From Longing to Peace
Discover more from The Imaginists
I often feel I don't belong here in this modern world. I have a deep connection to ancient places and the natural realms where I feel more at home, and when I’m adrift it causes a sense of homesickness tinged with the sadness of loss.
And then I discovered the beautiful Welsh word 'Hiraeth'...
In an early Welsh verse, an unknown poet asks the purpose of this 'cruel hiraeth' that breaks his heart and wakes him in the night. It’s the source of deep pain and a mixture of longing, nostalgia, and wistfulness for returning to something that is no longer there - if it were ever there at all.
I so relate to this. Perhaps you do too?
The need for silent pauses
It's a beautiful feeling being in the midst of nature but also there's a kind of loneliness there. It's like being in a time bubble, the kind of time you can feel leaking away, a movement that leaves an ache in your heart.
The mind can drift to loved ones who have passed to the other side. But there can be beauty in that sadness, for love never dies.
To disentangle from sad thoughts that can easily overwhelm, I find my balance in nature. Simply sitting on a river bank watching the water flow by or bathing in the glow of a sunset over the sea shore or feeling the wind whisper gently over skin while standing on a hillside is remedy enough. It brings me back to presence.
It is here where I find the beauty of silence in a world full of noise. It is here where I can pause for a while, close my eyes and breathe deeply. This silence is a paradox. It resonates deeply, fills empty spaces, and settles deep inside one’s core.
And it’s everywhere…
There’s the magical silence just before the dawn. Or the quiet calm before a storm. There’s the hush of an empty house or the expectant pause of a room full of people when someone is just about to speak. There’s the knowing silence in the eyes of two lovers.
These silent pauses, these present moments are beautiful and so needed. For me, it clears the mind, settles the heart and sets my imagination free. It restores peace and harmony so that I see the world anew.
May you find peace in the magical silence,
From Longing to Peace
Making the world a much better place with your splendid insight and beautiful prose.
You write so beautifully ! I loved reading this this morning. And I love the image you chose. Thank you.
I feel at my most contented when I can see and hear the sea or when I can look up and see and hear the swaying branches of trees. I wonder if it's because I know that these are timeless experiences ? They would be happening whether I was there or not.