Finding Home
Our practice is to find our true home. When we breathe, we breathe in such a way that we can find our true home. When we make a step, we make a step in such a way that we touch our true home with our feet. – Thich Nhat Han
I’ve been in California now for 28 years and 23 of those years have been spent right here in San Francisco with a few years in Marin county while I was in seminary.
But anyone who knows me for more than a few minutes detects my Texas roots. I don’t always “twang”, but you can certainly hear my ranching/farming ancestors in my speech patterns and especially in my humor.
Most of us think of “home” in terms of where we reside and/or where we grew up. Home is also where the heart is, so home for most of us is also whenever we are in the presence of our beloveds whether they be friends or family.
Being at “home” with ourselves as Han describes is more metaphysical and I believe is essential to living a full and rich life. It is also more durable because being at “home” in ourselves allows us to transcend any physical circumstances that may occur in life. Cultivating spiritual practices as a means of making a true home for ourselves is also not dependent upon others – we can do it on our own.
My primary “home” practice is to sing. With or without words, the act of breathing deeply and then letting that column of air move through my body and out into the world helps me connect to my center, my home.
What practices lead you home? How often do you remember to do these “home” making practices?
May we all find our way home.
