Finding Contemplative Spaces

It was a typical San Francisco summer day, cool and foggy, so I put on my down-filled vest and headed to the Japanese Tea Garden for a Monday morning walk. I love to walk in gardens. They require me to slow down and savor what’s around me. And the Japanese tea garden is very special and holds a contemplative atmosphere.

Have you ever noticed that when you walk in a garden you find yourself moving with more intention and awareness? You begin to see the pink azaleas, the orange poppies, and the shades of green leaves on the different trees. You begin to notice the shapes of shadows, and you can hear the birds chirping and singing.

There is something about walking in a garden that awakens me to contemplation, to being more present in the moment, and appreciating the colors, shapes, textures and feeling of nature: the plants, flowers, trees, rocks, and water.

As I continued wandering around, following a cobblestone path, walking through the hall of maple trees, pausing at a large bronze Buddha statue, and admiring the bonsai trees, I lost track of time. It was delightful! And I noticed how relaxed my body had become. It was as if the landscape itself was seeping into me, and a quietness was settling into me.

I was grateful for the gift of contemplation this space was giving me, inviting me to slow down and become more attentive. I felt I had become part of the landscape. Filled with respect and gratitude, I spontaneously began taking pictures of my feet and my hands in the space, as a way to honor my experience there.

 

As we enter more fully into the summer months, I invite you to live surrender in the moments of your day and week by taking a contemplative walk: in a garden, a church, a museum, any place that slows you down and allows you to savor the moment with awe, respect, and gratitude.

Practice:

Can you find a contemplative space that allows you to slow down, be more present, and release more fully into the experience of ‘just being there?’