blew up in a recent storm. This was good, because it was an unplanned daily Sabbath for me.

On a routine morning drive, I observed the sun rising in my rear view mirror with the moon still visible. It was early in the school year and I had just returned from BC. I began that morning’s haiku class with poems which described phenomena I took for granted most days. I try to emphasize for students poetry is the routinely observed. Poetry lifts it to the extraordinary nature of things often taken for granted. I try model this through poetry chosen and shared i.e. Pablo Neruda and Mary Oliver and I write poetry on what I observe in life.

Majestically,

Touching endless sky above

Roots firmly grounded.

Greeting and adieu

Sun and moon share the one sky

Guide our daily drive.

2 Comments

Posted in Education, Haiku, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry, Sabbath, Uncategorized and tagged haiku, Jasper National Park, Mindful Practice, nature, photography, poetry, Rocky Mountains, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

The Woodcarver

Posted on August 10, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

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.

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Posted in Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged Mindful Practice, mindfulness, nature, Parker Palmer, photography, poetry, Rocky Mountains, teacher as transformer, Thomas Merton, way of chuang tzu. Bookmark the permalink.

Metamorphosis

Posted on August 9, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I struggled today. Starbucks’ Internet was intermittent and my day was cleaved in half with an appointment. I reflected on what my blogging and there has been a substantial change in the tone and voice of the blogger. When I began, I was doing it for all the wrong reasons and was driven from ego. Transformation is about my self and not about what goes on outside me.

I influence the world and as Gandhi wisely said, “Be the change you want to see in the world” is important.

Change

Occupies an idle mind.

Denies, oppresses

Another self.

Transform

Inner terrain.

Who is this self?

What life does this self live?

Mature

Through life.

Define

the self who lives this life.

Emerge

from chrysalis each day.

Present

A thoughtful gift

Transform my self.

Reveal through selfless acts

Flourish beyond rhetoric

Beyond fad.

Journey with others

Appreciate

Valorize.

2 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Community, Mindful Life, Photography, Poetry and tagged blogging, community, Mindful Practice, nature, philosophy, photography, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Driftwood’s Wisdom

Posted on August 8, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Kathy took this picture while we walked along Waterton Lake’s beach. She thought it would inspire me. I wondered what might emerge. Last night, I scribbled ideas into my journal about wisdom and its sources. I enjoy and enjoyed listening to stories told by my parents, Kathy’s parents, our grandparents about life in past generations, and many others I come in contact with each day.

Flotsam on the shore

Washed up and unusable

Life’s wisdom wasted.

Polished piece of wood

Fine tuned by life’s travails

Reveals the wisdom.

3 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Community, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry and tagged blogging, community, Mindful Practice, nature, photography, teacher as transformer, waterton lakes national park. Bookmark the permalink.

Life within a Panorama

Posted on August 7, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Kathy took these panoramic pictures the first day we drove to Waterton. I often wonder about making sense of life without a fuller view. It is the stepping back that might allow the ‘hole in the whole’ to fade and show a panoramic view of life. Even at that, the life’s complexity creates mystery of and allows the ‘holes to make sense in the whole.’

Life

Still shot

One image at a time

Parsed and fits my definition.

Life

A broad view

Weaves a web without design

Fuller, richer, yet indefinable.

Reflection

Quilts life whole

Bound together moment by moment

Paradox of ragged and seamless.

Shared

Without losing self

Bound together by our commonness

Adhere disparate parts into one.

9 Comments

Posted in Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry and tagged community, Mindful Practice, nature, photography, teacher as transformer, waterton lakes national park. Bookmark the permalink.

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Posted on August 6, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

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.

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:

19 Comments

Posted in Awards, Blogging, Community, Reflective Moments and tagged awards, blogging, community, conversational journey, Mindful Practice, teacher as transformer, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Waterfalls! Waterfalls!

Posted on August 3, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

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.

3 Comments

Posted in Haiku, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged cameron falls, haiku, Mindful Practice, mount custer, nature, photography, poetry, Rocky Mountains, waterton lakes national park. Bookmark the permalink.

Appreciate Neighbours

Posted on August 1, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

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.

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Posted in Blogging, Community, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged appreciation, blogging, community, Mindful Practice, nature, nature walks, neighbours, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

International Peace Park

Posted on July 30, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

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.

8 Comments

Posted in Haiku, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged Glacier National Park, glacier national park montana, international peace park, Mindful Practice, poetry, Rocky Mountains, sabbath, teacher as transformer, waterton lakes national park. Bookmark the permalink.

Sabbath in Waterton Lakes National Park

Posted on July 29, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

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.