May 10, 2023

It occurred only inches apart.  A meditation circle and “let me be one with the earth” experiences of two boys.   One photo, shows a calm neat circle (boy #1), the other photo we see (boy #2) covered by a mound of dirt.  A visual juxtaposition, but when you consider it intuitively, you realize that they both created their own meditative spaces.

As boy #2 sat down on the path, he began to move the sand/dirt mixture through his fingers. Back and forth, creating little finger tip trails.  As time passed, he began to pile the grains between his legs.  Repeating this movement at least a hundred times, as he sat for at least 30 minutes.  He hardly spoke but was enmeshed in creating his pile.  Uninterrupted, he used the same movements with a hypnotic flow.  He is a child who is normally in constant movement but in this instant, he felt comfortable being still.

Right next to him boy #1 announced, “I am going to meditate!”  I asked him how he learned how to do that and he said, “I was born knowing how to do it!”  Then he proceeded to draw a circle to sit in.  The first phase of his meditation was short and sweet, all while boy #2, who was right next to him, continued to pile on the grains.

Finally, boy #1 decided that the meditation circle needed to be outlined in rocks.  Off he went to gather rocks. He invited me to help him collect some rocks so I agreed and he rewarded me with a very large meditation circle of my own. 

While this was occurring, there another boy (#3, not pictured) relaxing on a rich green mound of moss.  He remained there for at least 15 minutes, alone, quietly picking and perhaps looking for something.  This was another meditative scenario.  It was lovely to see him taking his time exploring Mother Nature’s soft carpet.

Having no real plan as we walked into the woods, the children freely created their own journeys.  With no one to say, “stop it”, “you are getting dirty” or “come on let’s go” they found their own peace.  How wonderful.