Last week while I washed up after dinner, I got to watch an artist talk by Sita Bhaumik on Zoom. First, it was such a pleasure to let my mind wander to her stories and have my eyes rest on her work.My hands were the in warm soapy water doing their ritual to finish the work of the day. I was tired as I often am at that point, my mind was full of thoughts like a stack of half opened mail. What stood out, and what I needed then and now was a working definition of wonder.
The irony is that now, I can’t remember what her definition was. Like not even a little bit. I do remember little bits but they don’t quite make sense together. What matters to me is that it sparked me thinking, feeling, and digging for wonder.
Wonder is the place where imagining and hope collide and you are not at the center of it.
Wonder is big space and being held.
Wonder is the balance of centering and motion.
Wonder is forward looking, backwards feeling, and delight driven.
The funny thing for me though is that wonder is practiced. It likes regular attention. Daily interaction. It like incense, and slow breakfast, the meandering pace of small children. It likes space and the first sticky oranges of the season. It likes the new album over and over on the speakers rubbing the sounds into my head like a familiar piece of clothing.
So today a few things that help open up that wonder for me:
-The Book of Delights This joy chasing book is place of return for me when I am looking for what might bring me back to daily wonder.
-Almas Conectadas Late night, hot fire, endless dripping outside. This is it.
-Song Tea Strong, articulate teas that transport me.
Please get in touch about what offers you wonder!
xo,
C
Coming up in December I’ll be teaching a seasonal tea formulationclass in person! Are you interested in online versions of my classes? Let me know.
Wonder to me is serendipity. My life is a sum of happy coincidences. Writing was one of them.
Oh, I recently bought (but haven't read yet) "The Book of Wonder". And I'm part way through "Tracking Wonder" and wishing I had bought the hard copy or started taking notes earlier. He (the author is Jeffery Davis) is talking about how to practice wonder.