The Bulbul above spent about fifteen minutes on the cable in our courtyard, being present to itself although the feeding table was active with other birds ! The silent presence with different postures of the body is a habit some birds practice !
A bird spends time alone while grooming; when alone they engage in bird calls; they also gauge the environment during such alone times. They create the alone times as part of their rhythm and ritual!
I reflected on the alone times I practice! Often distractions, thoughts and temptation to be analytical, make the alone times crowded! The traction to think and reflect is so strong that remanning silent and 'thought-free' is a challenge!
The interior stillness is a sacred and healing experience! It is in that silence we reach the depth of our being! It is when we become present we meet with the core of our being. This soulful experience initiates us to transcend material or temporal reality of our lives. The materiality that occupies us has a strong hold on us, which makes us people of activities, aspirations and self-promotion.
In the interior stillness, we feel disarmed of thee compulsions and receive a gentle stroke of love, acceptance and affirmation from the God of our lives, in whose presence we would feel immersed!
It is during such occasions we feel enabled to transcend the materiality and embrace the spirituality that resides deep within. To feel loved and experience it during such times of interior stillness leads us to feel restored to be more human.
As humans we live bereft lives without this sense of awareness of our humanity which we co-share with the character of God. The instinct of love generated within us during such alone times of communion with God, is what gives us peace to live our lives mindfully and altruistically!
The stillness of Bulbul reminded me of the interior silence and the sac- redness it brings to life !
It is such a sense of belonging to God that prepares us to receive others, who too bear the image of God in their lives! It is the light within us that helps us to live our calling to 'be a light' to others!
If only the leaders of the nations would have such a light of mindfulness we would not have seen worsening of situations in Gaza, Ukraine, Iran, or Israel!
Our alone times are therefore times of prayer for love to receive the gift of love to 'love our neighbours as ourselves' and 'love our enemies' as proposed by Jesus of Nazareth !
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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