21.8.2008

Can we count the number of stars in the sky?

I just walked out of my room at 9.30pm to watch the clear night sky with beaming stars scattered, some hanging out together in constellations, some hanging out alone and the milky way…I wonder when I will be able to see a sky like this in London again?

As I was taken back by its beauty it also gave me time to reflect back on the day and be grateful for the home John and Lucy have created for their students. This morning was a bit of a blur for many of us, physically and mentally exhausted. It is the type of tiredness whereby you simply surrender and get very earthed out. It is the kind of tiredness that is very enticing, getting you to eat, melt into your surface and be horizontal most of the day. We especially feel for Takako who has the longest practise in the class and she was so tired this morning that it was difficult for her to make sentences.

Anyhow, at the end of my yoga practise I found a ladybird on my blanket that climbed up to my hand and I spent minutes that felt more like hours simply watching this ladybird:

I watched a ladybird in my palm

Knuckles appear to be mountains

Valleys of my skin creases

A long journey it had

Sometimes in circles

The adventure came to an end

As the beautiful ladybird

Finally smiled, expanded its wings

And flew across to the statue of dancing Shiva

To another venture

Life of the ladybird

Maybe short, maybe lonely

But in its own eyes an unknown mystery