Acorn Meditation

Here’s how the following insights from an acorn came about.

I set the intention this morning that our focus for meditation group tonight would come from some inspiration that happened during my day. Then I went about my day. I left work with about 30 minutes left before meditation and I was driving along thinking, "Hmmm, no inspiration so far. I wonder what we will do during meditation." A little further down the road I found that the image of an acorn popped into my mind. “Oh,” I thought to myself. “We will focus on acorns! Seeds! How lovely.”

I changed my course and headed to a park where I knew I would find acorns. I picked up a handful, some with their caps and some without. I was filled with gratitude for the oak tree. I reached down and picked up a small acorn with its cap on and found that there was a second cap attached to it, but no acorn in that one.  I had a moment of hesitation, hoping that the missing acorn wouldn’t make someone at meditation feel sad. Yes, that is how my heart works. :-)

Before I had gotten out of my car at the park I realized that my phone was nowhere to be found, meaning that I would have to run back to work to get it. So once I had found my acorns I thought I was going to have to rush to work to get my phone, which we use as our meditation ending chime. As I opened my car door I noticed my phone on the floor. Yay! So now I had a few more minutes. The park was so lovely that I got back out of the car and went to sit under a sycamore tree that I like. I sat for a few minutes with my eyes closed and soon felt an urge to open my eyes and look around me on the ground. When I looked down I saw what looked like a beautifully carved bead.  Upon closer inspection, much to my surprise and delight, I found that it was a seed!  There were several of them around. I picked up a few and went happily off to meditation.

At the space we use for meditation I looked around for a CD we might use and came across one called Liquid Silk by Marina Raye. I tried it out and found that it was gorgeous Native American flute music accompanied by sounds of nature, including an owl! On the cover of the CD it said, “Journey to the Heart of Peace.” It felt and sounded perfect!

When it came time for our sit, I found myself called to the twin acorn caps. As I sat with them in my hand, I smiled. I discovered not only didn’t the empty cap make me feel sad; it wasn’t really empty at all. I was shown that the empty cap was actually filled with the possibilities of seeds already planted. Seeds that I had sown along the way, as well as seeds that had been planted within me by circumstances or by others. What seemed like emptiness was truly limitless potential, was life taking root and growing, flowering and bearing fruit. The other cap with its tiny acorn still intact was a reminder to be conscious of the seeds I sow each moment. It was a reminder to think of what is within me that I want to share and plant, nurture and grow; a reminder to sow seeds of loving kindness and peace.

So much wisdom in something so small, the perfect balance of emptiness and fullness. I am grateful.

Somehow beyond my understanding, this is for my friend Molly.