A Deeper Kind of Knowing

by Chris Koellhoffer, IHM   May 10, 2025

In the 13^th century, the poet Rumi, who lived in what is now Afghanistan, must have been outdoors and breathing in this season when he observed, “Spring, and no one can be still, with all the messages coming through.” Oh, Rumi, you are so right on!

At this moment in the Northern hemisphere, our eyes are feasting on a riot of pink on the cherry willows, the greening of baby asparagus and red leaf lettuce, and the brave lineup of tulips as they burst into watercolors. And our ears? Such delight to be awakened at dawn not by the harsh cry of an alarm clock but by the singing and chanting of our feathered friends. Chirps and trills and warbles and whistles, so much to chat about as a new day begins.

I’m more intentionally taking in the sounds of this season since I had to purchase a new smart phone to replace my dying one. Once I got over the shock of a replacement’s cost, I discovered some good news: that with an upgraded operating system, I could at last subscribe to the Merlin Bird ID app. Developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this free app makes bird identification accessible to everyone and offers various features like photo and sound identification. A user can be outdoors or sitting near a window with the app open and can eavesdrop on avian conversations. This practice opens us to wonder and encourages our desire to listen contemplatively, to live with awareness, and to be fully present to the world around us.

In Chant, Katherine Le Mée notes that this practice aligns with spiritual teaching, which “has always pointed to the fact that everything in creation has a sound, its own unique vibration.” She writes that when we try to live as conscious listeners, we “may perceive more and more of what the universe is saying to us by the simple act of listening.”

If you, like me, have an intimate relationship with the created world, you may find additional delight in now being able to address our winged neighbors by their proper names. “You’re sounding especially chipper today, Mr. Cardinal,” I might say after hearing that distinctive whistle. Or “Oh, Ms. Crow, what’s all the excitement about?” after some boisterous caws. This way of intimate and focused listening to the avian world might seem a logical next step if you, like me, already greet our bird neighbors’ relatives in the floral kin-dom by name whenever we meet one another.

So here’s a question to carry with us into the season of spring, or really into any and every one of the four seasons: What might be some of the messages you are hearing, seeing, noticing in creation in your corner of the world? What might our feathered and petaled friends be telegraphing to you about new life, fresh perspectives, and the deep yearning encoded in our spiritual DNA?

Takeaway
Sit in stillness with the Holy One.
You may want to sit or walk outside and simply listen to the voices of the natural world.
Notice the singing of birds or the gentle sway of petals in the breeze or the refreshing scent of mint.
What might the Creator be saying to you through your senses?
Share that with the Holy One, and give thanks.

Featured Images: Joshua J. Cotten, Unsplash; Austin Chan, Unsplash

NOTE:
Mother’s Day blessings to all mothers and to all who give their lives over to nurturing, encouraging, supporting, teaching, and loving life at every level.

We pray also for blessing and wisdom for our new Pope, Leo XIV, as he enters into his ministry as a newly elected global pastor.

May 18-23:
Please hold in your prayer safe travel and blessings for all who will be part of a guided retreat I’m leading for the Dominican Sisters of Amityville, New York. Thank you!

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