Nov 17, 2010

Questioning as 'Practice'






It's grey. It's November. I have a list that is much too long..awaiting my attention. I ate too much. I slept too little. My big toe aches. There isn't enough time in my busy day.

There are always so many very good reasons - all perfectly valid - why not to attend to whatever it is we practice. But - we practice anyway. Of - I do. By turning off our thinking minds..we get into what grounds and inspires us. We invite in what we need...and let go of what won't serve us on that particular day.

Those of us who are entrenched in a daily ritual and routine can't imagine how they might get through their day without it.

Lately - I've found myself questioning. Should I roll out my mat...should I not? Should I to out with my camera..or is this day too rainy..too cold..to un-inspiringly grey? Strangely and surprisingly - it is within those questions that I'm finding a whole new and different practice. This one - about trustint what I already know to be true. No matter what..no matter where or when. Sometimes it's better not to 'ask' too many questions..and simply to 'do'.

Within the familiarity and framework of that daily practice is where I'm found. My feet solid on the earth beneath me. My head - free and clear and reaching for the sky above. Ready to create..to find a spot of unexpected color in an otherwise monochrome and very ordinary day.

What is it that you do that inspires? That grounds? That defines and structures your day?

11 comments:

Kathryn Dyche said...

What a beautiful post. Being surrounded by nature is what inspires and grounds me. I only have to look out of my window to see the trees surrounding me, embracing me. As for structure, I hate it and love being fortunate enough to just go with the flow, whereever the day might take me.

Joella said...

for me it's so many things...music, meditation, yoga, and sometimes it's just my everyday surroundings that bring inspiration my way:)

Monica de Moss said...

What defines and structures my day is how much effort it took to get my body out of bed! LOL

The rest of my day is usually an open book. Every day I have a blank chapter waiting to be written. Some days I have a blurb or two already entered and waiting for edit.
I hope that you and everyone else finds what inspires / defines and grounds their days and that each one of you can fill your chapters in this book of life.

Lori said...

I love your daily practices posts. I struggle with sticking with anything on a regular basis. I do agree that it is sometimes better to just do rather than ask too many questions. Thanks for your wisdom.

ELK said...

i find comfort knowing that many ask those same questions that I do..i should be walking the dog right now actually..i appreciate the thoughts and direction in this post Marcie..I am going to get the leash...my dog says thanks!

d smith kaich jones said...

you will laugh, but it is the moment the "workday" officially ends. when the ever-wonderful other heads out the door to meet with his friends for a drink (his grounding, his structure), when the printers & processors are finally silent, and it is just me & lily cat. where once i needed to rush home to deal with another cat, where there is now no need - in those moments i come to earth, come to silence, feel my shoulders relax, feel my bones settle into themselves. if the day has been hard, i cry. i stop all the other stuff and tend to me.

lol - you should be able to tell i am almost there. it is also the time i begin to write. :)

Debi

Jamie said...

I so need to get past the questioning to the doing! Thanks for the gentle nudges

Simon said...

Wonderful post. I ask myself those questions too....and what an inspired thought-don't ask, just do. Thanks. Lovely image and definitely very November.

dbalyoz said...

i'm finding that its sometimes in the questioning, in the questing, in the resting and in the celebrating that the practice gets done. thanks for the wonderful questions...denise

kelly@thebluemuse said...

writing is what grounds me. also, my tea in the morning. it is my habit, my ritual, and any day that does not have either of these things feels off to me.
but i know what you mean about the questions, sometimes it happens, we get in a rut, we get lazy, we just don't think anything is there. but when we get there, to the place where we practice, the magic happens.

Justine said...

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