Occasionally I receive wonderful emails or comments from readers or listeners, and I am always grateful to hear from those of you who write in. A few months ago I received the following email with the attached sketch from Sharon Belknap, which was partially inspired by several guided meditations available on Insight Timer. I was so moved by her thoughtfulness that I’m sharing it here with Sharon’s permission.
For me these kinds of interactions are the perfect reflection of my desire to share the fruits of contemplation with others through creative online media. I hope you enjoy it and perhaps take some time to savor it at this time of Thanksgiving! As many of the media available in our culture today aim to divide, judge, and arouse anger and hatred, I am trying to be intentional about “consuming” media that fills me with hope and compassion rather than anger and judgment. Sharon’s sketch reminds me that the first person to whom I want to practice that acceptance is myself.
Hello Tom,
Wanted to express my gratitude for your meditations on Insight Timer. I most often end my day with Prayer into Sleep II and begin my meditation in the morning with The Welcoming Prayer. I’m inspired to write you today so I could share what was born out of listening to you recite “The Avowal” this morning. I had a homework assignment to complete for a course I’m taking on-line: Sketch a deeply personal emotion. Sketch artists from all over the world have been posting their homework with some being so deeply touching. I was inspired to go deeper and be more honest than I ever have, publicly. I’m also stretching my creativity and inventive nature into new realms, where I have no sense of direction other than from the Divine. I have moments of just wanting to “float”.
I’m sharing my sketch with you here. Now that this sketch is outside of my mind and my heart I am feeling much lighter. I’m smiling in seeing the sensation of floating is always here for me, just as the Divine is. And it’s my presence with my breath that brings both to me. What a beautiful combination of influences have found me. Thank you for being one of them.
Thank you for you Tom.
Warmly,
Sharon