Swimming Dreams

July 16, 2024 |
 I went down in the afternoon
to the sea
which held me, until I grew easy.

About tomorrow, who knows anything.
Except that it will be time, again,
for the deepening and quieting of the spirit. 
Mary Oliver


It’s been a year; a year with its own particular labours of spirit, mind, and body. Each one’s weight shared with the others. Each one’s lift and expansion a breath for all. I’ve needed to remember freedom over and over, in the midst of constriction.

So, not surprisingly, I’ve been dreaming of swimming. The touch of the water is luscious. It invites the “oneing” of my watery self with its own. It recognizes my soft skin the liminal shape between those waters.

It reminds me that, however heavy I may feel, t I am buoyant when I rest myself in the fluid life of the Spirit which I am dreaming and whose dreaming flows in me.

It’s so natural for constriction in any one of this trinity’s members to be found and expressed in the others. It’s so easy for a good deep breath in one to open the lungs of the others.

Where can you take a deep breath this moment, body?, mind?, spirit? What might set you dreaming?

For your continued swimming dreams I’m sharing two poems that I love.Swimming One Day in August by Mary Oliver and The Avowal by Denise Levertov .

Here is a breathing prayer for you.

Breathing in, I pause
Breathing out, I am still
Breathing in, the tides touch the shore of me
Breathing out, I let them go, trusting the return

There’s also this, Beautiful, Beloved, Beginning, in the midst of prayers and music, another story of being lowered into water by Love.  (Those of you who joined us at Rural Routes Through the Holy:2024 will recognize this.)

I hope for you good swimming these summer days, in dreams, and in the salt and silky waters of your life.




 * “oneing”  A rich word coined by Julian of Norwich

Join me on the journey. Rest, Reflect, Replenish

2 Comments

  1. Linda Longmire on November 13, 2024 at 10:55 pm

    This is a sacred and truly beautiful reflection Catherine . I look forward to reading more .

    Reply
    • Catherine Smith on November 15, 2024 at 3:10 pm

      Thank you, Linda. Lovely to see you here.

      Reply

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