Dear Writing:
I knew you fit the moment I felt
that first creative spark when
a story appeared in my mind
One story led to the next
creativity begets more creativity
Ideas seem to build momentum
The breath links pen to hand,
heartbeat to moments
Time out of time
Never squandered or wasted
All necessary scaffolding
for what’s to come next
Dear Writing:
I am your companion and faithful student
May we continue to go to new places,
real or imagined,
together on this creative journey
Tag: breath
Awareness
I am aware and awake
no longer hijacked by
the sympathetic nervous system:
Always putting out fires,
filled with distractions, agendas and othering
Can I offer myself some grace
in just the remembering?
To be aware when I am distracted and be gentle
and even offer a warm smile?
And when I am putting out the embers
and reacting to others’ agendas,
can I pause for just a beat?
The emergency can feel more important
than giving myself three S-L-O-W breaths
no one will notice
the air that fills my lungs
brings with it a promise and a knowing
That I got this
That even when I make mistakes, seem forgetful
– careless even –
this very moment of breath is true:
What is present and grounded,
steady and resilient within myself
forgiveness is not a passive attitude
forgiveness brings presence,
awareness, and the belief to try again
And to remember that we are innocent
and worthy of our own grace
Point of Perception
Reaching into the cosmos
It is a two-way communication.
I am open and receptively aligned
So I receive with breath, with insight
The inspiring words come to me and
I am thankful
Allow my pen and my voice to be
that conduit
that bridge of connection.
There is power here
and there is safety
Breath, mind and heart aligned to receive:
The gift of words
The gift of inspiration
what connects us to share our story
We gather around that fire
our tribe of elders and youth,
parents and mending bones
Broken hearts can be healed
with a heartfelt story
The seeker in me sees the seeker in you
And in this moment we are one
No longer separated by boundary,
flesh and bone
Hearts and minds one
with bated breath we see
and believe that we can be free
to soar, to sing, to create,
to love and to grieve
all parts are welcomed here
in our circle by the fire
Join me
there is a seat waiting
just for you
you are seen and heard,
held and loved,
just by being you
what a marvelous thing you are
to be just one of you in all eternity
your eyes, your hair
perhaps inherited by someone
you never met
- the expression that makes you you -
one of a kind
smile and believe
You are free to be
Come back – Don’t fall asleep
Come back
Don’t fall asleep
The world needs your stories
You can solve what troubles you
The antedote is in your chest
In your heart
In your very breath
Even when it feels like it’s breaking apart
and shattered at the core
There is the jewel of what is you
that takes these pieces
that makes meaning in the chaos
The shards are not terrifying
a new mosaic is taking shape
and you are the sculptor
Come back
Don’t fall asleep
The world needs you
I need you
In my arms - all is at peace -
A steady rhythm of heart and breath
To hold and be held
to walk upon this earth
supported with ease and connection
to spirit
to love
to bliss
Come back
Don’t fall asleep
The beauty is you all along
[ This is my birthday gift and to celebrate the month of October ]
I am breath and heart
Breath is my life force
my heart alchemizes that
force into fresh blood that
sustains me
It makes me light up
from the inside
Even in its natural course,
I can take the reins
- so to speak –
I can open up my lungs
with deep, mindful breaths
It may seem like it’s
automatic
a response
a reaction
The process is not that
complicated
Try it now.
Inhale slow and full.
Do you feel fulfilled
if not just for this moment?
Exhale even more s-l-o-w-l-y
like exhaling through a straw
Extend that breath
and empty your lungs
Trust that you are safe
another breath is on its way
- for the lucky ones -
Put your hand on your heart
and feel that beating jewel
in your chest
It is your life force
your birthright to this body
Today comes fast
tomorrow uncertain
Feel your light
It is your gift.
The Waiting
Time slows to a crawl
The breath is my anchor
to the here and now
It is a soft place to land.
Time feels beyond my reach
I am either behind it
or waiting for a future moment
when it seems just right
To balance between
the waiting and the go
can be frustrating
uncomfortable
My thoughts are stuck
playing a loop
on the same recording
and it is hardly helpful
My thoughts are a made-up story
Where fact or fiction meld
into an excuse – a righteous reason
and I dutifully follow the trail it makes.
Distraction
Wishing things to change
but me, myself, I don’t
change is scary but necessary
How we grow
How we transform
How we create
All effects from change itself.
Do I embrace the wait?
The change that comes too soon
or seems to agonize on and on
Where’s the silver lining?
Isn’t that the point?
I have to wait
There is nothing I can do
but wait.
The World Makes Its Own Kind of Music
the song of the bird
the song of the whale
the drumming of raindrops
the howling wind outside
a whirlwind of brown dead leaves rustle.
All symphony.
Even the ear-piercing airplane engines
as they prepare to take flight.
Even the neighbor’s loud, barking dog
that seems to holler out at hourly intervals.
All the world is filled with music.
When all is quiet and the earth seems to be asleep,
my heart leaps into rhythm and drum
– beat after beat –
A constant companion.
I, too, am an instrument.
I can clap, tap or snap.
And when I hum or sing,
a choir of bells arises in my throat.
Music fills the silence.
The steady quiet breath,
a yawn – even a sneeze –
all longing to be a part of that glorious symphony.
Inspiration and the Sacred
Where does inspiration come from? It can be a fleeting idea, A word or phrase that lights me up And I want to become the explorer of my own inner terrain. [The Sacred] It happens in solitude And when I’m out in nature. I feel most connected to The wisdom of my heart. Beauty always surrounds me, Even in the mundane and hard times. I just have to be willing And open to see it. When I connect to my heart and breath, I feel I am taking an active role in my life. I’m not getting carried away by the rushing tide of emotions and circumstance. In that moment, the magic happens. I no longer have to struggle. I can literally go with the flow. Again, I return to the explorer within, Who recognizes the difficulty in truly letting go With surrender and vulnerability. There is peace and ultimate freedom To find creative solutions, To take a beat before I react, And to connect to my inner wisdom. How does inspiration and the sacred come to you?
THE BODY
The body is a vessel More than tracks of blood, Veins, arteries, nerves, Bone on tendon, Synovial and cartilage. It is a vessel that Forever is learning. It is not stagnant ever. It holds my breath And takes my breath away. It mobilizes me to action, To thought, to dream, to create. The body is a vessel for love. I can receive and freely give it. I can hold another’s torso And their secrets. I can laugh and cry. I can release and let go. I can hold and embody. Mine can twist and take shape Intertwine with my lover. I can stretch and realize My edges are further than I thought. I can smile and accept This body that is mine.
With Fresh Eyes
With fresh eyes I begin again in meditation. Sounds and thoughts pass by. Just like the breath. I am the silent witness. Waves of awareness Swirl around me. Can I follow a sound From inception to conclusion? What stories and assumptions do I attach to them? Can I bring peaceful presence To my everyday life, To each encounter, To each thought? I begin again With fresh eyes And an open heart.
Healing Insights 