EPHEMERAL BODY, ETERNAL SOUL

darkness becomes light

anticipating, revealing, warming, lifting

you are present, in this moment

connected to all that came before and all who follow

pausing, yet moving

beauty, light, peace, stillness

you witness the unfolding of the day

awash in anticipation of what is to come

seeing without understanding

reverence, openness, love, awe

you are effortless, succumbing

reminded of your smallness and your importance

sense of place, time fleeing

feeling the Earth beneath and immersed in the sky above

you move urgently into the vivid day

wishing, seeing, believing, striving

riding the thermals of possibility

rising, soaring, falling, drifting ‘til

you are wrenched by the tides

relentless, ebbing toward times past

memories run toward darkness, threatening to leave you

longing to hold fast to experiences and feelings

something unknown approaches

foreboding, shivering, dreadful, quaking

you relent, and only then see the light

tangerine, scarlet, azure, violet

light becomes dark

cyclical, reunited, comprehending, calm

A note from the author:

Sunrise and sunset provide daily opportunities for a short mindfulness experience. They can lift your spirits, fill you with awe and anticipation, and open your mind to introspection, thoughtfulness, and gratitude. And these positive mindsets and emotions are gateways to heightened creativity, improved productivity, more social connections, and better overall physical and mental health.

The power of these transient experiences lies not only in the beauty they create through their light and energy, but also in the very fact that they are momentary. It is their ephemerality that reminds you of your own mortality. The circle of life played out before your eyes.

And though they are evanescent in one sense, the rising and falling of the day is also rhythmic, constant, and predictable. While not quite eternal, the movement of the Earth and the Sun represent constants in the lives of humans.

Witnessing the sun departing and then returning out of the darkness fills you with belief in the continuity of life on Earth and fosters feelings of resilience. And though neither you nor the Earth are eternal, you are connected to something that is infinite and never-ending. The romance between the Earth and the Sun reminds you that you are part of something larger, connected to the universe and to the multitude of other beings that share the universe with you.

Here is an offering, with the hope of assisting you to put words to the undeniable power of the turning of the Earth, the passage of time, and the rise and fall of the sun. It is a reminder that although your body is ephemeral, your soul is eternal.

Michael

Photo credit: Tim Manske tmanskephoto.com