Bonus: this is also fundamental to ikebana—Japanese Flower Arranging, a meditation-in-action: Ikebana: Japanese Flower Arranging, a Contemplative Art or Meditation-in-Action.

Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis Presents…

Waylon demonstrates how to use natural hierarchy to uplift your life without being uptight.

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Many of us have an expectation that spirituality should be pleasant, pretty, affirming. It can be. But it can also be tough, scary, uncomfortable.

What it is, most fundamentally, is natural. In harmony with Nature, we learn to abide by its laws. Like a tree, we connect with the earth, below. We are nurtured by its stabilizing presence. Like a tree, we connect with the sky above, reaching up and out, enjoying the warm sun and the rain. Like a tree, our strength is in our shoulders, our chest. It is there that our heart warms, that friendship happens, that society arises.

We practice connecting all three properly in the bow. Head, to heart, down to earth, and back up again.

Below: Lu. Above: Lha. In between, Nyen. Our spirituality, here, is formal. Not uptight, not another reason to guilt-trip ourselves. But it demands an observant respect for the natural laws. We don’t mix the three—putting our hat on the ground, or our feet on a table, or the book or our clothes on the floor. We honor each, placing them properly. Like remembering to turn off a light switch, that mindfulness itself provides helpful reference points of dignity and presence throughout our life.

Living in harmony with Nature demands we practice an observant respect for its laws. Like a tree, we are nurtured by the stabilizing yet gentle presence of the rich earth, below; and reach up and out to the sky above, enjoying the warm sun and rain. Our strength and warmth are in our shoulders, our chest. It is there that friendship happens, and society arises. We honor all three properly in the bow: connecting Lha (our head), to Nyen (our heart, shoulders), down to Lu (legs, feet), and back up again. 

Without guilt-tripping ourselves, we avoid mixing Lha, Nyen, and Lu—putting our hat on the ground, our feet on a table, a book or our clothes on the floor. We honor each by placing things properly. Like remembering to turn off a light switch, this mindfulness provides a helpful reference point of dignity throughout our day. ~ It’s Never too Late to Fall in Love with your Life

This is an excerpt from my soon-forthcoming second book, It’s Never too Late to Fall in Love with your Life: A Collection of Precious Wisdom for Everyday Life. It’s 108 quotes, with commentary. Pre-order it and save $5. All preorders will be signed, free!

Read more from It’s Never too Late to Fall in Love with your Life:

• F*ck Minimalism. F*ck Modern. Give me Joyously Cluttered, Antique, Upcycled, Repurposed.
• A Dog isn’t (just) a Gift. It’s a Responsibility.

 

Relephant:

A Practical Buddhist Technique to make Meetings & Meals Better.

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Editor/Photo: Rachel Nussbaum