day 31 - praising

"Praise, my dear one. Let us disappear into praising. Nothing belongs to us." 

- Rainer Maria Rilke

Praising is a way of speaking from the heart — of noticing what quietly sustains us and naming it with gratitude.

Specifically today, I offer my sincere praise to the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace for creating and sharing the 64 reflection prompts and support materials for the Season for Nonviolence.

I would not have ventured into sharing this creative meditation without the container they have offered. These daily reflections are deepening my understanding of nonviolence — or, in Sanskrit, ahimsa — revealing it not only as restraint from harm, but as a daily active practice of care.

Sunflowers symbolize loyalty, devotion, resilience, and hope. Turning continually toward the sun, they remind me to orient myself toward warmth, generosity, and joy.

Today, I offer this folded sunflower in gratitude — praise for those who create and hold spaces where peace can be practiced together.

it's gonna be a bright, bright, sunshiny day

I hope your day is going well and the sun is brightening your mood. 

I folded this sunny origami pin back in the fall when the weather was still warm and the flowers were nodding sleepily in the fields.

The softly cloudy hexagon background is folded from a quarter sheet of copy paper. The rest is made with origami paper. 

The sunflower is designed by Makoto Yamaguchi. If you would like to try folding it, here's a helpful video from Origami Maniacs on YouTube.

The double leaf is a clever design from Japanese artist Nanahoshi. I absolutely love her wreaths and floral swags. Check them out!