New Years Morning

Bird chatter pulls me out of slumber.

I rise instantly, eager to bathe in the early morning sounds.

The sun is already heating the suburbs. It will be 41 degrees C today.

The new year.

The new day.

I arrived home last night after 5 days camping in the outback.

We spent two days in the arid desert, under a coolibah tree on Cooper Creek (pictured above from my tent) and three days in the beautiful Parachilna Gorge.

My soul is still out there, in those vast, natural, open spaces, in the endless arid landscapes, the bush campsites, under the giant redgum trees, in the creeks and the waterpools.

It's 6.15am. Opening my eyes on new years day, I look up to the ceiling, but my soul passes right through it reaching out into the blue morning sky.

I am still out there, silent and free, unhindered by walls or ceilings.

My next door neighbours had an all night new years eve party to christen their new swimming pool - loud music and even louder shrieking party voices kept me awake until 3.30am.

I've had less than 3 hours sleep.

Logical mind tells me to sleep in, but my soul is on fire and alive to the call of nature.

She leads me out into the early morning.

The streets are empty.

Already it's hot, day 3 of an Adelaide heatwave, yet it is early enough to feel the fading remnants of a dawn cool breeze over my skin.

Walking slowly with my dog I am immersed in a warm air bath.

Busy birds are preparing early for the searing day, so are the insects, the flowers, the bushes, the trees.

We turn the corner at the end of my street and wander along the deserted main road.

Trees lining the road have sun tipped canopies, yet their trunks are still in shadow.

Golden light illuminates tops of buildings and shops, their cool grey wall faces relishing a few more minutes in shadow.

As the sun climbs, all the morning shadows will retreat, sliding down and backwards over the natural and man made structures until sunlight reigns supreme.

I took these photos at Parachilna Gorge yesterday morning while watching the light slowly sliding down the rock face.

The rising sun was touching awake the tips of mountains, then cliff tops and treetops, her light sliding gracefully down the structures and across the landscape as she rose over the morning.

To sit silently and watch morning shadow recede and sunlight slowly creeping over the landscape is to observe an intimate yin-yang lovemaking ritual, the sun caressing and kissing the sleepy land and its inhabitants awake.

Every morning,

may I remember,

and honour,

the power of the sun,

to nourish my soul

and remove the darkness.

Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah,

Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi,

Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

We contemplate the glory of Light illuminating the three worlds: gross, subtle, and causal.



I am that vivifying power, love, radiant illumination, and divine grace of universal intelligence.



We pray for the divine light to illumine our minds.

I welcome the new day, and the new year.

Namaste.