March 23rd — Morning Stroll in Nara, Japan

March 23rd — Nara, Japan

March 23rd consisted of an early morning stroll.

One where I could listen to the deep sleep of the people. A moment to move through the restfulness of the city, slowly, gently, feeling the state of my body. The awareness of the knots coiled in my hips, an ancient archive of emotion. I took the time to stretch through them.

With each breath and movement, I could consciously feel and welcome vitality.

At the temple, I prayed. Candles were lit all around me, blessed by the power of fire during a time when clarity and crispness prevailed, gently rising from the lingering hush of the night. This act was a thoughtful gesture from a citizen of the world, for whom I am deeply grateful.

As I reached the park, I took the time to sing to the hundreds of deer I was surrounded by. Some tilted their heads, some bowed. Others remained uninterested and some asleep.

The sensory experience was pronounced. The sweet scent of cherry blossoms intertwined with the air. The gradual progression of lighting and colours drawn across the sky. The touch of the wind and the temperature rising in synchronicity with the sun. The sound of crows, of bells, and the street lights mimicking birds with either cuckoo or piyo sounds.

I was the only human in sight, but I did not come close to stroking the chord of loneliness.

Life, thank you for giving me the guidance to witness us in all our beauty.