Lately I’ve fallen in love with the haiku of Kobayashi Issa, a Japanese poet who was born in 1763 and wrote more than 10,000 haiku over the course of his life. The two poems that have lodged themselves into my brain describe snails. And that somehow feels just right in this oh-so-slow season.

The first is the sweetest four-word poem I know:

Snail

always at home

And the second has become my inspiration to tackle seemingly impossible tasks, or to at least get started with faithfulness and grace:

Oh, snail,

climb Mt. Fuji,

but slowly, slowly

My offering today - 25-minute reclined movement practice - takes its inspiration from Issa and his snails. We move slowly, in no particular hurry, enjoying every sensation along the way. And we breathe and rest in the faithful knowing that whatever we do and wherever we go, we are already home.

If you’d like to head down a rabbit hole of haiku, perhaps you’d like to (slowly) wander over to this lovely site, home of thousands of Issa’s poems. You can even search on a particular word, or pull up a random haiku. Enjoy!

And if you’re inclined, please visit my home website to explore additional essays about slowing down and savoring each moment, including this essay about the joy of focusing on one task at a time. If you’re enjoying these practices here at At Home in the World and would like to support this programming, please consider subscribing as a paid member. If you’ve already contributed, deep thanks to you. I am humbled by your generosity and your faith in these offerings.

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