“ The Art of Not Minding”
here i stand before myself
a patchwork of mindsets and memories
of fussy habits and divine spark
amidst the veils of my bewilderment
incongruences and beautiful delights
i try to make peace with them all
equally
practicing the Noble Art of Not Minding
of holding lightly the
i, me and mine
surrendering identity to observing
waves, in cycles of crests and valleys
beholding
trusting
being
nothing and everything
in a wink
“holding the course”
entering this new land,
disorientation accompanies me
as i meet the unfamiliar
then i hear a timeless call:
adapt
and it echo’s:
adapt . . . adapt . . . . adapt . . . . . far into the distance
to thrive,
it continues,
hold the course
of calm
compassionate patience
foster
gentle endurance
for this is just the beginning of a journey
of still unimaginable gifts
“beholding it all”
the winds of time whirl us about
snowflakes in a flustered, frenzied dance
yet in all the drama
within each of us,
unique and wondrous,
creative beings
resides
the Deep Calm
neutral and steady
beholding it all
there, in this vast stillness
let us meet
as audacious children, drunken
on our many cosmic toys
“endlessly entertaining”
amazing, how within a heartbeat
awareness can shift from the external worlds
to my internal wonderland
how i can sense the body’s state of wellbeing,
then observe the swell of emotional tides
now point my focus to the realm of thoughts
witnessing them as they move about on this fine morning
some light and bright, a few scary-sharp,
while others are filled with the hot air of self-importance
oh, what a marvel they are, as they strut before before me
endlessly entertaining, bewildering,
easy to get lost in . . . for a whole life time.
what then, i ponder, should my relationship be
to this grand parade of thoughts?
“nurtured by the rains of presence”
what do they have in common?
the genuine smile
and moment of sincere patience…
the giving thanks before a meal,
wholehearted listening,
and wishing another well…
these acts - and their kin,
bring me home again
into the freshness of being present
they are the nurturing rains
that water the seeds,
sprouts and budding plants
in my oasis
“take a breath . . .”
how do i meet the arrival
of the emotions that are difficult to bear?
will the trance of anger, greed, doubt . . .
cause the temporary loss of reason
or can peace prevail?
in the space between trigger and response
is where my possibilities are still infinite
before the hasty word is spoken, the unkind act unleashed
so take a breath
and another . . .
cherish the moment of freedom of the space between
cherish the ability to choose
a response that aligns with my dearest values
it is in these small moments
that the quality of all our lives are shaped
“messengers”
draw nearer to yourself
and listen
to the messengers
that arrive, one by one
the emissaries and high counselors
that come to you, speaking
in the language of emotions
about the state of your heart
hoping to catch your attention
in this crowded, vexing world
they whisper and shout
about joy and sadness
and hundreds of flavors,
asking to be heard
all carrying the messages
of needs
so, draw nearer to yourself
be still and
listen
“flaring briefly, brightly”
imagine, each emotion as a flower
in the garden of the heart
budding, blooming
fading away
each a seven-second life
of its very own
flaring briefly,
brightly
in all imaginable shapes
and shades of white and pink,
fiery reds, yellows, deep purples
and the palest of blues . . .
how many lived and flourished
in your heart just today?
do you know them by name?
welcome them all the same?
“red berries remind me”
on a winter’s day
a warm breeze holds
the promise of spring
and as my senses drink in the world
i wonder: is my red the same as yours?
is the chickadee’s call the same for you?
red berries remind me
that all is not the same for all
that we see what we have learned to see
that each of us is a unique lens, a facet of the whole
that is gathering and reflecting light back
into the Mystery
“learning to love”
begin where you are
and love that which you can love
the sunrise, a bird, your friend, a favorite chair . . .
and season upon season
nurture the circle of love
opening your heart
wider, deeper, including more
of what shares your life
“taste the honey”
a sage who traveled
the ocean of truth
spoke of treasures that
bring peace to the heart of man
”know the good and the bad,
yet only ever dwell on the good” he said
too simple, I thought at first
thankfully
even the fool
gets to taste the honey
when she tries
“pausing and pondering”
what makes me pause,
while i am rushing
by the moments that hold out
their treasures and tenderness?
what causes me to slow and stop,
to connect with my one and precious life
and go beachcombing on the shores
of the here and now?
“at the threshold”
don’t be afraid
of yourself
for a while put away
the toys that glitter and excite the senses
allow the quiet, still times
even the slight boredom
they are only the threshold to be crossed
to meet yourself again
“advocating wellness”
there is a four letter word
i am advocating to bleep
out of my vocabulary
no, no
not the sailor mouth words
that add occasional emphasis
this little word i have in my gaze
it is more insidious, destructive and
soul sucking
so, give me a B
give me a U
and an S
have you guessed it yet?
finish off, this little insult to happiness,
with a Y
and voilà, - we have busy
often: too busy to listen,
to play, to rest and to live well
may i replace busy with
another four letter word:
well
so that when asked: how are you?
the answer shifts from a slightly irritated: I am busy!
to an honest: I am well . . . Thank you!
“know thyself”
made of stardust
you and me, i often forget
to reflect in stillness
the perennial ponder of:
“know thyself”
how much do i know this stardust body?
with its ever-changing emotional weather systems,
its mental patterns that can stay subtle, or atrophy
and its clockwork cycles and rhythms
do i know my natural strength and talents?
my likes and dislikes, many caused
by the conditioning of this culture
do i know how to be free?
and belong to self-elected values
to find that which is indestructible within
perennial ponders
stardust to stardust
amongst all this empty space in the universe
“it waits . . . ”
what i seek is not far away
not in distance, nor in time
close, like the ocean of air
that permeates every living moment
to see it i need presence of mind
quietening the me, that gets lost in thought
slowing down to the present
then and there
it waits for me
the light of peace
faithfully
“responding to the gift”
yes, there is great need for wisdom
and ethics and discipline
yet, there also needs
to be the Wonder
the still moments
when wide open silence
is the purest expression
of our love
in response to the gift
of life
“gratitude for the small-big things”
let me give thanks
for these days
of mobility,
good eyesight,
and freedom from pain.
for my voice,
sense of balance,
and healthy lungs and guts.
for all that works so well
that gives and lives in constant service
to this body i call home
let me give thanks
“above the fog”
this seems to be a hurdle
we all face
the remembering
of our best intentions
of kind, skillful ways
and qualities that nurture the heart
of humanity
easy to talk about, to write about
much harder to practice
living life from our genuine core
each of us making their many attempts
to rise above the fog of forgetfulness
“entwined”
today
i will companion the day
for the pure joy of it
cheering on the ever-changing clouds
welcoming the newborn mushrooms
witnessing and marveling at it all
while Life and i holding hands, skip along
stay tuned
with weekly free musings
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