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| Photo by Taruna Goel (Ambleside Beach, West Vancouver, Oct 24) |
I didn't think I'd get poetic here but life surprises us in wonderful ways. This morning, I read the most beautiful post by Maria Popova in "The Marginalian". This week's post was a celebration of the 18th anniversary of the birth of The Marginalian where she shared her top 18 learnings from writing The Marginalian for 18 years. All learnings are insightful and beautifully articulated but the 8th one especially spoke to me.
8. Seek out what magnifies your spirit.
"Patti Smith, in discussing William Blake and her creative influences, talks about writers and artists who magnified her spirit — it’s a beautiful phrase and a beautiful notion. Who are the people, ideas, and books that magnify your spirit? Find them, hold on to them, and visit them often. Use them not only as a remedy once spiritual malaise has already infected your vitality but as a vaccine administered while you are healthy to protect your radiance."
Reading this got me wondering who are the people, ideas, and books that magnify my spirit? I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and calm knowing I have more than a few...
Perhaps the biggest magnifier of my spirit is Nature. It completes my lived experience like nothing else can. I feel a deep, spiritual connection to Nature as it effortlessly prompts the feelings of joy, reflection, peace, and gratitude within me; I am constantly in awe of it and endlessly inspired by it. The most magical effect of Nature is that it reminds me of how little I matter against the vastness of the universe and at the same time it magnifies my inner light in ways that are bigger than I can imagine.
Poetic much?
Who are the people, ideas, and books that magnify your spirit?
If you don't follow Maria Popova's work already, here's a gentle nudge to give it a try.