Nature is the Best Preacher

Yesterday Swami's picture fell on the floor. I have it framed in a fairly substantial wooden frame so it made a resounding 'wham'. I believe that everything that happens contains some sort of message from the Lord. Psychiatrists call it 'magical thinking' but we think of it as really 'miraculous thinking', and it wasn't difficult to figure out that message. Swami told the wonderful old teacher from Anantapur, can't think of her name...ah...Gopinath...who could ever forget a name like that..anyway He told her possibly 60 years ago when she was hurt because everyone was given a picture but her...He told her that pictures fade and tare but the divine form in the heart, is permanent. So I put the picture on the table and thought of His form as being all around me, above me, and all of that. Bliss. When imagining Him this way, the details seem to get blurred a little and the orange gown and hair acquire sort of a bellowing effect. Bliss. 'I really must do this more often' I thought to myself as I picked up the framed picture again to carry into the next room. It is blissful to imagine Him in the clouds and tree tops but...oh that precious smile. So this morning in meditation I thought about seeing Him in nature.

He has said that 'nature is the best preacher'. And so I looked at the top of my calender and read this; “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”..by Frank Lloyd Wright. I remember that Swami often spoke of the elements, fire and earth, water and air...I think He included 'ether' too which confused me as I couldn't see the difference between ether and air but then, what do I know. Anyway when He would start going on like that about nature, I would tune out my mind. A bit boring, I thought. Wasn't there a saint, a Hindu saint who worshiped 21 gurus or something and they were all elements of nature. I don't remember but...Dakshinamurty comes to mind. Maybe that's 'my path'. Over 30 years with the Lord Incarnate and I'm still looking for a path. I'm being silly but I think there are paths within paths and maybe loving nature is just another dimension of the Vedic path. This morning I started thinking about 'lava flows' and 'ocean sprays', Swami walking along beach. Swami gliding like a swan through the galaxies...and I really had a very nice meditation even though I know that He has said meditation is when the mind is still and single pointed...my 'ha ha meditation' doesn't reach that state easily. But Bliss was there this morning and I really did feel happy thinking about that 'lava flow'. I have friends who live on the 'big island' in Hawaii. I wonder if they 'get off' on the 'lava flow' which is in their back yard. I think I'll email this blog to them and we'll find out!! Isn't that just a kick in the head. This IT has made communicating such a unique opportunity hasn't it. Another dimension of the Vedic Path? Maybe it is...maybe everything is.

Ah yes, the Vedic Path, the eternal absolute. I know that I will have to put aside my statues and idols one of these days and really concentrate on the Truth. Swami has said that Lord Ganesha is really 'the consciousness of strength' and I really should think of Him in that way and stop draping malas around His sweet neck and I could do that except...I don't want to hurt His precious feelings. He looks so sad when I stop.