On Being with Krista Tippett: David Whyte on The Conversational Nature of Reality
Krista Tippett writes in her December 14 2019 email newsletter, “The Pause”:
“Before he was known as a poet and philosopher, David Whyte lived another life as a naturalist. After getting his degree in marine zoology he spent almost two years living in the Galapagos Islands observing animals, birds, and landscapes. He says … that this extended period of deep and attentive observation opened him to a new way of understanding the act of paying attention.
“I began to realize that my identity depended not upon any beliefs I had … but my identity actually depended on how much attention I was paying to things that were other than myself,” he says. “And as you deepen this intentionality and this attention, you started to broaden and deepen your own sense of presence.”
We’re often shaped by the things we’re lucky enough to be present for. The kind of attention I associate with these moments is often sensory: the color of a summer dusk, the syncopated peacefulness of my siblings snoring in the car on a long drive, or the whisper of a cold gust of wind on a Colorado mountaintop. Gathered together, these quiet details about the world we inhabit can offer grounding when we feel like we’re hurtling through space and time.
Being present to the world can even be a salve in moments of loneliness or isolation — a reminder that we’re held by all that’s around us, which is what Whyte explores in his poem “Everything Is Waiting for You.” “We have so many allies in this world,” Whyte observes in conversation with Krista. “Including just the color blue in the sky, which we’re not paying attention to, or the breeze or the ground beneath our feet.” …
Whether you’re seeking calm, a way to practice gratitude, or some accompaniment as you move through the world this week, perhaps you can begin with the quiet practice of paying attention — or, as David Whyte suggests, simply look up at the sky.”
Krista’s conversation with David is captured in a 50-minute podcast, that you can find here.
Reflection Questions
What simple sensory experiences are you already engaging in to help you pay attention?
What sensory experiences might you embrace as new ways to help you pay attention?
Study and Reflection: Sensory Memory for Grounding
While sensory modulation is the degree to which we can regulate our response to real-time sensory stimulation, we can also use sensory memory to help regulate our emotions in the present moment.
Reflection Question
How do you use sensory memory to ground yourself? What memories can you come home to?
Somatic Self-Compassion Community on Facebook
You can see articles to support your study and practice on sensory modulation on our Somatic Self-Compassion Community page on Facebook.
