Four days in Yosemite–a marvelous treat. A time for savoring simple beauty; reveling in the warm sun and cool air; my heart filled with joy, in reverence of the new blooms and buds, the mating and nesting birds; and a wonderful gift of allowing my mind to quiet, to unplug, to breathe, to feel, to be.

Water brings to me a feeling of letting go, of liberation and rejuvenation. The Merced is a mighty river, wild and full this time of year, much of it moving swiftly and powerfully, a seething white water ribbon of unruliness. While I am indeed mesmerized by stunning force of this part of the river, I am drawn to the placid, glassy and calm flat water.  I sit quietly on a flat rock to evoke my favorite visualization: the metaphor of letting go. In the sitting and quieting, my heart opens to joy and gratitude as I contemplate the many aspects of richness that fill my day–love, learnings, givings, my work, connecting with others, nourishing food, comfortable home, taking care of myself… and, as it will, tougher feelings come up as well–hurt, anxiety, fear, anger… When these strong tougher feelings are clear to me, I “place” them on a leaf, ceremoniously giving them up and letting them go, then gently set the leaf on the water, watching it float away. I honor the feeling of lightness and expansiveness that floods into me then.