Fireflies in the Night
Retreats are important for the health and well being of Spirit, an extended, focused period of meditation and reflection.
After 12 days of this retreat, ending the final day's meditation, I looked into the darkness of the night and there to behold were fireflies in the fields on this mountainside. They might have been there every night, but this was the first sighting by me. I asked myself, "Why are these fireflies dancing on this hillside tonight?" I watched them for a long time.
I remembered - long ago and far away - catching fireflies in the yard at night, putting them in a jar, only to let them go again, so they wouldn't die. Their existence never ceases to amaze me. I remembered being disappointed when the fireflies weren't out. I thought about what fireflies meant to me, what message they had to bring to me this night,
Fireflies occasion insight.I had some insights about darkness and light while watching the fireflies. Deepak Chopra has stated in many publications reecently: there can be no shadow without there being light. Imagine only darkness - we've all been there to some degree or another. Shadow is an integral part of being alive.
Watching fireflies is a discipline of observing and listening in the silence. Dancing with the fireflies in the dark field, occasions -for me - consciousness that hope and joy are always present.
Fireflies are spiritual guides. They glow from within and there is no heat- to burn out. They are not a reflection of the moon. Fireflies are high energy experiences, glowing from within while dancing in the night - A delightful moment of play.
Firefly light does not cast a noticeable shadow. Their bodies are ordinary, but their presence in the night field is extraordinary. Perhaps if many were concentrated in one location, there would be a shadow - like the collective shadow of the planet today. A few, here and there is manageable. But, the massive poverty, the overwhelming sense of possible nuclear disaster, ecological endaangerment - which includes the disappearance of fireflies, political impotence, etc. etc. etc.
Where are the beautiful soul-reflecting fireflies glowing in your life? Where do you see them overpopulated on this planet, so that only the shadow is seen? Where do we begin?
3 comments:
> On 5/26/10, Lynda Cock wrote:
Beautiful reflection on light and dancing in our lives. I'm thankful for your retreat and the opportunity it afforded you for this kind of encounter.
One of my special firefly nights (aside from the magic of childhood evenings) was during our time in Indonesia. We were on a boatride from Medan to Bubun, a riverfront project village in N.Sumatra, on an overlaoded motor boat up a little river
with the Yosts, maybe Sherwood, Dick West , and then to a little dock by becak. (bicycle powered rickshaw) We spent the early part of the evening (in the tropics darkness comes around six p.m.) sleeping on grass mats on the dock while waiting for the boat to take us about 2 hrs up river.
It was scary with a two year old on that waterfront. Somewhere along
the way as I prayed that we would be safe in those strange waters, the
trees just lit up with what must have been millions of lighting bugs.
To me that was a sign that somehow we were being watched over and I
relaxed into being at peace with the rest of our journey.
MAY 27, 2010 12:43 PM
Nice. I love to see the fire flies. they remind me of the magic world. Rose Anne
MAY 27, 2010 12:49 PM
Another great post, Judi. I agree with Roseanne, that fireflies still hold that magical place in our hearts where as children we cherished mystery and bubbled with imagination.
I remember when I was a little girl I used to think they were fairies in disguise - brought to earth to send us messages in our sleep, but couldn't show their true form so... See More "the grown ups" didn't try to catch them in traps. It is nice to reflect back to a time where our thoughts knew no boundaries and the world did not set limits on our imaginations... Christine
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