~ A Joy Warrior's Journey
Even though the storm clouds
are heavy and dark, light streams down.
Even though we are frightened
and confused, grace surrounds.
Look up; look within. Let illusion
dissolve. Beyond and beneath you,
truth broadcasts its word.
Even though there is darkness,
love rains down.
Expanding across the vast sky, trails
veil its blue, send the sun’s light back
into space, as if that were a cure,
laughing in disdain at those who argue otherwise.
Getting there is one thing.
The destination’s the main reason
for the journey after all.
But it’s not everything, and maybe
not even the most important.
When you reach it, another
will soon take its place. Always
there is more to see and do.
Maybe it’s the journey itself
that matters most, the times
you paused simply to look around,
to feel yourself being, alive,
savoring the company and the view.
Standing together, our roots woven
together in this soil, we pool
our individual dreams to form
a community uniquely our own,
shaping us, giving us strength
and meaning and shelter,
saying to the world, this
is what we stand for; this
is what we are—tall and upright,
reaching for the sky, even as
we nurture and shelter
the fragile growth below.
We sing our song in all seasons,
flying our banners proudly
and high. We are many;
we are one. We are Yes.
Stay awake. Take nothing for granted;
for nothing endures but for your having seen it.
This alone you take with you: the colors,
the fragrances, the tastes, the sounds,
the feel of the air caressing your skin,
the contrasts of light and shadow,
of finite earth and infinite sky.
You were sent to gather these moments,
to carry them back to the heart
of the Yes, from which you came.
You, with your unique capacities,
are the only one who can see it
and know it as you do. You are
the holy gatherers, the keepers
of the jeweled now. Stay awake;
gather with reverence and joy.
After you ask, be at ease
and go about your way
knowing that, in its perfect time,
your request will be granted.
Keep your heart light, your mind
open, your trust a matter
of course. Then surrender,
and go where you are led.
Believe this. The earth is filled
with goodness, and jewels gleam
everywhere.
Fly, babies! Grab this wind and go!
You are the hope of butterflies,
the guarantor of their tomorrows.
Claim your spot on the soft earth,
and dream your milkweed dreams
the winter through. Dream how strong
your stem will be, how fragrant
your dusty-rose flowers. Imagine
the flaming wings of the Monarchs
as they return to you day after day
to feast on the nourishment that
you alone can provide. Then rise
from your dreams, sweet ones,
and live them. Fly, babies, fly.
Grab this wind and go.
The woods was still dark, its trees bare,
the previous night’s rain having washed
to the ground the bits of what had remained.
The revelry was over, the morning sun
only now rising on the sleeping scene.
Except for her scarlet song rolling
down the hillside through the night’s debris,
I might have missed her altogether,
there, at the crest of the hill, her leaves alone
shining red in the morning light. She sang
not to call attention to herself, but as one
lost in a reverie, or uttering a last, personal
benediction over all that she had witnessed here
since spring, humbled, perhaps, at the realization
that she got to be the final witness of it all.
Imagine that. The last one.
Well, here we are, a third of the way into November, about to plunge headlong into the holiday season, with all of its stresses and joys.
Before it gets into full swing, I thought I’d share with you a quick and easy practice you can adapt to ensure that your time is rich and full and your stresses no more than tiny bumps in the road.
Ready? Okay, here goes.
The first thing you want to do is decide on a theme for the upcoming weeks. What feelings or attitudes would you most like to have filling you as you travel to the year’s end?
Would you want to be flowing with gratitude? Ease? Kindness? Contentment?
Would you want to feel inspired most of the time? Creative? Appreciative? Energetic?
Pick two or three of your favorite feelings or attitudes and write them down as your theme. Then say to yourself, right out loud, “My intention is to be filled with ___________ and _________ .”
Next, take a couple minutes to remember a time when you felt each of your chosen feelings or attitudes and let yourself experience feeling them now as fully as you can.
Maybe you’ll remember where you were and what you were doing when you felt that feeling before.
Maybe you’ll notice a little smile on your face as you call the feelings or attitudes to mind.
Maybe you’ll simply feel the depth and strength of them
Once you’re experiencing a clear memory of each of your chosen feelings, name them out loud, one at a time, as you pat the heart region of your chest three times. “Thankful. Thankful. Thankful.” Then do it with the next feeling.
Super. Now you have installed your intention. And it only takes two small actions to activate and strengthen it daily.
1st As soon as you wake in the morning, remember your intention, repeating it to yourself, saying it out loud. “My intention is to be filled with __________ and _________ today.”
2nd As you go through your day, do this little PARK exercise to reinforce and nurture it. (PARK it any time you think of it, or on the hour, or before each meal.) Here’s how:
P – Pause in whatever you are doing, momentarily setting it aside.
A – Become Aware. Allow yourself to become aware of the present moment.
Do a quick body scan and let go of any accumulated tension. Notice the data your senses are bringing to you: What are you seeing? Hearing? Smelling? Tasting? What is your skin feeling? How’s your posture? Your breathing?
If you like, you can also do a quick review of how you spent the past hour and acknowledge yourself for it.
You can do all of this very effectively in a matter of a few seconds. Or stretch it out as long as you like, enjoying the way this break relaxes and refreshes you.
R– Remember. Remember that the purpose of this exercise is to energize your intentions. Briefly touch your heart center and let the beautiful feelings of your intention fill your awareness for a moment. Feel how alive they are within you, quietly guiding you. (If you’re in circumstances where you would be uncomfortable touching your heart center, simply focus your attention there.)
K – Keep on. Return your attention to whatever you were doing or would like to do next.
That’s it. Choose two or three feelings as your theme for the remainder of the year, install your intention to be immersed in them, do a morning reminder when you wake and practice PARK as you go through your day.
This practice has been one of the favorites of my coaching clients, by the way. I hope you’ll give it a try and experience the sense of well-being that it can bring you.
Wishing you beautiful intentions!
Warmly,
Susan
Image by Mircea Iancu from Pixabay
They don’t settle down right away.
Like children tucked into bed
after an exciting day, the trees
take some time to sink into silence.
First, they must whisper stories
to each other, to giggle and tease.
They must wiggle a bit and ease
themselves into just the right
position before the winter dreams
will come, floating in like clouds
on a snowy evening. But then,
what silence! And beneath it,
what stupendous dreams they dream