Winter to Spring: Nerinx Hall Loretto Circle Meditation

We entered a room with a warm fireplace blazing; the ambiance was comforting and there was tea and hot chocolate to also please the body. This was the beginning of the Loretto Circle monthly gathering at Nerinx Hall for February. This one was held in the media room with a fire image projected on the wall. The tea and hot chocolate were real. After a period of choosing refreshments and time for greetings and small verbal exchanges the serious meeting began.

Sarah Hoeynk, media instructor, introduced a directed meditation on winter to spring via computer. The video simply showed snow falling on cedar branches as thoughts were directed by words accompanied by soft background music. When the presentation ended Sarah asked us to make a response visually or verbally as she passed out paper for containing thoughts. We had time to think about the presented thoughts and then form our own. Next, we had time to share. Perhaps my response will partially represent the many thoughts expressed by our group.

I admitted to the group that I drink my coffee on my front porch every morning no matter what the weather, layering up as needed. There are small wonders to be experienced at that time.

At the end there was more talk as one by one we left, each with her own thoughts.

Winter is a gentle sound.
It sings of gathering in, of together,
of quiet, of soft, and of peace.
It sings of warm fires and could in the face,
Of colors hidden in muted tones.
It sings of the softness of snow,
The hush of darkness,
The brevity of light.
Spring bubbles forth as of
Artesian wells
Or happy streams.
Light opens and spreads
The high trees with oaken glow
Each morning, more early,
More brightly, more warmly.