Of Women and Water

When you and a heart-conscious friend drive around with the intention of joyfulness and offering blessings for the Waters and all Beings, you get led to a spiral circle of stones near the River.

You feel the miracle of Life itself unfold as you let go of thinking about ceremony and just move into it, setting up fresh blessing Herbs from the garden and making offerings to the Land for holding space for you.

Then you pull out your singing bowls with an open heart and start playing, allowing the music to move through you in deep gratitude for this day, this circle of Stones, this life, all Life. You find yourself asking forgiveness from the River that was recently contaminated by an oil spill, and you open to receive teachings on how we humans can come into right relationship with all that is.

The flow of music and gratitude near the River draws the attention of a group of young women, intrigued by the sound. Their whispers of wonder carry on the wind from the bridge above, but they do not interrupt. They stand and listen and wait.

My friend and I finish our meditation and prayers and invite them to join us - and they do.

They are curious about the bowls, the herbs, and our prayers, and we learn a little about each other. They are from around the world, living and learning together in a nearby school. Despite our different spiritual paths and cultures, there is an air of respect and reverence in our exchange. We offer to share our singing bowls with them, and they receive them, enthusiastically wanting to play.

I show the first young woman how to play and she quickly entices the bowl to sing. When her song is done, she is beaming and her eyes are lit with joy. She passes it to the next woman, who needs a bit more time to feel her way through. I show her how to hold the bowl, guide her hands to sense the movement around the rim, and encourage her to listen with her heart. The music moves through her and the bowl sings for her too. She makes a long, deep sigh of contentment at the end of her turn, and I talk a little about the pitch of the bowl and how different sounds are felt in different places in the body. Everyone is in agreement that the sound from this bowl reaches our hearts.

Then she passes the bowl to the next woman and SHOWS HER HOW TO PLAY. And so it goes. . . each young woman takes a turn, learning from the woman before her, and then teaches the next woman. My friend and I watch in wonder at this natural exchange, and we joyfully receive their songs.

This was a completely serendipitous experience.

Women showed up in the same place at the same time with heart-centered curiosity, gratitude, and a willingness to learn from one other in the presence of a River.

No planning. No formal teaching. . .

Women flowing effortlessly from curious student to gracious teacher, held by a circle of Stones and bonded by willingness, wonder, and gratitude.

Nature re-members our belonging.

If you have lost hope, sit with this story. Go to the River. Offer Gratitude and ask for Forgiveness. Sing, dance, drum. Find the Women; we know a way home.