Let's take five minutes to look at Constable's 'The Cornfield.'
Imagine taking a slow, mindful stroll up this country lane,
feeling the earth and stony track beneath your feet.
The midday sun warm on your face,
and a gentle breeze against your skin.
Breathing in the scents of cow parsley and ripened corn,
breathing it in in long, slow breaths,
and breathing out longer and slower.
Extending the breath and slowing it down,
and again, breathing in the sense of sheep and grass,
and gently breathing it out.
Breathing in fresh country air
and breathing out. As you breathe, tuning into sounds,
hearing the crunch of your footsteps,
the rustle of your clothes,
even the sigh of your breath.
The melody of birdsong,
the babble of flowing water,
the wind in the trees,
and the buzz of insects.
A woodpecker drills,
pigeon coos,
church bells peal out across the fields.
Imagine stopping to pat the dog,
his tail wagging with delight as you feel his warm fur,
calling a greeting to the little boy taking a break from his thirsty work
driving sheep down the lane. He lies flat on his face against the
damp grass, drinking cool, sweet water.
Come back to awareness of your breathing,
breathing in,
breathing out,
and playfully imagining that, with each out breath, you gently blow a cloud
across the sky.
Breathing in, and as you breathe out, gently stretching
and shape-shifting a cloud.
Breathing in, and breathing out with the wind,
sending clouds scattering across the sky.
And as you breathe, notice any thoughts that come to mind,
and allow them to drift by with the clouds.
Not holding on to them,
but watching them slip away,
and if your mind is still, just gaze on Constable's clouds,
'til sooner or later, the thought arrives.
And just notice the thought,
and let it float by in its own time.
The painting reminds us to be present in the moment,
to savour the details of a moment in time, a moment when a boy quenches his thirst,
and a brisk wind whips up the sunlit clouds.
Take a moment to look at this painting in your own time,
and reflect on what it means to you.