Finding Inner Stillness

It seems so easy to find that place deep inside of me

when I'm in nature amongst the wild flowers and swaying grasses

or looking at fields of lavender just coming into bloom

I become lost in sensations and colours

and all that is unimportant and nonessential
just falls away.

This lovely poem by Steve Taylor says it all so well.

There is no Need

There's no need to surround yourself with luxury
to treat yourself to the best of everything
metallic fridges and designer bags
the colours of the season, the car of the year
to show others that you're special.
  
You don't need daily doses of good news
to lift your mood when you feel glum.
You don't need compliments or presents
or flirtatious smiles across the room
to keep you happy with yourself
or hourly fixes of pleasure
to set your brain cells jingling. 

There's no need to cover up the silence
with the chatter of radio and TVs.
There's no need to fill the empty space
with jobs that don't need doing
or words that have no meaning
or tasks that have no purpose
except to fill the empty space.

You only need to meet yourself
to let the discord within you fade away
and find the stillness underneath
the place where you're already whole
where there is no need to seek or strive
because there is no need.
    


You can check out Steve's site here and see his book of poetry
and many other books by this teacher and author/poet.



Click below to see this wonderful place
which I visited in June this year:
The Lavender Farm

40 comments

  1. Sandra, These landscapes are beyond beautiful. My finger would be tired from pushing the shutter button. The colors, the light, and the textures are perfect. I imagine this visit was a feast for the senses.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barb, this was a gorgeous place to visit - the fields of blue lavender just starting to bloom were truly magical!

      Delete
  2. Meravigliosi quadri e poesia!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Sandra, what an enchanting place . . . something I could only see in my dreams. Oh wait . . . or visiting your lovely blog. Your blog reflects your personality and I just know that you are calm and wise and beuitful inside and out:)
    God Bless You.
    Connie:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Connie. Enchanting is a good word to describe those fresh, green rolling hills and row upon row of perfumed lavender!

      Delete
  4. I always appreciate a peaceful journey with you Sandra

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for joining me, Sarn. I always enjoy taking you along!

      Delete
  5. Wonderful shots of lavender and gorgeous words of calm.

    ReplyDelete
  6. So lovely and serene! This bit of calm was much needed, thank you!!
    Kate :}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's nothing like green and lavender blue to instill calm, is there?

      Delete
  7. yes, nature is such an inspiration to get present and calm
    such lovely photos
    i can almost smell the lavender, which is used for calming and peace as well

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bought some lovely organic essential oil and lavender soap from the Lavender Farm!

      Delete
  8. What gorgeous pictures, Sandra! You have captured stillness so skillfully. I love the green/lavender color combination, so pretty. Wise words too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you, Gina. Yes, the fresh green of the stalks and the developing lavender colour of the flowers looks lovely together. The fields must look even more stunning when the flowers are in full bloom!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great series, Sandra, and a beautiful poem. It's so true. What a gorgeous field of lavender. I think I could easily spend hours there with my camera. Greetings from the Netherlands, Joke

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Joke, so nice of you to visit and leave a friendly comment from the Netherlands! Those lavender fields were just coming into bloom and I did take a lot of photos, but just put a few of them here!

      Delete
  11. Lovely post Sandra, beautiful sceneries which you compose extraordinary well ! Lovely poem and words from you as well. Can for sure understand you had a lovely trip "back" to England....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lasse. Yes, home is where the heart lies - although I have learned to live abroad for most of my life and to appreciate this beautiful country. My childhood was spent in England and so it still feels like home!

      Delete
  12. The photos are so lovely; I especially like the first with that pop of red and the one with the house roof below the lavender field. All the photos are so calm and soothing.

    I do love the poem and it is now in my visual journaling folder!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Mary! I'm glad the commenting is working for you - there have sometimes been occasional hiccups in the past.
      The poem is great both in its simplicity and wisdom, isn't it?

      Delete
  13. Sandra, those lavender fields are simply mesmerizing. Amazing how you are able to capture that feeling with your camera. Scenes like this do make it easier for me too to get to that place of inner stillness that's always there waiting for us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for visiting, Kim! I took lots of photos of those fields which were just coming into bloom. There were many sorts of different lavender going from deep purple to ice-blue and even white. I came back with two tiny plants for my balcony!
      There was a great feeling of peace and serenity among the greens and lavender blues.

      Delete
  14. What a magnificent place ...Beautiful landscape. Thank you for sharing.

    Greetings from Portugal

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lavender fields are always so beautiful and their scent so calming! I love harvesting them from my garden in the early autumn to enjoy during the winter in the house. Have a wonderful week xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lavender is such a beautiful plant to have in the garden where it can grow big and beautiful! I brought two miniature plants back for my balcony!

      Delete
  16. oh yes, give me a field of lavender and I would be very happy! I can just imagine that lovely scent wafting through the air. So calming just to look at it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's something about lavender, isn't there? The gorgeous colours and the heady scent!

      Delete
  17. Boa tarde, sim..é verdade, necessitamos do essencial incluindo a maravilhosa natureza que tem o dom de nos transmitir felicidade, as fotos e o poema encantam.
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  18. Such lovely pictures that speak to my soul. A field of lavender has to be one of the best sights ever. How clever of you to find such an apt poem.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your beautiful photographs, together with the poem say it all: "You only need to meet yourself." An inspirational post. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh my, what gorgeous fields of flowers! Such peace flows through each image! You are so good at finding peaceful, calm shots and adding the perfect words!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cathy, those lavender fields were only just starting to bloom, they must have looked stunning when the flowers were fully open!

      Delete
  21. Just finished revisiting your latest words.
    You are like a blanket of calm to this one "this early morning."
    Always such beautiful images and words.
    Thank you for all you post...

    ReplyDelete