Today’s reverb10 prompt asks:
Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?
For me, a sense of wonder relates to the idea of “bring an empty teacup.” Used by martial arts and meditation teachers alike, this exhortation encourages you to set aside what you know, or what you think you already know, in order to benefit from what you’re being taught (by a person, situation, or experience). A teacup is open, accommodating — and yet has shape and firmness too. Experiencing wonder doesn’t have to mean being naive. It’s a moment of open intensity: a puppy sniffing the grass, thoroughly enjoying one interesting spot, and then another.
It’s easy to shut oneself off from wonder: I’m too busy, too cynical, too educated, too old. But I’ve found that making a little room in my mind and my heart to admire and appreciate things helps me expand beyond any self-applied labels.
But when I’m tired, judgmental, or over-extended, I can’t feel wonder. So it’s a good cue to change what I’m doing.
If I can look at our sleeping dogs and not feel a sense of wonder at their perfect relaxation, then I need more rest.
If I’m online and can’t feel wonder for some work of music, art, or writing, then I need to go create something myself.
If I’m in yoga class and don’t feel wonder for the self-healing capacity of the human body, then I need to breathe more consciously.
If I feel resistant to the very idea of wonder, as I did when I first read today’s prompt, then I need to intentionally seek more wonder-full experience: a run with the dogs in the sunshine, music that I hadn’t listened to in a while, browsing photographic galleries. It’s all right there. I just had to be reminded.