Little C as a newborn after a bath
One of my teachers shared this video. Oh my goodness. Please, view it right now. Then come back and read this post.
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/04/skip-your-morning-meditation-watch-this-instead
I was moved to tears watching this hospital worker bathe this newborn. I was struck by the woman’s tenderness and total presence as she bathed a child who is not her own. Time stood still as she slowly led this newborn into an experience of the holy – an opportunity to remember “Home” out of the womb. Her safe and loving hands caressed this child in wholeness. A sacred, intimate dance in the water. A sensual experience.
Tenderness. Leads. Us. Home.
Watch how the newborn settles. Just watch his or her eyes as the worker brings the child into the water. They communicate “ahhhhh, I am home.” See how his or her body completely relaxes. See how the worker’s hands lovingly massage the child’s head, back and hips.
I showed this to Brian last night. We sat in silence for awhile — how you do when you’ve just seen God incarnate. And you realize you’ve just been asleep but now you are awake and SEEING how EVERYthing is drenched in the Divine and is holy.
Witnessing this newborn’s first bath cuts through the veils of illusion that keep me from remembering that each of us was such a newborn. Each of us – no matter what we’ve done in life – has that pure and holy newborn in us. The sacred pulse of the Divine. We are breathing miracles, vessels of Divine Light. Holders of the holy.
Our flesh is a miracle. Our bodies are holy. I do believe that our human journey is about casting off the veils of illusion in our minds so our hearts can lead us where they know to go: Home.
Every human being deserves such loving touch, tenderness, and attention. A reminder of how the Divine holds us. A reminder of Home.
Who do we hold with such tenderness? Who do we need to hold like this?
Who holds us with such tenderness? Who do we need to ask to hold us like this?
When we tenderly regard and hold others, we bring heaven to earth. And all of us soften, open, connect…and settle.
If just one day this week all of us held someone with such regard and tenderness, our planet would feel a gigantic shift.
Truly we all walking on holy ground. We should all have enough sense to take off our shoes and kiss the ground – and each other.
Blessings,
Wow. This takes my breath away, not just the video but your words. Your reminder that we are all walking on holy ground, and that we should remember it, and treat the earth, and each other, accordingly. Thank you. xo
Lindsey,
It’s interesting, I don’t think my words accurately reflect the layers of movement within me — the layers that have been stirred in watching this video. The main word that came to me was “tenderness.” I thought of you and your “word for the year” and then thought of my three…and then thought of how tenderness seems to have been calling to me, weaved into my three words. I thought about how a word takes up residence in you when you name it and “claim it” (or barrow it! or embody it!) over the course of a year and how it draws you into deeper layers of its meaning. Sensuality was one of my words for this year — and tenderness is weaved into that now.
I also thought of you because when I viewed this video, I balled. I wept. I thought about the layers of harshness around me heart (Brian says I am too hard on myself and this is true) and something in me just OPENED. Just opened. And softened (a word from last year!).
Well, I know you get all this. Thank you, Lindsey. Blessings to you, Lisa
Wow, that was an amazing video…all the stress that had built up last week just like melted away after watching that beautiful video. That was such a peaceful and joyful video, and the music in the background was just fantastic. Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
-Eric
Eric, yes I know!!! Me too! Layers around my heart just melted watching this video. So moving. A reminder for me that each person I come into contact with is as tender and precious as this infant. Love, Lisa
Simply beautiful….
Thank you, Angela.
Wow….that was life altering. Thank you.