the power of a beautiful question

The poetry of David Whyte captures the human experience of longing, soul searching and the drive towards meaning making. It powerfully directs us back to the often muffled inner voice which is such a potent guide when we allow the space to listen. Sweet balm for our battered souls.

wonder | wander | women value the benefits of carving out time in our lives to go on regular retreats. Purposefully disengage and seclude from the material and mundane. Retire to some serene sanctuary for self renewal. 

prairie grass

For the past three years our annual pilgrimages were interrupted. It was concerning to risk travel or exposing ourselves outside our bubble of safety during these pandemic years. Home based retreats are the preferred option for now. 

Contemplation and reflection can be sought anywhere, anytime - provided our intention is clear. The beautiful question is one that has the power to shift our thinking, catalyze inner change and open us to new possibilities aligned with our deepest longings and truth. 

stormy sunset

David Whyte explains the power of a beautiful question as, “The ability to ask beautiful questions, often in very unbeautiful moments, is one of the great disciplines of a human life. And a beautiful question starts to shape your identity as much by asking it, as it does by having it answered. 

You just have to keep asking. And before you know it, you will find yourself actually shaping a different life, meeting different people, finding conversations that are leading you in those directions that you wouldn’t even have seen before.” 

wilderness

Desire summons life force and intent focuses its direction. Being alive we continuously seek out desire with every breath. Radical attention of oneself builds our own presence in our lives. A basic and important observation is, one of the elemental dynamics of self-compassion is to understand our deep reluctance to be left to ourselves.

eagle nebula

Be taught now, among the trees and rocks, how the discarded is woven into shelter,

learn the way things hidden and unspoken slowly proclaim their voice in the world.

Find that far inward symmetry to all outward appearances,

apprentice yourself to yourself,

begin to welcome back all you sent away,

be a new annunciation,

make yourself a door through which to be hospitable,

even to the stranger in you.

~ David Whyte