Saturday, 10 August 2013

The Alchemy of Attention

The Alchemy of Attention
By Steve Taylor

When a mist of multiplying thoughts fills your mind
associations spinning endlessly
images jostling and memories whirling
free-falling through your inner space
you can always bring yourself back to now.

This morning, making breakfast for the kids
I catch myself daydreaming and with a gentle mental nudge
Remind myself of where I am
And straight away the kitchen clutter turns to spacious presence
A mosaic of sunlit squares across the floor
Fading and brightening with the passing clouds
The metal rims of stools firing sparks
Steam-curls floating over cups
Reflecting silver spoons
The perfect stillness of spilt coffee grains
The gaudy yellow and blue of detergent bottles
And the window smudges exposed by sun -

Everything perfectly still and real
Everything perfectly itself.
Attention is an alchemy
That turns dullness to beauty
And anxiety to ease.

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