I have started writing this letter on many occasions, from many different places. On the train ride after my 10 days silent meditation retreat in snowy Switzerland. At the Abu Dhabi airport, about to start my journey for an unknown period of time, to an unclear destination. From a mountain town in central Sri Lanka; on a rainy day in the Maldives. And now, sitting in my bungalow on an island in Thailand.
Life has been a very abundant river these past weeks, guiding me from experience to experience, away from my screen, away from these words. It felt like an either/or choice - continuing being fully immersed in the exploration of the unfolding adventures, or temporarily stepping out of it, pausing the flow to share a small bite with you.
But here they are, words. I am writing them and you are savouring them and through that thread we are connected.
Words that got written at their own rhythm. Words that have ripened across weeks and continents and that carry a desire - I would love them to taste as delicious as Life has felt for me during this time.
Can words carry awe? How can I pick words juicy enough to invoke a delicious, radiant sense of aliveness?
I would really love to make you part of the wonders I am living in. The big, obvious wonders, like scuba diving at night, with sharks, in bioluminescent water, seeing everything around me glow as I move. Stars deep underwater, stars on the sky above. And my little body dancing in the radiant darkness in between.
And the small, mundane wonders, available to us day to day, regardless of location. The ones we often overlook. The shadows dancing on walls, the reflections of light smoothly enchanting any liquid surface. They started to speak so loudly to me after my 10 days of silence. The combination of meditating for 10 hours a day, not using words and having a very rigid container of discipline allowed me to fully immerse myself in presence. With no distractions, I listened. I witnessed. I entered a completely different state of awareness.
On those mornings, I started to really see the miracles that happen day to day beyond my conscious awareness. The forest outside the meditation centre became my only conversation partner and teacher. I learned from closely observing every part of the ecosystem perform its fundamental role. And I got a full display - a sunburn, the last leaves changing colours, snowfall. I truly got to see, maybe for the first time with such clarity, how in the natural world everything has an essential part to play so the cycles of life can continue to unfold harmoniously. The seeds being carried in a sometimes delicate, other times quite violent, dance by the wind. The morning dew condensing on the edges of leaves, creating incredible geometric patterns. Everything relating to everything else in obvious and invisible ways. I would cry tears of joy, of beauty, at recognising so clearly the threads connecting all of Life. I felt such awe at being able to perceive so sharply that which I have so often been blind to.
If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear as it is, Infinite.1
-William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
(a poem written in 1790, on etched plates, which you can explore in full here.
What invisible wonders are wanting to be discovered in your world? What beauty is currently being overlooked? May it find you, may you see it. In awe, with wonder,
Laura
I always love receiving your reactions and reflections - it makes me feel like these words are a dialogue, like they land on fertile ground. So please feel invited to comment, share or reach out if anything resonated. 🍃
🍊 freshly squeezed travel tales
The last three months I have lived very close to water. I have learned so much from being immersed in the ocean almost daily. Surfing teaches me humbleness, resilience. It is a playground in which I can choose to try again and again and again, even when progress is very non-linear. The waters would completely smash any sense of accomplishment by literally crashing me. The ocean can sometimes be a very strict teacher. I am learning to appreciate the beauty of clear, unwavering discipline. An invitation to keep practising having a beginners mindset.
Diving has also become an important part of my days. I see how my instincts are evolving, how I react differently to fear. The first times I encountered sharks, 30 meters underwater, my body went into flight response. Everything in my nervous system wanting me to get away, urgently. Under water, the opposite reaction is significantly more helpful. Longer exhales, slower movement. And so, slowly, a new somatic response is becoming available and even default for me.
Ceremonies were another essential element in my days, specially during my month in Sri Lanka. I attended daily Poojas, and even some all-night-long Pirith Ceremonies, where locals would gather and chant the entire night. I love the ease, the lightness with which these rituals are woven into the day to day. They don’t have the sense of formality they often have in Western cultures. And the aesthetics are also quite interesting - you can get a taster in the video below.
I continue to roam without a clearly defined plan, but the Himalayas are calling me strongly. It is likely that I will spend the next couple of months in Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet. If you have been in these regions and desire to share tales or recommendations with me, they are so very welcome.
4 seconds out of the 12 hour long ceremony I attended in Midigama, Sri Lanka, to bless the land in which a new farm was started.
I first discovered this quote through Aldous Huxley's The Doors of Perception, a book that opened an important door for me when I read a few years ago. I hadn’t encountered many pieces of writing that explored the nature of reality, of consciousness, with poetic sensibility and a deep care for language. Maybe it speaks to you too?
It always brings me joy to discover new readers choosing to receive these letters. If you think of other humans who might enjoy this experiment, please invite them on this journey. Shared discoveries often taste sweeter. 🫐
🦟 written as mosquitos devotedly kiss my feet
Love it, thanks Laura.
Awesome read. Simple yet deep in the things you explore. Thanks for sharing (4 seconds of the 12-hr ceremony:)!