White-faced Heron

Stage right and statuesque, stands the White-faced Heron.

I love the drama of this photo, as the WFH steals the spotlight with a rather disgruntled look, after I accidentally disrupted it mid-prune. Or perhaps it's actually upset about the misappropriation of its initials by the modern world: "No, I'm not 'Working From Home', I'm the White-faced Heron!".

I learnt most from the WFH when watching it hunt. Standing in shallow water, it remained still, silent and patient. It simply waited for the fish to come to it. And they did - it was a genuine 10 course degustation.

The Heron represents the power of stillness. This something I have experienced many times on my birdwatching journey. Spending so much time being still in nature, with a silent mind, it's amazing how much space that has created for clarity and breakthrough. It's in that space that I have encountered so much of the wisdom that has been channeled into these cards.

Stillness creates an empty space, so the things we're looking for can enter.

To quote Einstein: “I didn't arrive at my understanding of the fundamental laws of the universe through my rational mind. I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me.”

The White-faced Heron reminds us of the wisdom that lies in deep silence and stillness. By remaining still, often exactly what we're looking for (or need), like a fish in the case of a heron, will swim right up beside us.

Do you have activities that help you silence a busy mind? Could practising stillness bring the clarity you are searching for (without having to actively search for it)?