Conscious Connections

Upon reflection, I realize that I have spent a lifetime consciously connecting with nature and others. I remember strolling through my Nonnie's rose gardens during summer months. In school, there was a huge statue of St. Francis surrounded by nature. The nuns spent much time calling our attention to his connection to nature and living beings. When in college, I loved learning about photography and finding opportunities to capture the beauty of nature. I never thought about these pathways as leading me on a spiritual journey until recently.

This morning in yoga class the teacher asked us to be conscious of our movements. It was during meditation time that I connected with my spirit to be centered in thought. 

I 
C onnect with life, finding
O pportunities,
N ew ways to reflect, to
N otice nature more,
E nergize my senses, and
C reate tributes
T o ponder.

 ©CV, 2019

This afternoon as I wandered in my backyard, I was in awe of the flowers, the green vegetation, and the beauty of the sky. I found a scripture verse to give credit for what I saw. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19

One of my favorite hyums that gives tribute to the glory of God and the wonder and majesty of His creation is John Rutter's, For the Beauty of the Earth. You can listen to it below. 

I chose this version sung by the Morman Tabernacle Choir for a specific reason. The photos are beautiful, as are the voices, but in particular, it connects me to a family trip to the Washington, D.C. Morman Temple at Christmastime. It as lit up for public viewing and my grandbaby loved the brilliance of the lights. 

CVarsalona, 2017, Washington D.C. Morman Temple Festival of Lights

For spiritual growth as a caring citizen of the earth and those around me, I  must be filled with conscious connections to grow to a true understanding of myself. Without reflection, the journey becomes a series of destinations rather than an understanding of why I am being led on a certain path. Continuing the journey requires faith, trust, and hope in the Lord.

"Only through our connectedness to others can we really know and enhance the self.

And only through working on the self can we begin 

to enhance our connectedness to others."

-Harriet Goldhor Lerner

I am now joining my friend and Spiritual Journey first Thursday host, Ramona Behnke from Washington.