Yesterday we had warnings of a winter storm coming here to Seattle, but then nothing happened.
This morning, however, I awoke to a snowy landscape and began my wanderings. Three quiet hours of delight as I took in the beauty of the world transformed and listened to the voice of everything singing to me, making itself heard, as the poet says below. Listening to the sound of my own pulse beating through the stillness reminding me that I am alive, that I am free.
I offer you here images from my journey accompanied by the words of one of my favorite poets, David Whyte.
*****
The Winter of Listening
No one but me by the fire,
my hands burning
red in the palms while
the night wind carries
everything away outside.
All this petty worry
while the great cloak
of the sky grows dark
and intense
round every living thing.
What is precious
inside us does not
care to be known
by the mind
in ways that diminish
its presence.
What we strive for
in perfection
is not what turns us
into the lit angel
we desire,
what disturbs
and then nourishes
has everything
we need.
What we hate
in ourselves
is what we cannot know
in ourselves but
what is true to the pattern
does not need
to be explained.
Inside everyone
is a great shout of joy
waiting to be born.
Even with the summer
so far off
I feel it grown in me
now and ready
to arrive in the world.
All those years
listening to those
who had
nothing to say.
All those years
forgetting
how everything
has its own voice
to make
itself heard.
All those years
forgetting
how easily
you can belong
to everything
simply by listening.
And the slow
difficulty
of remembering
how everything
is born from
an opposite
and miraculous
otherness.
Silence and winter
has led me to that
otherness.
So let this winter
of listening
be enough
for the new life
I must call my own.
-David Whyte, from House of Belonging
Wishing you the peace and beauty of winter. May you find yourself listening closely to everything and discovering how you sweetly belong. May you hear the great shout of joy within you and set it free to arrive in the world.
-Christine Valters Paintner
at Abbey of the Arts
(*all photos taken around the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle where I live, and yes, that's me all rosy-cheeked and snow-covered)
You can find another Visual Meditation for the Solstice here
I am so glad I got to vicariously walk with you this morning! The images are stunning and the poem is such a deep invitation. Thanks for this beauty! xo -Bets
stunning combination of words & images. & i absolutely love that you included a snow-covered you!!! xoxoxo
Awesome images… I've been struggling against what is…with the weather… Your pictures and poem reminded to just embrace the imposed simplification of my scheduled life.
I've been listening to David Whyte's CD's lately. I could hear him speaking the poems as I read. Thanks for sharing your delight. Sharie
This was perfect to read as I sit in my little writing room, enjoying our first snow day, waiting for the first flake to fall. The flow of these images, the shock of those brilliant red berries, the wonder of the poem – thank you.
All those years
forgetting
how easily
you can belong
to everything
simply by listening
This is something I will try very hard not to forget.
Blessings,
Marisa
Fabulous images and a gift of a wonderful poem which is new to me, so thanks for brightening up my day with these quiet truths.
love and peace, Dave
beautiful beautiful photos and a beautiful You. there is nothing quite as wonderful than snow falling on you filling you with peace.
Dear friend,
It looks much the same here. I wish you all the same this season. I always leave with a sense of peace from this site.
Thanks Christine…..beautiful snow covered images of our neighborhood. I forwarded the visual meditation on to Katie and Mike.
That was beautiful. Merry Christmas!
Thank you for the wonderful comments here. I delighted in every single one of them and so glad I could share the beauty with you.
I loved the beautiful pictures celebrating the beauty of winter.
I'm late commenting, but still wanted to share with you how grateful I am for the introduction to the poetry of David Whyte. And the fourth picture down, of the tree close, is stunning.
Dearest Christine,
thank you for the grace you brought to the beauty around you–on behalf of that wonder-ful scene, I dare say that it was completed in the eye of the creator by your delight in it. And that final photo of you with rosy cheeks…that glimpse looked familiar and dear to my own eye. So…joy all around.
We have a similar scene outside and I confess that I've been too weighed down by the expectations of the season to lift my expectant eyes to the purity of the snow scenes outdoors much less to go out with a camera and stroll around with a spirit of discovery. Thank you for reminding me that the gifts of the season are really free and abundant and not at all what we contrive with our frenzy to think of everything and do it all "right".
And blessings on your Christmas and on your art and work/play.
Beheld,
Rachelle O.
Oh My! How beautiful! Thank you so much for your post with such lovely winter photos. Many blessings on this Winter Solstice!
my daughter is keeping me posted on the snow…I can't be with her this Christmas but seeing your photos helped me visualize the beauty that is surrounding her.
This was so lovely to experience.
Thank You for sharing.
Deep Peace,
Pamela
Thanks for this beautiful post.
We all need to listen in this busy holiday season.
God bless you.
Thank you for sharing such beauty. I miss the snow so much and your photos filled my yearning, many thanks. I cannot express my longing for winter, it is so deep within me. My solstice walk was along three beaches here in sunny LA. But, I miss the stillness, the standing still and the deep listening that happens during the midwinter quiet of the year as I await for the flame, the spark, the sun (son) to whisper on in the silence.
I spent yesterday reading Peace and Happiness by Susyn Reeves and awoke this morning to find a link to your website…thank you for giving me true peace and happiness this solstice week…and introducing me to David Whyte…whose poetry I will try to find during my shopping this week….your pictures have also placed a sacredness inside of me which cannot be described…nature speaks to us if we but listen….your photography has inspired me to grab my camera this morning and venture out…in Baltimore, we don't have the snow, yet, but it's very cold and the stars right now are breathtaking…Blessed Be….
What a beautiful entry. The poem is so evocative and speaks directly to the soul. I dont celebrate xmas but have just celebrated the winter solstice yesterday with my family and similar to many people at xmas I got caught up with cooking the meal and making sure everyone was having a good time. My youngest daughter has been ill with a tummy bug in the night and is sleeping still so I am alone with the internet and a mug of tea and taking the opportunity to be in the moment and listening for the message in the season. Reading this in the quiet of my living room it spoke the message loud and clear.
Thanks for sharing it.
blessings
Greetings from Maine! Hello Christine: We had a foot of beautiful snow delivered on Sunday (must have been the same storm blowing from your Pacific to our Atlantic. I will be seeing Nancy and Larz tomorrow. Thank you for your gift to see and transmit essentials; The visual art accompanied by parallel thought becomes a powerful prayer. Your work is lifting the whole world up a notch or two ! Peace and Joy…
Hi Christine!
It was a lovely shock to come across your page from a link from another website. We were in the same poetry class aeons ago in Sacramento at Sacramento City College.
I figured your name is unique and it had to be you! I know you are an amazing poet and now I come across this delightful blog and know we had more in common than poetry. I went by Denise Johnson back then but I wonder if you remember that summertime evening class where everyone was so stellar! May the best of the Yuletide season be yours in richest measure, Christine! It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance again.
Blessed Be,
Frangelica Zen
I LOVE THIS PIECE, THE PHOTOS AND YOUR VISION IN LIFE. I FOUND YOU THROUGH WAVERLY FITZ.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVELY POETRY.
Christine, I have come upon your website and blog on New Years Eve in a warm and sunny Australia. What a joy it was to walk through those wonderful snowy landscapes and read that poetry; I could feel the deep quiet of winter within me.
Thank you, Heather Keens
Being an east coast transplant, my heart still is alive and well in Seattle. To see these wonderful pictures accompanied by awesome poetry inspires my mind, body & spirit.
Thank you.