Up Close And Personal

Greetings! I wrote this over a year ago and saved it in reserve for a time when I would rather be playing outside than sitting indoors writing. Enjoy, and out the door I go with my loupe in hand. — Jane

After laying on the earth yesterday my body felt like I’d had a massage and chiropractic adjustment, my mind began creating instead of spinning, I felt happy to be alive and slept deeply. Thanks Earth!

As I lay on the ground today, watching flocks of birds overhead, entertained by the ever changing patterns of light play above me, I felt like a kid again. Truth be told, I need to play more; lying on the grass in the middle of the day felt really yummy, and satisfied some longing to not be doing so much.

My mind roamed to other easy, fast, fun, free, accessible things I have done in Nature to satisfy the need to unplug, reorient, and see the world from a different point of view.

I’m going to let you in on one of the best-kept secrets — the loupe. Also known as a hand lens, this small device, easy to put in your pocket or on a cord around your neck, allows you to magnify what you are looking at by at least 10 times.

I just spent a glorious chunk of time outside peering into the insides of the flowers blooming in my small garden. Wow, it was so intimate! Stamens, pollen, bugs, and so much beauty! Many of the flowers had bugs inside, reminding me that everything that exists has a right to live, has intelligence, came from the same creator, and can cooperate if met with awareness and respect.

There is a sensation in my heart right now of fullness, warmth, and an outward reaching pulse. I feel very connected to life and happy to be here. The time I spent outside today laying on the grass and looking deeply inside of lemon balm, roses, yarrow, and the tight skin of an almost ripe tomato somehow helped me shift into a lighter, more resilient state. Writing is new to me and I have had moments of classic “writer’s block” where I abandoned the writing to go organize my silverware drawer, fold and stack all my T- shirts by color… you get the picture. I’m finding that taking these small moments in the day to leave my desk and just BE are incredibly therapeutic and life giving.

In Alaska or Hawaii, when we are making an essence, we usually lay down during part of the attunement process to listen with our whole bodies to wisdom from the earth. Peering into the flower to glimpse an understanding of the beauty and complexity of its structure always thrills and delights me.

Next time you are buying a gift for someone, starting with yourself, consider a loupe. Small, quiet, inexpensive, uses no energy, gives endless pleasure. What’s not to love about that?

Go forth and peer, and let me know what you discover!