Starting point

Whichever direction I face,  

I must remain in the center of the great wheel

that is my life.

It is so tempting to go running off, 

enticed by possibilities 

and the false freedom of forgetting.

But now I remember who I am,

and there is a map that comes with this remembering.

I open the map and see:

"You are here" highlighted with a tiny arrow.

That is the beginning of my true journey.

Everything else was practice.

Columbia River Gorge

Every time I visit

this sacred river, 

I feel the wind pass directly through me

into my heart

I am embraced

by the Spirit of this place~

The river 

sings with a familiar voice

The mountains rise into faces

etched into my ancestral memory

The wind plays with my face and hair

whispering a thousand greetings

and I am quiet with contentment.

I am no stranger here,

but a guest in the home

of Great Spirit,

witness to the dance between wind and water.

Haikus after a soothing bath

The heart of Love shines~

shimmering, soothing comfort

found in a salt bath.

To breathe deeply heals.

Wise body remembers peace

when allowed to feel~

Mind chatters away

While the Soul harmonizes

with the wind outside.

I open the gifts

that Spirit gives me daily

and remember Love.

Time Haikus

Time pounces catlike
Catching me in a moment
that seemed commonplace.

Time whistled out loud
as I was falling asleep~
and prayer came to mind.

I asked Time to wait
as I listened to my heart.
The wind grazed my cheek.

The clock does not know
that Time has its own logic
and sense of humor.

Blessed Heart

Witness the heart 

as it searches for companions,

beating it's steady rhythm

with faith and determination.

The Heart knows it needs 

others to create a song.

Embrace the heart's 

lesson of perserverence;

never giving up until the final beat,

then trusting that a new rhythm

will guide the dance.

Remember the heart as muscle, 

working to bring flow

to all parts of our blessed bodies.

Strength of purpose

guides our every moment.

Even in surrender

we can trust our hearts

to know what must be done.

Your Light

The  Light that you bring into this world

Grows with the sharing of its unique

Illumination

 

The Light that you bring into this world

Must be nurtured

Like a living thing

That requires laughter and delight

To keep it bright and steady

 

The Light that you bring into this world

Is a gift

That only you know how to wrap

 

And that Light must be given freely

With a heart willing

To let joy guide its way.

Hummingbird

Hummingbird's visit

brings the delight of a child

to my flower heart.

Starling's visit

It started with a ruckus

of flapping and wild cat yowls

as the bird found itself

separated 

from the world

by glass~

The bird, searching for freedom,

beat itself against the invisible barrier,

over and over

caught in curtains, lost  

frantic

for release.

The cats waited below

as I tried to catch the bird.

He wanted no help, only freedom.

The mail slot offered a small cave of possibility

and the black panting creature 

finally hid himself 

in its

hollowness~

I went outside and opened the small golden hinged door~

then the bird looked out with open beak,

hungry now for open sky

as never before.

Freedom gave its instructions

as the bird crouched into perfect shape

and emerged through the mail slot

without injury

Without delay

Starling found freedom.

Gratitude

Rejoicing

the shared golden thread

made evident 

during 

bright-eyed conversations

We are connected

by our search

and inspired

by a sense of sisterhood

rediscovered

I am so grateful

for the darling friends

that dare authenticity to reshape their hearts

and reinvent their minds

I, too, dare to be altered

by the wisdom

I hear in birdsong~

It makes all the difference 

to take these risks

in harmony.

Waking up

Clouded first awakening

and a morning

quiet and pastel~

Blessed sun 

invites the second awakening

and a heart wakes up

to the possibilities

of the day.

A memory of garden beauty

evokes the necessity

to travel across town.

And the third awakening

is the best of all~

as I sit on a bench

breathing in a thousand stories of peace

told in the language 

of leaf and bloom....

Night walk

Clouds of different densities

create a collage of blues and grays~

redwoods silhouetted

like steeples

remind me to give thanks

for this holy moment.

I walk within a living painting

witness to wind's wild brushstrokes

and Light's shifting game. 

Full Heart

Simple heart~

tell me the answer

to all that I seek.

I listen, and you 

simply beat

with forever patience.

Working in perfect rhythm

whatever the weather or body mood,

never forgetting 

the pace

of natural life.

Wise heart, 

show me the path

of contentment.

Accompany me as I learn 

to sing my part

within the choir

of modernity~

Peace

Within a perfect, still moment

there is promise and potential

Light blooms 

illuminating the moment 

and one is invited

to take a peek

at perfection

In the stillness, there is harmony.

Movement flows with ease

as we listen to the call

of simplicity.

You do not need to know anything in particular

to enter the moment~

No one is watching 

your encounter unfold.

Suspend all expectation

and relax.

Letting go

is an important requirement

of embracing

Peace.

Watching the Finches

Tiny yellow finch
moving within the flutter
of a larger flock~

Cautious, hungry flight
finding seed treasure nearby
feasting in small nips.

Shadow birds hover
waiting for a chance to grab
greedy for power.

With clapping hands I shout!
Claiming yard for my finch friends
no shadows remain.

Scrub jay stands alone
under seed bag, wondering~
who will join me now?

My Japanese Garden Writing Contest submission

One day I brought my journal with me as I enjoyed a morning at the garden, and wrote as I sat in contemplation:

Love spreads through the trees,
Green angels stirred by wind.
Waterfalls sing praise.

Green beauty ponders,
The sky changes with purpose.
Patient senses reach.

Patterns of rock flow,
Each plant with a role to play.
Asian beauty sings.

The path is simple~
The way emerges brightly.
I have no doubts now.

I am so grateful to have a relationship with such a divine garden.

My Credo, written during my Build Your Own Theology class

I believe in the sacred marriage of form and spirit, come forth from our Source as a dynamic expression of divine balance and experienced as the eternal dance between yin and yang.

I believe in the great Light that gives form to the greatest Love that is, shared by all creatures in the interdependent web of life.

I believe in the Earth’s divine consciousness and mystery, and delight in awareness of the beloved community that inhabits both seen and unseen realms.

I believe in profound interconnectedness and the necessity to choose Love over Fear. I believe that Love is the very essence of Life itself, and that Fear is its Undoing.

I believe that we are Souls on a journey through time and space, learning the lessons of Love and Fear as we move from lifetime to lifetime. Ultimately, I believe that we become pure Love and return to God in a state of pure Light.

I believe that it is important to take personal responsibility within a chosen range of influence; giving of oneself in the spirit and form of Love made real.. I believe in sharing freely the transcendent gifts of compassion, open-mindedness and laughter.

I believe in the importance of engaging life dynamically; being present, willing and able to participate fully in the process of living and loving.. I believe that challenges are to be learned from and that grace comes to those that place their faith in Love’s Guiding Light.

Everyday Shaman

Know that your journey's every twist and turn
has great meaning and import.

Trust your heart and let yourself dance to its steady rhythm.

This is the life you have chosen,
and there are many here who await your return to awareness and power.

Believe in the wisdom that fills you with Light
and take care to remember
all heartfelt guidance.

We are all connected and your loving efforts
are never lost or forgotten.

Even the trees know who you are.

BRICK

Each one formed
From a square of earth

Formed in a mold,
But each one unique~ so unique.

Even laid within the pattern,
Each supportive member
Of the constructed wholeness
HUMS
With the knowing of the larger structure.

Not needing to be acknowledged
As the keystone~
Merely happy to belong
To the greater Dream.