Musings
Winter Quiet
Snow has arrived again at the Sanctuary and it has been mostly quiet over the last week. Taking time to pause at this time of year is so helpful. (And on a personal note, I have not had much choice in that matter. It turns out after having an MRI last week that I broke eight different bones in my foot.)
Snowflake on Mitten by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLC
But as we approach the end of the year, there is much gratitude throughout our little community. I see lots of appreciation and kindness for each other and the part which each of us is playing in bringing our vision to fruition. We all have our reasons for wanting to be a part of this, and it is beautiful to see.
There is a poem I heard recently that was written partially about Buddhist Monks who depend on whatever is put into their bowls from begging for their sustenance. But this poem of the The Bowl is about our lives – our existence.
“The Bowl”
“If meat is put into the bowl, meat is eaten.
“If rice is put into the bowl, it may be cooked.
“If a shoe is put into the bowl,
the leather is chewed and chewed over,
a sentence that cannot be taken in or forgotten.“A day, if a day could feel, must feel like a bowl.
Wars, loves, trucks, betrayals, kindness,
it eats them.“Then the next day comes, spotless and hungry.
“The bowl cannot be thrown away.
It cannot be broken.“It is calm, uneclipsable, rindless,
and, big though it seems, fits exactly in two human hands.“Hands with ten fingers,
fifty-four bones,
capacities strange to us almost past measure.
Scented—as the curve of the bowl is—
with cardamom, star anise, long pepper, cinnamon, hyssop.”by Jane Hirshfield
Jane Hirshfield comments about this poem. She says: “vulnerability” — the great gate to abundance is simply to feel yourself able to be porous, to be open to whatever is put in the bowl that is yours to hold with your 10 fingers and 54 bones. That is abundance.
Wishing you peace and joy this holiday season,
Jean
Snowflake on Mitten by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLC
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Written by : Jean Cavanaugh
Jean Cavanaugh is the founder and steward of Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary, established in 2019 as a living, learning community devoted to reconnecting people with the wisdom of nature, the sacred order of creation, and the presence of Christ within all life. Her work brings together spiritual formation, ecological stewardship, ancestral wisdom, and hands-on community practice.
Through years of practical work on the land, study of the Mysteries, and the healing of her own severe health challenges through natural methods, Jean has come to recognize God’s hand at work throughout creation. Her teachings, rooted in the Mystery School tradition and Christian gnosis, explore how the patterns of heaven, earth, and the human body reveal the way back to divine presence, peace, and inner strength.
Jean leads with honesty, integrity, and a deeply welcoming spirit, inviting others to let go of inherited assumptions and rediscover truth through lived experience and embodied understanding. She works with all ages—from preschoolers to elders—offering programs and celebrations that emphasize direct engagement with nature, music, story, homesteading skills, and in-person community.
She and her family live at the 21-acre Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary, where daily life reflects a commitment to simplicity, beauty, and harmony with the land. The sanctuary includes gardens, woodland trails, a seasonal creek, gathering circles, and spaces designed to nourish both people and wildlife. Jean is especially passionate about creating environments that are grounding, beautiful, and spiritually restorative.
Through her writing and teaching, Jean encourages others to know themselves, know creation, and recognize Christ as the living truth present within and around us—always inviting a return to love, beauty, and the sacred order of life.
