Listening, hearing

On Sunday we heard read Nelle Morton’s profound writing about hearing each other into speech.  We decided to try an experiment to see if the natural world could also be heard into speech. What might happen if we just went outside and listened?  Lots did happen and we enjoyed hearing from each other when we regrouped.  Some people wrote down what came to them. Three of these pieces follow.

From Kathy
Give me sanctuary-
but you are welcome here
to share it with me.

The cars zoom by around us-
but their carbon cannot
overwhelm me here.

Those planes overhead cannot
dampen the chords of birdsong
so plentiful here.

If a duet must exist- so be it.
Just create, embrace, and nurture
the sanctuary space I need
to survive and to thrive.

So be it!

From Alex

Memories evoked from worship when we positioned ourselves to be ” surrounded by elements of the natural world” included,
in our 10 minutes

The singing of the birds which reminded me of my childhood particularly of Kookaburras at Belgrave and feeding them with mince-meat.

That led me to reflecting on other birds. Seagulls at the beach in Mentone not far from our home in those days.

I also recalled having my school cap taken off my head by a magpie as I walked  to school one day past the football ground.
Quite scary and frightening to be dive bombed.

I reflected on the marvelous darting of swallows at my grandparents verandah where they had a nest.

Sadly my pet bantam got caught in chicken wire above the backyard garden patch at home and was choked.
That was a sad day for a young child. A brother also had a few silky fowls.

I thought of the bird nesting -stealing eggs from the trees on the beach top area and making holes with a pin and blowing them clean.
No body questioned bird nesting in our group.   No questions of right and wrong. We did it for a few months.

I thought of the eagles at the Zoo and their big wings.

I remembered  the common Myna birds who are a something of a pest?
in many backyards?
For a period our dog at the time was being swooped on by aggressive Mynas.

Possibly/likely he had managed to kill one & this was their revenge?

The New Testament text  with the saying attributed to Jesus eg Gospel  of  Luke 12:6
“Are not sparrows five for tuppence?”

We were able to give thanks for our experiences.

I did not hear the call to return to worship as the birds were still making music and I must have been deep in thought.

From Jenny

The earth’s cry
– is not for herself
– it is for us
– foolish friends who have strayed
away from our earth-home
emotionally, spiritually, mentally

The earth’s cry
is not for herself
it is for us
a cry to return – come home
come home you silly ones
You have forgotten your one-ness  with
the earth.