Morning Coffee

June 24, 2018June 30, 2018 becomingandbeholding4 Comments

That first brewed cup,

its aroma filling the kitchen,

its warmth on the mug

as my hand hugs it –

well, it soothes my soul.

I am like a cat

looking for a lap –

the ritual invites

rest and reflection –

a feeling of peace which

connects me

to all that matters.

The silence of the morning

reminds me to

quiet my waking mind

and allow for inspiration

to visit me.

She whispers into my soul.

Sipping my coffee,

engaging with words of wisdom –

words that find me

from the writings of others, or

the ones rising up within me –

it is a morning dance

that brings me joy.

We need touch points

like this.

We are like spinning tops

without them,

turning mindlessly, and

missing opportunities

to stop and notice.

The work of the soul,

our experience of Love,

requires these pauses.

Therefore, fret not your routines.

They are roots that

hold you in place –

or scenic spots

along your journey –

they allow for a more expansive view.

I pour myself a second cup,

Feeling the ground below me –

connecting my heart

to what expands before me.

It opens like an eager flower.

I behold the blessing

of another day.

Be Still And Know

June 22, 2018June 22, 2018 becomingandbeholdingLeave a comment

Everyone has their special brand

of distraction and

dis-ease – that state of mind

that disguises and deters from

all the goodness

right in front of us.

Sometimes,

just stop yourself.

Tell that wrangling mind

“Enough already!”

And then,

do the shift.

Laugh a little, and

forgive yourself for being

quite human.

And then trust that

you can heal yourself

with right thinking…

for your suffering –

no matter what it is,

comes from all the stories

you have made up

in your mind.

That stuff is not real –

but the pain that comes,

is.

Focus, instead,

on what is true.

Your job is to open yourself to

the things that last –

and to hold onto

those principles

with your whole being.

When you learn this,

the problems disappear

and you are

whole again.

Stop living the fiction

and arise to become

who you really are.

This is where your freedom is.

Be well –

with all your heart,

and your mind, too.

Poem · Poetry

Big Girl Pants

June 8, 2018June 8, 2018 becomingandbeholdingLeave a comment

I noticed her struggle.

It was one of those days when

the burden of work, life, and

responsibility

made her bow low,

even as she quickly moved about.

She was weary –

maybe even in pain,

her eyes with the dark circles below which

appear regularly now,

despite daily application

of concealer.

She kept going,

kept producing,

despite her burden.

I’ve got my big girl pants on, she said.

I could empathize

because I get tired, too.

I understand how hard it is to stop

and just be –

to observe the blessings

along the way.

Perhaps one of the perks

of getting old

is that as responsibilities

and requirements

fall away,

we can finally

rest.

Poem · Poetry · Uncategorized

Over the Hump

June 2, 2018June 30, 2018 becomingandbeholding1 Comment

Climbing can be hard work

on the muscles,

and on the spirit, too.

We can approach the mountain

in faith and,

even a sense of adventure –

until we get to

our limit.

We have gone as far as

we can go

on our own.

No progress is possible.

We are tempted to give up.

But then,

we somehow get

the boost we need.

We can move forward

with muscles ready

to work again.

As we progress,

new vistas are brought into view.

They bless us with beauty

and hope.

This is what the

miracle of grace

looks like.

We are lifted out of struggle.

We are blessed

with peace.

It is as if

a loving hand from the beyond shows up

and respectfully,

picks you up off the floor.

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Poem · Poetry

The Gift of Understanding

May 27, 2018June 9, 2018 becomingandbeholding2 Comments

I had a desire,

a prayer, really –

of how it should go.

My doubting heart considered it wishful thinking.

But the courage within won

and I expressed it, anyway –

not caring if I looked,

or sounded, foolish.

And then,

when the moment arrived,

my prayer was answered,

just like that,

exactly as imagined.

It seemed an effortless occurrence

and had the quality of

of course this is how it should go…

I was blown away, warmed up, lit up, and loved –

completely – and all at once

in that moment.

This is what a sudden dawning feels like.

I wondered at how

it wasn’t even a formal prayer –

with head bowed low,

spoken in desperation or

pious humility.

But I did speak it from my heart

and out loud

to You –

and I shared it with others.

It must have counted…

because it was realized.

I know now,

ever more deeply, that

You are here,

with me,

and in this life of mine.

And when I look back,

I see your traces –

your hand,

your heart,

molding, leading, comforting,

ever more clearly.

I am like a baby playing peek-a-boo…

the joy of discovery

brings me intense happiness.

You are here.

I can see you!

Poem · Poetry

True Nourishment

May 26, 2018May 26, 2018 becomingandbeholdingLeave a comment

We mean well.

We want to do the right thing,

for our health –

in this body.

We research,

we ponder,

we constantly switch gears…

our poor, confused pantry.

Our mind spins along with the

grocery list.

How do we feed this body,

this temple,

this home?

Does the flower question the sun?

Does the tree even think about the soil?

No, they just bloom and grow,

guided in the ways to stretch.

Does the hungry child refuse the rice bowl –

freely given?

Food is food.

Perhaps it is time

for a big serving of gratitude…

and instead of seeking answers

outside ourselves,

to look inward,

and trust the wisdom within.

Our bodies know

what nourishes best.

Listen –

and let go of the struggle.

In this way,

your world can open into

a beautiful freedom –

and lasting health

can be born.

Poem · Poetry

Signal Lights

May 23, 2018May 23, 2018 becomingandbeholding1 Comment

With the guiding of inspiration,

they come through me,

pointing the way.

Their clarity can be piercing –

sharp and brilliant,

beacons through my

self-created fog.

I wonder at how

they show up-

just when I need them the most.

They are like friends who

know when a smile or a hug

is needed.

And, in the same way,

they are cherished, unconditionally.

This is what my poems mean for me.

I help create them, but

do not quite live them yet.

They love me still.

Funny, how words create worlds…

the beyond is brought forth

in the same way

a kiss presents affection.

Poem · Poetry

This is It

May 22, 2018May 22, 2018 becomingandbeholdingLeave a comment

The cat purring in my lap

while the birds sing their morning song…

My heartbeat,

strong and regular,

sending the vibration of vitality everywhere –

to my very fingertips and toes,

opening my eyes,

and lighting up my taste buds.

It travels past

all the aches and pains,

those spots that distract and annoy.

The pain cannot stop its movement,

but is touched by its energy –

kissed by the whispers of hope.

One day you won’t need this pain…

The promise of a new day

is the reliable reboot given every morning.

Perhaps this is the day

I will finally see,

not only with my eyes,

but with my whole being,

that

this is it.

No more will I wait

for my turn,

holding back and waiting

for that perfect moment

that never comes.

Life is here now,

and ever so fleeting.

It passes before me,

it beats within me,

it connects me

to all that matters.

Life lives on through me

even when I am pressing the brakes.

It moves forward,

with or without me.

This is it –

the blessings are here.

Poem · Poetry

Beyond Chasing Tail

May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 becomingandbeholdingLeave a comment

Round and round we go,

looping and repeating,

distracted with ourselves –

chasing tail.

Transformation comes only

when we lose interest

in this game –

when it finally dawns on us

how much time,

and how much energy

is lost

in the constant spinning.

It is the miracle

of the pause

which lifts us up

and out –

and helps us connect

to what is real and true.

We discover the wonder of rest, and

in the birth of this realization,

we learn to drop the chase.

We are finally free.

Poem · Poetry

Gradually Getting It

May 9, 2018May 9, 2018 becomingandbeholdingLeave a comment

Here is the nub of it all:

Like a white birch tree,

along a rocky shore,

I am most beautiful, healthy, and free,

when I am part of

the whole picture,

blending into the larger scene.

Standing alone,

while interesting,

makes the tree more

vulnerable to the wind and weather.

One has to ask,

What will happen if I drop my striving and planning?

More and more,

this question arrives, and

I dare to loosen my grip,

embracing the magic

of trust and letting go –

I follow inspiration,

and stop making it all

about me.