Keep a Green Tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come. -Chinese Proverb

A tree is nourished by the sun, by nutrients in the soil and the air and the refreshing rain, among other ideal conditions for its growth. So is our being nourished in different ways. We are nourished by external factors such as movement, fresh air, nutrituous food and so on. There are also internal factors that give us nourishment such as healthy thoughts and beliefs, receiving and expressing love and a life of purpose and contribution. To me, 'the green tree in your heart' refers to keeping your heart and mind and body open and nourished.

Yet, when the tree has poor access to the nourishing conditions, it becomes ill and eventually dies off. This pattern shows up in humans too. How to create then, internal nourishing factors for our green heart? One way is to know that it is we who need to change and not so much the rest of the world. We need to do the "work" to clean up and clear up the toxic thoughts and beliefs that lie within us. Cleaning up does not mean here that we judge ourselves and make ourselves "wrong". However, it does mean that we need to take active steps to resolve and release the guck and the muck that is sticking to our consciousness. Think about what filth keeps your window opaque? Which dirt blocks you from a crystal clear vision? Take a mop and wipe it. Take a vacuum cleaner and suck it. Clean it up. Clean it up. If this sounds too difficult a task, then break it down. For example, first begin with a little corner of your external life such as your home which has been gathering dust or is sitting cluttered. Next, bring this idea to your inner world. Well, this is exactly what I am currently taking up.

One of the results of this process might be that one can become more open by cleaning up the residue in their consciousness. This is then the 'singing bird' in the proverb: the result or the positive change that comes from keeping a 'green heart'. Once we embark on the ongoing process of nurturing our 'green heart', then the appearance of a songbird become real. In other words, the experience of joy, love, freedom and peace become real.

The 'perhaps' in this proverb throws me off as it calls us to be detached. It seems to mean that we can clean up the toxic elements in our being and maybe we find the peace and joy. There seems to be a fine line here: between expectation and detachment. This is a dilemma that I am currently pouring my mind over: How do I lead a life of expectation of only the best, of peace on Earth, of joy for all and simultaneously detach myself from the results? Detachment would mean that I do not care about the results and the outcome, right? What frame of mind or what state of consciousness do I need to be in in order to navigate this with ease?

For now I cleanse the muck and then as a second step engage with the challenge of detachment!

I welcome your insight if you like to share it with me.

With love,

-Sophia Ojha

A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. -Maya Angelou

Recently, I made a new friend. Before that, I was not aware that this friend existed.

At the edge of the yard behind my parent’s home, there is row of tall, leafy bushes that have tiny flowers which blossomed in their full glory around mid-May. Each day, we would go under a giant, old, very old tree that stands at the corner of the backyard and in its shade set up our work space. A garden table with two chairs with extra long electric cables to fuel both our notebook computers. As we began our day, I became aware of a unified yet differentiated buzz. It was the buzzing and humming of about 40-50 bumble bees and honey bees that were lounging on the multitudes of flowers. The sky was blue and radiant while the air, fresh and quickly warming up.

One morning, Cristof and I were having our breakfast as usual in the backyard. We heard a beautiful chirp. Short and brief. We asked, “Where are you?” And she replied by flying a little higher on the branches and clearer into our view. We saw a faint silhouette of a slender bird. We wanted to see more of her. She flew even closer and now in full view of us. Wow! This bird seemed so familiar to me, although I had never seen her before. She was grey with a black note on its head, had a sleek tail and an adorable beak. She bobbed her head gently to the side which I interpreted as a warm embrace of an old friend. Her eyes were delicate and full of mysterious wisdom. She exuded such love and warmth into me with her knowing glance. And I know she was looking at me- straight into my soul. She was seeing me in my completeness and my wholeness; she was accepting me in ways so new yet familiar. I fell in love with this bird - a bird who I lovingly call black cap - and we became friends. I just made a new friend; before that I was not even aware that this friend existed.

In celebration and to my joy, the black cap began singing. For fifteen minutes, she sang and I was mesmerized by her song.

I see this friend everywhere I go.

I first saw her in my parent’s backyard in New Jersey singing.

I saw her at the Bronx Zoo in New York jumping from one branch to another.

I saw her at the Welcome Center at the Blue Ridge Parkway cleaning her feathers.

I saw her on our camping weekend in upstate New York picking berries.

I see my friend everywhere I go. And everywhere I go, her song goes with me.

-Sophia Ojha

Maya Angelou is an inspiring poet and the author of some wonderful books. To learn more, click on one of these links.