A Poignant Lesson from the Iris

Transitions and transformations are always happening. Pema Chodren writes so beautifully about making peace with change and one thing she notes is that "Whether we're aware of it or not, the ground is always shifting. Nothing lasts, including us." For the past several months, I had made a study of watching this in nature and I thought I would share one example with you.

About a month or so ago, someone who is very dear to me gave me a stem of iris. It was a long drive to get it back to my window sill and I really wasn't sure if would even last the night, but this iris was determined. The bloom that had somewhat wilted on the car ride home had completely reinvigorated by the next morning. I was quite struck by her beauty. I had never really seen an iris. The purple robe she wore was so decadent against the simple white throne I had set her on. She absolutely dazzled me with her hellos when I came out to make my coffee.

Each day that followed I watched as her structure became more delicate. Her posture became a little less bold, but she was no less for this. Her grace in the process of decline was somehow reassuring and she seemed to be whispering to me that I should be pay attention.

I came out one morning to see her fully collapsed. I held her in my heart and gave a moment of gratitude for her presence. I made a move to free her from the stem but as I got closer I noticed a brand new bloom emerging, almost as if coming out of a birth canal, right underneath her! She was literally being reborn.

Over the next week or so, I watched this beautiful lady do this 3 times at different places on her stem.

It was fascinating to witness this with full presence. About a week or so later, I cam across this passage from Ram Dass. "The opposite of death isn't life. The opposite of death is birth. The secret of dying is the secret of living, which is to be in the present moment."

I am all about creating as much presence in each moment as possible these days. If you'd like to practice with me, there are lots of ways we can connect.

Sending you peace,
Sri Devi Melissa