The Daydream, 1880, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
The Daydream, 1880, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

“HIDING…

is a way of staying alive. Hiding is a way of holding ourselves until we are ready to come into the light. Even hiding the truth from ourselves can be a way to come to what we need in our own necessary time. …

We live in a time of the dissected soul, the immediate disclosure; our thoughts, imaginings and longings exposed to the light too much, too early and too often, our best qualities squeezed too soon into a world already awash with too easily articulated ideas that oppress our sense of self and our sense of others.

Magdalene with the Smoking Mirror, Georges De La Tour, 1640
Magdalene with the Smoking Mirror, Georges De La Tour, 1640

What is real is almost always to begin with, hidden, and does not want to be understood by the part of our mind that mistakenly thinks it knows what is happening.

What is precious inside us does not care to be known by the mind in ways that diminish its presence.”

Excerpted from ‘Hiding’, from Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words, by the Poet, David Whyte. Shared via Mr. Whyte’s Facebook page, where you can read the full musing – highly recommended inspiration.

“What is precious inside us does not care to be known … in ways that diminish its presence.”

Amen to that.

And what is precious within us rises like the plant to the sun when in the presence of those who hold us sacred, who affirm and invite that from us, and reflect it back to us.

Psyche Entering Cupid's Garden (1905, John William Waterhouse)
Psyche Entering Cupid’s Garden (1905, John William Waterhouse)

As I read this musing from David Whyte, shared by a friend on Facebook, I thought of our believing mirrors (and those who diminish, as well), and am filled with gratitude for the believing mirrors I’ve had along the way.

They sometimes sparkled like rare gems in a sea of diminishing-mirrors, and were all the more precious to me because of it.

I also thought that it’s wise to gather back our energy and be more discerning about what with share with whom, because we can easily dissipate ourselves and end up, as Bilbo Baggins says, feeling like too little butter spread over too much bread. Spread too thin, we open ourselves to a variety of things that don’t necessarily contribute to our wellbeing (that’s a post in itself!).

And finally I thought of the delicious pleasure of things we keep sacred, and the hidden gardens and secret gates that open or reveal themselves to us — often quite unexpectedly — along our path.

So here’s my blessing and my wish for you…

May you be blessed with a tribe of anam cara and believing mirrors who reflect back all that’s beautiful and worthy in you, and who hold sacred your budding visions and generously bless your adventures underway!

Big Love,

Jamie