Rejuvenation at the Merced River

May 9, 2010

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.

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Robin Mallery

Robin Mallery is passionate about food! Starting from where and how it's grown, to how far that food travels to the dinner table, to how it is prepared and savored...Robin blends shopping, cooking, and eating tips with her unique Kitchen Zen and mindful meals approach to enjoying real food.

While you are waiting for her to finish the upcoming book, "Kitchen Zen: The Journey to Nourish Body and Soul in Our Changing World", you can find Robin's sporadic blog posts here or on FaceBook.