Sunday, April 30, 2017

When the tide is low

You all may not notice such things, but I feel like this blog has been somewhat less inspired of late.  Some of it comes from a decision I made to stop allowing myself to think about the blog while I'm meditating -- I felt it was getting in the way of opening my heart to what is -- but I can't deny there's been a shift that seems to coincide pretty closely with the election. 

So many of my pieces last year were about hope in the face of adversity that I was actually able to publish them as a book on that subject. But now the adversity is here -- and I've always sworn I would avoid talking politics in this space, but it's hard not to worry about the growing threats to the environment, to women's rights, to the poor and disenfranchised, to immigrants -- and of course the rising fear of nuclear war. 

But then, of course, some part of me gets annoyed with myself -- how strong can my faith be if I can't continue to hope and trust in the face of all these threats; to take Gurdjieff's Law of Three to heart, and believe that the difficult things are what help propel us into progress, into new spaces.  And of course we can see some of that, as more and more people are beginning to take activism seriously.

But at the same time it seems rather naive -- and even somewhat offensive, to be honest -- to keep encouraging people to "Trust in the Lord, and don't despair; He is a friend so true. No matter what your troubles are, Jesus will see you through." I mean, obviously, this is not a time to sit back on our haunches and just "let it happen." But it's not a time to be hurling insults and widening the divide either. So how DO we continue to stand in a space of trust? How do we know when to act and what to say or do? When the tide of human events is low, how far beyond our comfort zones can we safely venture?

I don't know the answer to any of this; I've been reduced, I think, to a sort of moment by moment responsiveness -- which might explain yesterday's post.  I'm not sure what the rules are any more, so I have to listen more closely than ever to the promptings of the heart, and trust that when action is required I will be ready to serve to the best of my ability. All I know is it no longer seems a time for happy platitudes, but rather for some serious and troubled searching for what is right. Thank you for sharing that journey with me...

Saturday, April 29, 2017

A judging presence


To be wholly present is to be watchful, alert,
quick to understand, and ready to respond;
to exercise judgment without being judgmental.

Friday, April 28, 2017

What we seek


What is it you've been searching for,
and why have you not realized
it's right here, where you are, right now?

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Just another fantasy


Some days, meditation feels
Like just another fantasy:
You create this lovely welcoming space,
Then wait for some enchanting spirit
That never quite arrives...

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

What seems like a weed


What seems like a weed to you
might prove a tasty delicacy to someone else.
Don't assume that just because 
something is not to your liking
it therefore has no value...

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

The tangled heart


Don't be afraid to venture 
Into the tangled forest of your heart:
There's beauty there, and dark, and light,
And secrets you were born to unravel.

Monday, April 24, 2017

A journey of your own


Never forget, when admiring others' journeys,
that you, too, are traveling on a journey of your own.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Simple pleasures


I'm grateful for the simple pleasures:
for the beauty  of the tulips, 
The glory of a sunny day,
and for the time and thought 
and tender care 
Of such devoted gardeners.

The urge to protect


The aged may grow stiff and gnarly,
Crippled by time and the elements,
But we never lose that urge 
to protect the young.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Mystery


Hidden in even the darkest corners --
always, that invitation into mystery...

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Invitation to the Holy


As the sun with her dying breath and brightest colors
reaches out across the horizon to extend her nightly invitation,
so the Holy reaches out to each of us
welcoming us home.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Uninspired?


Inspiration not coming? That's okay --
some days you just have to hunker down and wait for it...

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Thirsting for the Holy


Thirsty tree leans out,
dying to taste the water;
 sips, and then reflects.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Good boundaries


Within our regimented rows, we dance in gay profusion:
good boundaries needn't mean an end 
to growth, to joy and freedom.

Sunday, April 16, 2017

May hope bloom again


May hope rise up and bloom again,
and its perfume fill the hearts 
of all who long for a world governed by love. 

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Boring can be good



I used to say, "I know I'm boring; 
I come with references!" 
Now I just say, "Boring is good!"
Funny how your perspective 
changes with age...

Friday, April 14, 2017

Imagine an island


In the stillness of the morning,
I can imagine that I am an island,
resting quiet and serene in a calm untroubled sea...

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Shake off the memory of rain


Watching as the clouds begin to lift,
let's spread our wings, shake off the memory of rain,
and prepare to fly again.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Our daily invitation


Will you have the courage
to stop; to sit, and set aside the self;
to step from surface chaos to the depths of the soul:
this is our daily invitation.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Feast your eyes


Feast your eyes on the fields, the tulips and the daffodils,
for their time here, like ours, is brief,
and all too quickly gone.

Monday, April 10, 2017

We are one


Some of us are grounded, happy grazing in the present, 
some of us are frequently in flight.
But each of us is capable of both, 
and whichever path we choose, we are one flock, 
feasting on the bounty of the earth;
heading for the same destination.

Sunday, April 9, 2017

All I see is beauty


You may think you're not looking your best --
perhaps a little scraggly, a little under dressed --
but all I see is beauty: a sweet determination
to keep reaching for the light...

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Dream on



Don't be afraid to dream.
Ours is a nation founded on dreams
And built by those who were willing to risk 
and to suffer for what they believed was right.

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Sweetness



I hope today brings 
a little sweetness into your life.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Inspiration


May inspiration flow through you today
as water and light make their inexorable way 
through the mountains.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Rosy promises


They're here again -- the bright pink blooms,
the harbingers of spring, and new awakenings:
Rosy promises of sweetness yet to come...

Monday, April 3, 2017

Also true


Don't be afraid to ask yourself
what else is also true...

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Waves of love


My heart's awash in waves of love:
they're radiating out to heal the world...

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Dig deep


However bleak and desolate your outlook may appear,
however parched your spirit may become,
if you dig deep, and deeper still,
you'll find the source that nourishes your soul.