Attention

I went for a walk. That in itself not unusual, I love to walk.  I took my camera with me.  Again, nothing unusual in that, I often take my camera.  What I didn't take was my iPod. I made a decision to be aware of both sights and sounds around me.

To pay attention.

We live in a world of distraction, of noise, of tweets and twitters. We have a lot to say but we don't listen.  Like butterflies we alight on things momentarily and then, distracted by the next shiny thing we move on, in search of sweeter nectar.

It wears us out -  all the noise, the images, the world (and our lives) whizzing by.  But we still don't seem to get it.

At what point will it stop? When will we slow down and look and listen to what is happening around us?  In our homes, in our neighbourhoods, in our countries, in the world?  In our hearts and minds and bodies?

I walked.  I listened.  At first I heard the cars, the ambulance in the distance, the leaf blowers.  Then I paid attention.  To my breath.  My footsteps. The crunch of the leaves underfoot. The birds.  Whatever I paid attention to I heard.  All else was shut out.

This is walking meditation.

This is rest for the mind, the heart and body.

The rest will follow.

Pay attention.

Then you will see the way.



“To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” 
― Mary Oliver