Divine Provision
Last summer I was at a yoga retreat and campout in Estes Park, Colorado. After my first morning of yoga I wasn’t quite ready to be done with the meditative time from savasana. I walked down to the river, rolled out my yoga mat and sat in silence. My body and spirit were conflicted, it was noon and I needed nourishment. I considered walking back to my tent to get an apple, but decided my physical hunger wasn’t as important as my need to listen to Spirit. My life was in transition. I watched clear water ripple over the river’s rocky bottom, releasing desire, allowing my mind to rest in the space that had been created from stretching. Then I laid back and looked up into the sky and treetops. Camouflaged among the leaves of a tree I noticed an apple. I sat up in amazement, suddenly seeing apples all around me on the ground. What a joy! I picked a ripe apple from the tree and ate before returning to meditation.
My spirit had found its way to the one particular spot by the river where its needs could be met without distractions from my body’s hunger. The apple tree was my everyday miracle. It made me ponder how often I’ve been blind to what was being offered when it was right in front of my face. It renewed my faith in listening to my inner guidance and reminded me of the importance of taking care of both physical and spiritual bodies.
This summer I have been on another journey, this one farther away from home, a longer cycle of listening to my inner guidance and trusting the divine mystery. Along the way I have experienced a sense of universal support in the form of beautiful places to rest my head at night, animal and bird messengers, unexpected connections and out of the ordinary topics of conversation with strangers. In parallel, there have been emotionally and financially challenging events, the death of an old family friend, a dog fight, expensive car repairs and the dynamics of spending time close to family. Each an opportunity to respond with fear or love, to use the stirred-up energy to heal or feel wounded.
On the land where I’m house sitting, surrounded by misty forest, there are two apple trees. The fruit is not quite ready but I can see that it will be ripe soon. The apples remind me to notice life’s blessings and receive its nourishment. When I am on the path, choosing love, the universe provides for my needs in the most simple and magical ways.
I love hearing of your real life experiences where you follow your inner leading and find yourself in a place to receive a small miracle, a provision right where and when you need it. When I hear of those happenings, it increases my faith, not only in the wisdom of our own hearts, but in the One who knows what we need and provides it for us.