The rainy season is here. The rain song of the cicada and the frog have been here for a month of sundowns. They are the bards of rain. Two nights ago, the rains began with a blast from Hurricane Blas, the earliest and strongest hurricane recorded here. It passed a good distance off shore but everything on land cowered in its wake. We just erased the signs of the hurricane of last August which entailed months of clearing, cutting, hauling…repeat. The lifeforce of nature presses onward and we ride its impetus or get smothered in vines. If ever one needs a sign of hope for the earth, look down. It is at our feet, ready to entwine us in green growth. Regeneration is natural as breath.

Speaking of breath…the biggest take-away for me from the course on the enneagram has been a regular breathing practice. It begins with a simple awareness of breath. Like the natural impulse for renewal that we see in nature, life simply breathes. Life breathes us and everything. I learned that there are three vital centers of intelligence that are activated by breath and they are meant to inform us as a triad of body, heart and head. Usually, we favor the use of one or two and neglect one or two. These are habits of our personality. Mostly, we’re sleepwalking or on automatic. Unconscious patterns direct our thoughts and actions. When consciousness is brought to the breath it quiets the reflexive activity. The trio of sister intelligences harmonizes into a finer quality of attention. This is a good place to be, literally, to be. Like a tuning fork, resonance comes on line and flows into life on the farm, in relationship with Wally, dogs, plants and into the world. This shift to fine tuning is as easy as breathing on purpose, curious: What is here? Where is the energy in my body? What is my heart too shy to say? Can my mind be open to surprise? 

At this moment, my niece is in labor. I breathe with her as prayer. A new life is being birthed and breath will be the first gift. Breath, pure gift. It is all miracle!