by Julie Elliot

What could be simpler than a haiku poem? Five syllables on the first line. Seven syllables on the second. Five syllables on the third line. Earlier this month, while on retreat at the beautiful Naramata Centre, I developed a rhythm of walking and taking pictures with my phone. Then I’d write a haiku about the photograph. I quickly learned the haiku form strips away everything extraneous. Every syllable has to earn its place. This practice deepened my awareness of what I was experiencing, learning, and opening to in the moment. Walking, taking pictures, and writing haikus became a spiritual practice during the eight days I spent with Silence.

Silence was a gracious hostess who welcomed me with an invitation to unhitch from my (dearly familiar) compulsions and habits. In her spaciousness, I remembered who I am beyond what I do. I befriended Kairos time – nothing to do, nowhere to go – and found joy, wonder, and delight in the simplest things. I stepped out of my usual busyness and remembered I don’t need to work so hard. In fact, this month’s blog reflects this revelation. Rather than get busy on my return home, I simply pulled out some of these haikus from my journal to share with you.