sitting with lime in late summer

The practice:

  • the film lasts 5 minutes
  • for the best experience, listen with headphones
  • find a comfortable place to sit
  • make sure to watch in full screen
  • stop. breathe. relax
  • be aware
  • pay attention
  • listen and observe
  • start the film
  • when the film has finished, please leave a comment below

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  3. Hmmm..not sure it works for me. Prefer to be out there but probably better than nothing. I really love your lyrical writings you regularly send though! Beautiful.

  4. It reminded me if an unforgetable experience I had sitting in the grounds of a country retreat house. By a shrine and in front of a lake with a weeping willow on the far bank reflecting in the water which had taken on the blue of the sky. Carps splased into the lake close by, after jumping at flies, birds sang, the waterfalls trickle so calming, the gentle warm breeze. Then a swan came, unafraid carrying two babies on her back, right near to me and let me photograph her. It lifted my thoughts to the loving creator of all this beauty. Its little wonder cosmic religeon mistook them for God.

  6. I shall keep and listen again as someone nearby was playing music. I love your lyrical prose poem. There is nothing as stress and pain relieving as lying on the grass under a tree and allowing oneself to soar with the clouds. Thank you.

  7. Beautiful. This is the kind of meditation we all need. I was struggling to get my thoughts in order and still my brain today. This has done the trick! Thank you.

  8. I’m here hoping that lime trees don’t regret crossing the channel to get here (just) before the English Channel formed. One of the last trees to return at the end of the last ice age.
    And now they are here for good or ill.

  9. Thank you Robin for recording your lime tree in a city park, and accompanying sounds.
    More relaxing sounds than 5 minutes before in our garden beside our lime tree, with the sounds drifting up from ambulance and fire engine in our small town, drowning out the peaceful call of birds and wind rustling the leaves.
    It is peaceful and we are lucky to have it in our own garden appreciating the shade it offers us as well as the flowers to make into tea.

  12. Hi Robin,
    I’m autistic, in burnout, grieving the loss of my partner and bedbound with flu. My flat is in chaos because of the above and also having ADHD. Your mini film gave me respite, connection to nature and the chance to get out of my own head. Yesterday I had thoughts about not wanting to be here, your little film helped me to remember why I am.

  13. Very like the Happenings of John Cage. Depending on your mindset it can be like the water hole in Mud Creek : really deep, or totally empty. Cool that you do it.

  14. Made me realise two things one how much noise there is here even with headphones on and two how much I want toast under a tree peacefully. All your work pleasantly surprises me.

  15. Exquisite.
    The unmoving frame made me focus on the tiniest detail. The way the whole tree responded to the breeze. Singular parts but part of a whole organism.
    The distant sounds not related to the tree but all part of the same world.
    Beautiful and awe-inspiring.
    Our unimportance in the big picture made manifest.

  17. Like all your work, strengthens our understanding and connection with nature (and ourselves). Thank you.

  18. What a wonderful poet you are Robin. The film make me relax and feel part of the wide world and stilled my mind.

  21. Hi Robin,
    Always good to know you are out there carrying on your explorations.
    Such serendipity to read your meditation and rest in your window on Linden film.
    I have been doing some transformative breathwork and found myself pondering a comment of yours I read some time ago about conversing with plants. So, it was wonderful to wake up today to your poste this morning.That conversation with plants, intuitive and perhaps wordless, does it inform you how to use a plant medicinally or nutritionally- even if you have not come across it before? Is there an ancient conversation available beyond the trial and error approach to plant use that I assume humans took in their initial gathering of knowledge of plants? Can the conversing be about the narrow application of plants, or is it simply but profoundly about our place in the wholeness of nature?
    I’m not advocating ingesting plants without a definitive identification (certainly not for novices like me), but I’m curious about a possible lost art of of intuiting through the senses alone how a plant will affect us if eaten.
    Do you think there is this ‘lost’ skill or sense, Robin?

    Thanks again for your presence.

  22. Thank you Robin for your beautiful poem as well as the film. I sat peacefully watching on my sofa while it rained outside, nice to have that connection with nature as there’s so little to see through my window. I enjoyed the unexpected zoomed-in visual but I couldn’t hear much on the track… maybe my hearing needs addressing!
    Thank you so much for your offerings, so generous. Much love.

  25. I used to make 30-60 second videos like this and post to my social media. I called them “meditations.” So, I love that you are making these videos. No, it’s not the same as being there, but a reminder to sit in stillness. I find this a real challenge, but so very valuable!

  27. Even as someone who lives in a rural area, who has access to this sort of thing all the time, I still found this so calming.

    I can see how this would be beneficial for so many people who can’t get into nature as and when they want to (those in urban areas, but also those with mobility issues, those unpaid carers with demanding caring responsibilities that prevent them from being outdoors when they need nature connection, those with childcare responsibilities, those whose working hours prevent them from seeing out nature connection and so much more!).
    I love the email lead into it, beautiful language. It guides youcalmly into the video.

    It worked for me but I would imaging that some people will want a slight bit more guidance at the start and end of the video- it’s easy to forget the written bullet point instructions once you click into the video.
    Beautiful ?
    Diolch

  31. Thanks Robin, there’s so much evidence now that just watching and listening to nature can help enormously as previous comments tell. I was doing this on Saturday, outside, with my mindful walking group. It’s wonderful to share this in company, as someone commented in the group, and feels safe but if you can’t get out your wonderful film is the next best thing.

  32. Thank you for sharing. I鈥檝e loved lime trees since I was at school and used to revise for summer exams in their shade. Glad to have this chance to pause and take in the sounds of nature.

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