See The Flower, Be The Flower

I wish I could say I thought this one up myself. I got it from a picture taken by my very dear friend Teal Freenote. It was an adorable picture of tiny Teal in a lavender flower print dress in a field of flowers. It struck me on several levels. Resonated deep within me. A mini lesson in the essence of life in a moment.

I can't think of anything more calming and beautiful than looking at flowers. My yard is filled with them because my wife has a horticulture degree and she loves to tinker in our yard. In the spring it is one surprise after another with a new splash of color or just watching the butterflies move from bloom to bloom. Seeing the flower for me opens a door to perceiving the capacity for simplicity and beauty in the world. Jesus even recognized it when he told us "consider the lillies of the field they neither toll nor sweat but look how beautiful they are." (wildly paraphrased of course). Supposedly, the Buddha transmitted Zen to a disciple just by holding up a Lotus Blossom. So there is no question there is a transcendental aspect to "seeing the flower." That connection with beauty, is both calming and meditative.

The next step is a little harder because our lives have become a spurious fight to not be a "have not". We are under tremendous pressure to perform for our various earthly masters to stay out of jail and stay out of the hospital and still have something to do at night. It has become a science to take our money and give us the least amount of value possible for it. This leaves us chapped and feeling slightly used and often the things we do buy are only fleetingly satisfying because they either are less than the marketing material or they break. So many mornings when you wake up it's very hard to think "be the flower." It's a shame because being the flower is the essence of graceful living. Being the flower means bringing that part of you that connects with the flower (and ultimately the universe) forward into your personal reality. It means letting go of struggling to be beautiful and just being. It means being the landing spot for butterflies and bees who will get a little tipsy off your nectar then fly away. It means blooming where you are planted and not delaying your happiness until this or that can be accomplished.

Ultimately, it means that being happy is not the result of effort but the free gift of existing in the moment without hesitation or fear. I'll be writing much more about seeing the flower and being the flower in weeks to come. Thanks Teal and Mrs. Xackr for the inspiration you provide.