This is Experiment number 2 of Sunrise documentation.

Experiment #1, Showing Up for the Sunrise, (2020/2021) revealed my capacities for discipline, for deep noticing, for holding uncertainty (when you show up at sunrise, you have no idea what will greet you.)

Experiment #2, Quality of Attention at Sunrise, focuses on how I might attend to the sun rise or the morning hours (if I am unable to walk to see the sunrise because I am caring for someone in my family and my presence near them is needed)

Experiment #2 asks me to consider:

• slowing down, (notice, notice, notice)

• the act of discernment, (to sift or separate what is noticed; to see the parts)

• the experience of compassion, (to hold all the parts as if whole, with kindness, without judgement)

• the embodiment of spacious awareness. (to experience the process of noticing in the body)

Hypothesis: Focusing the quality of attention will lead to an expanded perspective.

Hypothesis #2: The discovery of this perspective will disrupt my relationships with all beings.

Hypothesis #3: This perspective will lead to a deeper understanding of one of the three words I adopted for 2022: Sacred.

Thoughts: I’ve written before about my resistance to the word Sacred. Questions I’m holding in a biased mind:: Are the sacred objects carried by Catholic priests objects of terror? Are the sacred pathways of religion actually dangerous odysseys? How is religion different from spirituality?

Procedure: (in development) Stillness. Listening.

Tools needed: (in development) Protection from the elements. Alarm as needed to wake up.

Preparation: (in development) Set out the walking clothes/shoes.

If you’re interested in some details about the photo above and the way my life has unfolded over the last couple of days:

This photo is sunrise documentation from yesterday, September 22, 2022, the day after equinox, the day so much erupted in my life- for about an hour I lived the dragon-of-sorts survival experience through emotional reaction. I’ve written about this experience. So much happened yesterday; I met with Meg Wheatley in a small-ish group over Zoom, I talked with writers who I’ll be working with soon, I talked with my son, Ben, who is in an educational space which suits the way he thinks, the kinds of curiosities he has in life. When he talks about school, it reminds me of my own passion for learning. All day long, I was engaged in reciprocal conversations. And I tried to comfort my guy, Tom, who is experiencing still-undiagnosed and unrelenting mysterious pain in his calf. And, lastly, we stayed up until late in the night, crafting a piece of writing for Andrea and Hap Wilson from Cabin Falls. It’s a memory document of the last day of our paddle out from our stay at Cabin Falls. Today is the second day of the Celtic new year. I look forward to more beginnings.