Slow down, look around
An invitation into presence
I’ve been pulling the Empress card reversed for a couple of weeks consecutively. I understand this as invitation into presence. Recently, I’ve been moving at a rapid pace, trying to get it all done. I’ve found that I’ve become increasingly forgetful. I keep losing track of my belongings. I’ve also lost track of my breathing — my connection to the Earth below me and the sky above.
Presence and appreciation both require us to slow down and soften into an energy of receptivity.
I was walking through the East Village yesterday, on my way to run an errand before work, and found myself hovering outside a cafe. There was a large wreath on the door and twinkling lights inside. If I were to stop in, I’d have to abandon my errand. I hesitated before ducking inside.
“To stay or to go?” the waitress asked me.
“To stay.”
I found a small table tucked into a corner and luxuriated in front of a single mug of coffee. I wrote this poem ~
To savor the flavor
we must slow down
This need for speed
makes the Earth frown
Tomorrow is no guarantee
we only have today
It’s a challenge to stay present but
where there’s a will, there’s a way
