Start with a firm base of acceptance,

roll this out firmly but gently until the dough is flat and smooth across the table of this day,

shape the dough into a round pan, formed into a circle with finger-pressed edges of patience,

add a generous layer of cinnamon-spiced apples of joy,

top frivolously and messily with crumbs of graham-crackered laughter,

put this concoction of life's a...

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eveyday it arrives

and we push against it

like it's a tidal wave 

trying to drown us,

but really it's a cleansing designed to revive us.

Turn off the faucet of fear

and let life flow,

a tsunami of energy 

rich with joy and sorrow

and birth and recomposition.

All this is creation expressing itself through you and you and you,

each part of the multitude, e...

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I am waiting for my Christmas miracle.

I have faith that can move mountains.

I believe in miracles.

I do not care how long I have to wait.

I believe in rebirth, in healing, in radical shifts of consciousness.

I have seen it happen.

I have felt it, I have lived it.

I am waiting for my Christmas miracle.

The waiting is joyful and sorrowful.

The waiting is peaceful.

For ...

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"Nothing is done,

nothing is left undone."

When I stop being the doer,

things get done peacefully. 

When I let Life be the doer,

things get done joyfully.

Life is a powerful force,

and when moving through a loving heart,

Life is a gentle force

that gets things done with kindness.

Rise each morning,

empty your mind,

fill your heart with love,

and let Life live...

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Bless everyone and everything all day long

Forgive everyone and everything all day long

Bless the cup from which I drink

Bless the spoon from which I eat

Bless my feet that walk on the ground

Bless the rooms that give me shelter

Forgive the cup that shatters to the floor

Forgive the fingers that lose their grip

Forgive the body that falls sick with doubt

Forgive the reme...

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I love windows

I love air

I love opening a window 

to let in air

I love walking

I love the ground

I love feeling the solid

earth under my feet as I walk

I love smiles

I love gentle

I love the gentle smile

on the face of a beloved

I love waking

I love sleeping

I love waking in the morn

with the light

I love the moonlight

as I settle in for the nigh...

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Mastering the breath

is easy and worthwhile.

Breathe in,

breathe out.

Mastering the chi

of your energy body

is powerful and healing.

The air flows in,

the air flows out,

the air circles your body.

Move your hands up to lift the chi,

move your hands down to lower the chi,

reach down and gather the crops into a basket,

reach up to capture the moon in your heart...

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Everything gets done,

nothing gets done.

Everything is tidy,

everything is a mess.

Come, let us feel sad together

and laugh,

Come, let us feel happy together

and cry,

Come, let us strip down to bare essentials

and dance in the sunlight,

Come, let us adorn ourselves with jewels

and prance in the moonlight.

What is this season of crazy wildness?

Why, it's life ...

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In the stillness

is the stirring

of the soul,

like a restless wind

carrying seeds

to fertile ground,

I sit awake,

aware,

of the deepest peace,

the gentlest calm,

that resides in the birthplace

of my being.

I abide here,

simply.

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I set my intention for the day

in the soft light of morning

in the deep quiet of morning

my day shall unfold in beauty

my day shall unfold in peace

I set my intention for the day

lighting a candle of prayer

breathing fully of awareness

all around me shall be healing

all around me shall be love

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Wake in the morning

arms stretch up to the sky

and down to the earth.

Light is invited,

and in a single breath,

light arrives,

an eager friend

illuminating all.

Praise to the light,

praise to the dark,

arriving and leaving,

as with breath,

as with all--

death is a friend,

life is a friend--

illumined by light,

is there even a difference?

Yes, of c...

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I read a book once

written by a mama

whose child was "on the spectrum"

per medical diagnosis,

and at the end of the book,

(in which the mama described her journey with her child), 

the mama concluded

(the last sentence in the book)

"we are all on the spectrum."

I thought that was a wise conclusion.

Spectrum defined--

"a band of colors, as seen in a rainbow, produce...

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In the debris,

in the dust

rising from our sorrows,

we plant flowers

to lift us up.

Beauty and love always prevail,

never forget this,

even when all appears obliterated,

a tiny bud appears--

look for this.

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Going deep into gratitude

is wondrous.

Living, 

bathing,

becoming gratitude,

is miraculous.

Gratitude colors every day in hues of joy,

jumps to meet each moment with curiousity,

nourishes patience,

melts into love--

love of everything and everyone,

the good, the bad,

the boring, the exciting.

Gratitude paints the world

with wonders and miracles,

come, c...

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"I hope you meet people who understand you,"

the kind lady thought to herself,

releasing a prayer

as she passed a young troubled fellow on the road.

What a beautiful prayer, I thought to myself when the kind lady related it on a youtube program.

I have now adopted it as my own.

"May you meet people who understand you."

A prayer is a gift,

easily given and readily received.

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Waiting

You stole my land

I stole your land

You beheaded me

I beheaded you

Over millennia

we are as children 

fighting on the playground

over gravel

that cuts our knees

and makes us bleed.

Can we stop?

Oh mankind

Try to be kind

Can we change?

The millennia whispers

its secrets

we wait

heads bowed in prayers

we wait

Resurrected

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When things are complex

(as many things are)

oh what a joy it is

to discover the simple!

Layers and layers,

like piled-up cloth 

on a market table,

we slowly lift each fabric

to see its weave--

tightly woven,

our emotions packed in hard,

loosely threaded,

we breathe to find relief.

Oh what a joy it is!

when the cloth,

freshly laundered

and hung to dr...

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These lands are holy,

across the oceans and around the planet,

walked by many beings,

of many names,

of many types,

human and animal and plant,

categories and nations and borders,

assaults and slaughters

and scrambling to survive,

torture and rape and fleeing,

the suffering, the blood,

no mercy shown,

no one spared.

These lands are holy,

walked in prayer,

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In my heart

there is a little doorway,

a little table,

a little crystal ball

sitting on the table,

it glows and pulsates,

that little ball,

and reaches deep

into my veins and muscles

and all the paths

that pump my heart,

one beat at a time.

Deep within the heart,

my heart, your heart,

lies wisdom--

past, present, future--

all flowing and glowing,

...

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I am happy when my feet touch the ground,

I breathe deep as I walk the lands of my day,

I give thanks with each slow step that I take,

my feet are eager when they feel the strength of mother earth,

she is kind and generous with bountiful gifts,

I am happy when my feet stroll and glide

across her gentle back,

she is my foundation,

my elegant mother

with skies of blue

a...

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Us

Self-centered, wounded

Other-centered, healing

Selfish, skewed

Radical self-care, balanced

A little of this and a little of that, 

in each of us

More of one, less of the other,

in each of us

"Judge not, lest ye be judged"

War

"Where you stand depends on where you sit"

The captured soldier in chains on a hospital bed

tells his nurse,

"If m...

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The world moves quickly

and that's okay

because I am a turtle.

I have a hard shell

and slow-moving legs,

I saunter instead of sprint

(not that there's anything wrong with sprinting,

I find it quite admirable indeed,

and from time to time

I am envious of the speed

of the hares of the world).

Anywhoodles, I mosey along

my merry way,

sometimes I don't even notic...

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She donned dark clothes 

and let her body be wild,

drops of water were enough for cleansing, 

no need to change clothes much

since she was going nowhere

outside of the interiors of her mind.

Food was minimal,

a little bread, some eggs, 

the rest of her plate she left 

for the little demons

that would not leave her alone.

As the days went by,

she lingered in the ...

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My heart wept for joy

when I heard the music

seeping through the walls 

of our little house.

She had been asleep for so long, 

months and months

lost in contemplation,

traveling to a mind-place

where I could not follow.

Was it possible

she was returning to us?

Neuroplasticity

some people call it--

neurodiverse,

spectrum--

this and that,

lots of color...

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Sometimes you have to put on your warrior shoes,

you know,  put your foot down firmly 

and sweep the debris out of the house.

We humans, at all ages, are like babies who cry when our needs are not met;

a soothing tone remedies many ills

but sometimes a firm reminder of what's what is the better remedy.

A true warrior is fierce and strong 

but always has unconditional love as t...

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Sometimes I like to take an eraser and wipe away all the labels

we attach to ourselves as we try to understand our human behavior.

We are so diverse and each mind/body/heart/soul has so many possible trajectories!

Oh, but wiping it all clean is so refreshing.

Down to simple breath,

we are all beings,

along with the animals and plants and wind and fire and water and soil--

all ...

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Yellow Bird Alighting

A yellow bird alighted

on the windshield of my car

as I sat parked in a parking lot

talking on the phone

on a cool autumn day,

grocery shopping day.

But I didn't go into the store

right away

because I needed to talk to someone

to summon aid for a beloved

who needed help

but didn't want it,

a delicate situation

one could say.

S...

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Joy filled my heart

When finally we found common ground

When finally we sorted things out

I knew we would eventually

I knew all things work towards good under the banner of Love

(Which doesn't mean the absence of pain but rather the ever-abiding presence of healing potentiality)

But we had been stuck for so long

Caught in a quandry of exhaustion and confusion for so long

My...

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(This poem was written by my sister Stephanie, who gave me permission to post it on WOL)

When trying to let go of 

The illusion of control 

By a parent for a wayward youth 

My mantra has been

“Trust the fertilizer”

Not the fertilizer from a bag

with numbers and chemicals

But the compost made in the yard

From kitchen scraps and plant clippings, 

The organic d...

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I like slow change,

organic change

rising from the gentle walk of the day,

I prefer fostering tranquility in relationships

rather than demands related to external experiences or appearances, 

I like softness over harshness,

it matters not to me

how others perceive

my way of moving through the world,

I'm interested in spreading simple caring like wildflowers,

this is w...

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What was this impending change tickling the corners of my mind with excitement?

At first I thought it was something big

that would require alot of effort (and no small amount of pain and suffering)

but that would ultimately reward us with exhilarating growth.

But then I realized, no, the change I felt looming in the corners of my mind

was so simple, so quiet, so interior, and yet so...

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Emotions twirl and twirl

like dancing dust

so easily stirred up,

sometimes hard to settle down.

We go inside our bubbles

or take to bed,

hide away a bit

and wait for softening.

Emotions are like waves

reaching for the sands of thought,

we walk these lands barefoot

with nary a sign to guide our path.

We look for the signs

and when we see them

(a butterfly t...

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I worried my way through life

until I learned to dance

in the skies.

Come, take my hand,

show me a little smile,

let's fly to the clouds

and glide across the heavens.

Oh how beautiful

is the blue-green earth

and the blue-blue sky

when we join the angelic choir and sing praises from afar.

Don't be too earth bound

my friends,

it's crazy down here,

fly fly fl...

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Doors open

doors close

we wander the halls of our life

wondering, wondering 

who are we

and where does it all lead?

Sometimes we wear bright colored clothes and laugh with the world,

other times we don cloth of dark shades and cry out our lamentations.

Over-arching all, though,

even in the darkest night,

there is a rainbow,

often invisible to the eye,

but there ...

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Hey, did you get the memo on the cosmic joke?

Yes, there really is one.

It's entitled "Life."

We don't know what the punch line is, though.

Apparently this becomes apparent when one dies.

But, hey, it's okay to start laughing now (with kindness of course)

because, why not?

it makes Life a bit more fun.

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The Call to Love

Every day suffering comes knocking at my door

and I am called to love.

I worry and I fret and my body shakes with fear,

and I am called to love.

I scour the book shelves looking for words of solace,

and love keeps jumping off the pages.

Oh, how the world and all its beings yearn to be free of suffering,

but clearly it is not to be.

If there is an answer ...

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Everything moves in perfect rhythm

when we learn to breathe through life,

not too fast,

not too slow,

just a flow

that carries us peacefully through the day.

Tuned to the breath,

deep in, deep out,

we know when to step it up,

and when to wipe the calendar clean.

The world moves spinningly fast

and sometimes glacially slow,

find the rhythm that suits you best,

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Among all the messes

and all the losses,

still, we breathe.

Among all the pain

and ongoing suffering,

still, we walk.

Breathing and walking

is a gift,

eyes tuned to the feet,

one and then the other,

thoughts tuned to the breath,

one and then the other,

the messes and the losses

and the pain and the suffering

are part of the package,

lift the lid and ope...

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Where does the mind go when it leaves the body

Where does the soul go when it travels to the nether regions

Does the heart live in the body or does it reside in the universe

Do heaven and hell co-exist side by side or are they mutually exclusive

These are questions without question marks

because any answers are only opinions

so they are basically unanswerable

so no need to pun...

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I need to go to the woods and drum

I feel the sky closing in on me 

I need to go to the woods and run

I feel the earth shaking beneath my feet

If I can sway with the green leaves

and climb barefoot to the highest branch

maybe I can find my peace again

maybe I can stand on solid ground again

I need to run to the hills and twirl across the flowered meadows

surely there the...

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Poetry is like a woman in the simplest dress.

Poetry's cousins (prose, fiction, dissertation, etc.) require adornment,

whereas poetry is like a woman who puts on a mass of jewelry,

and then one by one

removes each piece

until she is wearing only

a singular sliver of gold or silver.

Poetry likes sparsity

but is not afraid of complexity.

Poetry is like breath,

essential...

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Evening shadows carry a gentle softness,

gone is the bright glare of the day,

a hush descends like a lullaby,

bidding the very young and the very old

to settle into sweet darkness.

Dreams start to gather

like clouds in the sky,

weaving together the stories of the day--

fragmented paths,

mysterious byways,

unfolding, growing.

Day into night, night into day,

the w...

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The years roll by

and I remember less and less

of the more and more

that happened.

The shelves of memory

are too full

for all the items to be seen.

So I let float to mind

what comes,

look at it fondly or sadly,

and appreciate that long ago

moment making a visit

to this moment--

this moment, this moment,

is always the most wondrous, 

though, made up of n...

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To everything that comes,

say "welcome."

Not because you want it,

but because it is here.

Releasing resistance

is a cleansing waterfall--

refreshing, restoring, energizing.

Welcome Life!

I stand here fearless,

I stand here strong,

knowing I am buttressed by creation,

knowing I am part of the swirl of love.

Dipping into this pool,

life sings.

PS altern...

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Is there anything more sweet

than a touch of sunshine in the morning?

Is there anything more soothing than a tickle of crisp air in the eve?

We rise each day and breathe,

we lay each eve and breathe.

We walk the steps of our days,

we dream the stories of our nights.

Is there anything more mysterious than the flowing of time?

Stepping into our stories, we wonder, who are we?

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Goodbye old tree,

we love you.

You were mom's potted Christmas tree,

a tiny star pine

she adorned with a few bulbs and tinsel.

She moved you out to her patio

and faithfully watered you

until she offered you to us

to plant in our front yard.

Into the ground you went,

free now to spread your roots

and grow, grow, grow.

We moved to a different house

and surprise...

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It takes a large bucket of faith

to keep believing in hope

when things appear hopeless.

But I arrive with my empty bucket,

close my eyes,

and wait patiently for it to be filled.

And it does--

faith and hope dwell in the clouds

and dance in the wind.

Faith and hope fall from the sky

with the sweet pitter-patter of raindrops

and land in my eager bucket.

Once again...

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It was summer and rain was not expected,

but when I stepped outside to walk to the store

I saw the drops falling

so I stepped back inside

and grabbed my blue umbrella waiting in a little yellow bucket by the piano. 

Off I started on my journey

but stopped a bit to chat with a neighbor about whether I should walk,

might there be a downpour?

I checked my phone app,

no rain...

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Life is a work of art,

Life is a bowl of apples,

Life is elderly husband getting locked in bedroom with wife on Saturday morn because of broken lock, requiring splintering of door to escape (after much huffing and puffing),

Life is elderly husband getting covid (on Sunday morn, next day after broken lock,  3-day holiday weekend, Sun & Mon, no doc available) requiring looong visit to ER to...

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Sitting in stillness

opens the gates of heaven

peace descends from the angel realms

the leaves flutter in the gentle wind

a flower opens its petals

and says, yes, this is life

this is the song of your soul

listen, listen, to its quiet call

you are loved

you are loved

you are infinitely loved

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There is a certain freedom

in desperation,

finally letting go,

not clinging to life

as we believe it should be,

instead accepting it as it is

because all our efforts

to change it

come to naught.

So, jump up,

say "yes" to whatever comes

because it is here

and we are here

and might as well skip over all the "wish things were different"

and enjoy what is good

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I see you suffer

and I suffer with you.

I know I'm not supposed to,

I should draw a boundary

and not let your pain

enter my being--after all,

why have two people suffering?

But this is not how it works for me--

I see you suffer

and I suffer with you.

So I will carry this pain,

I will feel your pain,

I will love you with every breath,

and maybe the pain will b...

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1. 

What is this yearning,

this ache in my heart 

that can not be soothed?

I see a doorway, an opening,

that leads to a beatific scene

of blue skies and brilliantly- colored flowers and butterflies and birds and creatures with gentle, curious eyes gazing at me.

I can see this,

but I know I can not go there,

I can not enter.

What is this yearning,

this ache in my he...

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I want to climb out of my body and be free

I want to stand out in the rain and get soaked to my soul

I want to climb a high mountain in one giant leap and laugh at the world

I want to pick up the planet like the god zeus and with muscled arms throw it into a new dimension of peace and harmony

I don't want to be restricted or defined anymore by the narrow parameters of my humanness

I...

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Beautiful beautiful night,

wash over me with your cleansing air.

Beautiful beautiful morning,

wrap me in your soothing stillness.

Beautiful beautiful being,

abide with me in your tender gaze.

Whatever arrives, let me welcome it.

Help me not to judge it,

help me to be with it,

with attention,

with a mere glance,

whatever suits the moment,

whatever brings gentlene...

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Smile into this moment

This is all you have right now

Smile into this deep breath 

This will lift you up right now

Smile into this mess

Remember all fades away

Cry if it flows

It's okay

But remember to smile and breathe

This is how it goes

It's okay

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Thoughts swirl 

in the mind

like clouds before a storm,

dark and confused,

going every which way.

But clouds know what they are doing--

gathering moisture

and preparing to release rain.

So too thoughts know what they are doing--

gathering emotions and preparing to release pain.

Let the thoughts flow,

they are cleaning house,

let them fall from your mind,

let ...

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In every situation,

Love does its magic.

Things seem lost,

unmoveable like a heavy boulder,

hopeless.

But then,

a tiny crack,

a sliver-size opening,

and Love steps in,

adorned in garments of quiet joy and wisdom.

And there it is--

the itsy-bitsy miracle,

just enough to make us smile again.

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Many years ago when we traveled from California to Spain

(the trip of a lifetime!),

we bought a painting that both my husband and I liked.

I don't know why my husband liked it,

but I liked it because it showed a little dark-haired girl sitting on a step watching two boys pretend to be in a bullfight (red flag and sticks dressing up their imaginary contest).

I imagined that little gi...

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I live in an urban jungle

I hear car engines roar 

through my open window

late at night in the summertime

loud like lions

ferocious in their speed

one block from the police station

do the cops chase them

to stop this nonsense?

probably not unless they crash

which incidentally they have

less than a block from my house

smashed right into Mr M's brick wall

creat...

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I travel deep into the vision of love,

oh, these paths are laden with rose petals!

Their aroma is fresh,

their touch is soft,

my feet are bare, cool as they touch the ground.

I travel wide through the interior of my soul,

oh, these spaces are brilliant with light!

Their windows are open,

the wind blows fresh,

my steps dance as they reach the beckoning air.

I travel de...

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You are so wise,

your body, mind, heart and soul

know exactly how to heal,

your weary steps 

are but a prelude to rejuvenation,

I see you bouncing on a trampoline,

I see you swinging from playground bars,

your youth,

your energetic limbs,

live as shadows within,

your vitality flows like a river 

within,

without a doubt I see your life force rising,

you are so...

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1. Rising in Light

In the morn

when I wake

the gray cloud of sadness

greets me

with its lonely cry

for attention.

I plod my way through it

and slowly

the light returns--

soft morning light,

yellow tinged with blue,

and once again,

I am renewed.

2. Walking in Love

I used to walk

through the day

striving to accept

all that displeas...

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1.  The Other Side of Life

When you break through to the other side of life (the realms of birth and death),

you find your super power.

Clinging to life weakens the spirit.

Letting go of life allows the spirit to soar.

Happy is the soaring soul!

Go on this flight and you will land in a life of abundance--

abundant freedom, wonder, amazement.

Did you think this land of ...

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At night

I turn into a fairy,

I dance from house to house

with my magic wand

and visit the crying and the lonely and the lost

and tap their foreheads

with sparkling light.

Fireflies and stars and streams of color float gently in the air

and soothe and restore all the sad, worried souls.

Oh how I love this flight!

Joy bounces off the walls, 

shades of soft pink and ...

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All day long

I sing my love songs to you.

I don't know if you

can hear them,

soft chiming bells

from my heart

to your heart.

You are so far away

and yet so near.

I sing I sing I sing

through the silence

of separation.

I sing the melodies

riding across the empty spaces,

filling the voids 

with love, love, love,

ceaseless love.

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The color of the day is yellow

The color of the night is blue

The feel of touch is soft

The feel of breath is light

The reach of heart is far

The reach of soul is deep

Open eyes see

Open heart feels

Closed eyes rest

Closed heart replenishes

Rise up, lie low

Move with grace

Be still with peace

Every day is a mosaic

Every night is a dream,

We are the arti...

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I rose this day

and decided to give thanks

for every little thing

that came my way.

Thank you for the water

that runs through my hands,

thank you for the steps 

where my feet land,

thank you for the sky 

that opens wide,

thank you for the leaves

that blow in the wind,

thank you for the chirping tunes

the little birds sing out,

thank you for the deep tones

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I need to get my head 

on straight, you know,

a wise man said that

two inevitable parts of life

are work and pain

so stop resisting these

and accept it.

I need to get my head 

on straight

because I keep expecting

life to be

all roses without the thorns.

I lament the thorns

so much

that I forget to breathe deep

and smell the sweet soothing scent of all t...

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My beloved 

fell into a deep sleep, 

a time of stillness

and few words

and slow steps

and ponderous bites

of every morsel,

you see,

he wanted us to see

how precious 

is movement

and chatting

and meals

eaten with gusto,

he wanted us

to stop fretting

about all the messiness

and uncertainties,

and to appreciate

every little thing

of every pa...

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Tuning into the physical plane,

I feel relentless pain and suffering,

tuning into the spiritual plane,

my body dissolves into a million stars, and I feel bliss.

Don't be afraid to change the radio station!

Blend the melodies of both spheres,

and you will hear the music of creation.

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I wait for the sun to set 

I wait for the moon to rise

Will the shifting of day into night

bring renewal?

I wait for the rain to fall

I wait for the wind to blow

Will the changing of the seasons

bring resurrection?

I wait for the river to flow

I wait for the earth to shake

Will the turning of the spheres

bring transformation?

I wait for life to reveal itsel...

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We spark each other up,

like fireflies,

light dancing from your eyes

to my smile,

voices rising and falling,

good morning! good morning!

One and all,

we greet the day,

we breathe the air,

we toil with our hands

and our minds,

creating nourishment

and comfort.

We lift each other up,

weak and strong,

together,

love emanating from our hearts

to our s...

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The more I look deep into the days of this reality,

I see we are here to suffer.

The body breaks down, 

the mind breaks down,

the world breaks down,

the heart breaks,

over and over.

The more I accept we are here to suffer,

the happier I am.

Is happiness the absence of suffering?

Perhaps happiness comes more from embracing suffering.

Holding suffering in my arms lik...

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Trust the inner healer,

the all-knowing

seed of creation

that lives deep within the being.

All living things

contain the spark of the divine

interplay between life and death,

a perpetual cycle

of birth and re-birth.

All things live

in a matrix of intertwined renewal--

trust this process,

open your arms wide

to the gifts waiting

to be received.

Trust the...

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Accepting people exactly

as they are

is a great gift. 

No desire to change them

one iota

gives great peace.

No judgment, no worries, 

just smiles.

This requires a deep journey to the soul--

creation, birth, life, death--

the full circle.

Accepting people exactly

as they are

is seeing their soul--

luminescent, loving, playful, eternal.

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1.

The color blue,

a hue,

to feel the sky.

The color green,

to see,

the beauty all around.

The color red,

looking ahead,

things are getting better.

The color black, 

I got your back,

no worries at all.

The color white,

there is light

at the end of the tunnel.

The color yellow,

keeping it mellow,

letting it all go.

A kaleidoscope,

ever cha...

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Separate yourself from the whole of creation

and unite--

just you and your creator.

Fly away into the stars

and gaze upon the

whole of creation,

night becomes day,

dark becomes light,

after sleeping,

all awakes

and the world is alive

with bird song.

Separate yourself from all

and then unite --

this moment unfolds like the opening of a flower bud, 

mirac...

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I can't wait to pick up a bucket and fill it with love.

I will put on my garden boots and traipse across the wet grass and gather flowers and weeds and dirt and pile them all in my tin bucket of love.

I will skip down the street in my summer sandals and gather wildflowers in my apron and scatter them across the roadway to fill the path with love.

If I can spread love eveywhere like seeds ...

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My heart burns

with a million sorrows

arrows of pain

for all the suffering.

How long must they endure

the weak and tormented

their cries and sighs

echoing down the paths of everday life--

relentless,

unyielding,

finding little relief.

I reach my hand out--

trying to help

but I am powerless.

I pray for power to rain down on them,

that they can be free.

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My mind jumps

like popcorn kernels

heating up

wanting to explode

capable of burning

if they jump too long.

So I turn off the heat

close my eyes

and tell the mind--

enough for today,

return to tranquility,

please,

my friend.

And, with time and patience,

it does.

My mind is kind and wise.

I thank it for its service,

and wrap it in the quiet embrace ...

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I touched the book

and my mind went up in flames.

The words I read poured out wisdom,

I could barely breathe with the breadth of inspiration.

It was as if I was absorbing the book,

it entered my being and performed its magic.

I was ever so grateful for this replenishing experience,

I mentally thanked the author for being a conduit for this slice of catapulting creation.

Upl...

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Sometimes my heart is light and carefree,

other times my heart is so heavy it feels like it will break into a million pieces.

I remember one time the little girl ran into the room

saying, "my heart hurts, my heart hurts."

I did not know what had triggered her anguish,

but I held her close, patted her back, and said, "everything will be okay."

Who was I to say?

Of course I did ...

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Today was the day

for total surrender,

born of desperation

and perhaps inspiration.

Today was the day when

the whole package,

every last drop of breath and thought and hope and dreams

was released

to the infinite universe,

to the all-knowing presence of life,

this grand creation of living.

Surrendering came as a gift,

wrapped in golden ribbon,

here, here, her...

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In those early morning hours

when all appears lost,

when the heart is broken into a million pieces,

when despair reaches its fingers into the corner of my mind

and threatens to pull me into a pit of no return,

I call upon Higher Intelligence--

give me patience,

give me courage,

give me wisdom.

With this simple plea,

the heart gathers its scattered remnants of sorrow,

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The most powerful word

I have learned

is silence.

Prone to verbosity,

the space between the speaking

allows for breath

to quiet the differences,

the conflicts, the uncertainties.

We like things in boxes, 

don't we?

neat with lids closed,

resolved.

Ah, but life jumps up and says,

no, there are alot of layers here,

complexities and misunderstandings and myst...

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We felt the waves crashing

and knew it was time

to change directions,

time to steer the boat

towards quieter waters,

time to dock on some dry land

and meander in the green,

one step at a time.

And so we did.

Time arrived in buckets,

empty, still, inviting

slow movements,

going no where in particular.

We felt the storms subsiding

and knew things

were get...

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It's an exploration

It's an excavation

It's an exquisite

illumination

Don't turn the lights off

Don't call in the rescue troops

It's a maturation

It's a celebration

It's a diving deep

inspiration

Float with it

Pray in it

Smile with it,

It is growth--

give it time

give it quiet

give it peace

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It's okay to be mentally ill.

It's okay to be addicted.

Your soul is on a journey.

I love you unconditionally.

When I pass you on your path,

when you enter my space, 

I see nothing but a beautiful soul growing and learning at your own pace.

When you agitate, aggravate, stir up the waters of my tranquility,

I breathe deep and slip away into the soft dreamscape of my interior...

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It came in a dream

the answers I sought,

the solace I asked for

descended from the quiet celestial realm.

I saw the sleeping form with the book of knowledge

lying open on her heart.

I saw the worn cover of the ancient book

and knew--

in that quiet way of knowing

that arrives at dawn--

all is written,

and the story is beautiful.

Abide in this,

release your fea...

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Settling into the sigh

of the morning quiet,

alone with the air and the hum of home,

peace descends like a soft mist,

a spider-web blanket of light,

an embrace of spirit wrapping 

all that is --

of which I am but a whisper of breath.

Gratitude dances on the edges of my heart,

softening the piercings of everyday sorrows.

This life is a gift

'tis true,

but its end...

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Stay away from polarization

if you can,

move towards harmonization  

as often as possible.

Let each note have a turn

blending into the whole,

let each droplet of creation

have a chance to dance.

Stay away from "either, or"

if you can,

move towards "both, and"

as often as possible.

Balanced on the rope 

of our conflictual tendencies,

look for that sparkling...

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I thought you were against me

until I opened my arms wide

and felt your heart

beating like a frightened bird

fallen from its nest.

I thought you were my enemy

until I opened my eyes wide

and saw you were as a child

lost in the wilderness.

I thought you were evil

until I opened my ears wide 

and heard you crying in the night for all you had lost.

Oh what peace de...

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I noticed her eyes

one morning

when we were chatting

in the parking lot,

they were beautiful blue orbs

magnified by the lens

of her thick glasses.

She shared thoughts that became words that became vibrant energetic dancing particles in the sunlit early morning air.

We became close friends,

she taught me so many things.

Her body could not keep up with her brilliant, lo...

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Do you truly believe

all matter vibrates with life,

even the stillest rock?

Do you truly believe

all beings have agency,

even the most lost of brethren?

If so, my dear, if so,

then stop trying to be

the driver of creation,

stop trying to be

the mover of mountains,

just be--

loving presence,

merciful caring,

just be.

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Soon I shall be leaving

this I know without a doubt.

It's simply a matter of counting the years

that reveals the certain ending of this span.

How precious is each moment when the final chapter appears on the seen horizon!

How simple everything becomes when the last line of the story approaches with indisputable certainty!

And so I smile and hug and laugh and contemplate...

all...

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Step out of time

and stop worrying.

We count the numbers and the days--

how much...how long...

when will this get better...

why can't I fix this...

what should I do...

step out of time

and stop worrying,

step into kairos time,

let time dance like a dervish,

let well-being flow like water,

let eternity wash away your fears.

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Little girl

sitting on mama's lap

clapping their hands together,

girl hand on top of mama hand,

clap, clap, clap,

a soothing game,

girl happy.

Old lady

sitting quietly in chair

rubbing her wrinkled hands together,

gentle touching one hand to the other,

rub, rub, rub,

soothing ritual,

lady happy.

We clap, we touch, we dance, we laugh,

young to old,

ha...

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Mom didn't believe 

in over-scheduling.

She was an organized, productive lady

but she always said

we kids needed time

in the summer

to watch the ants walk by

towards their little dirt homes.

Yeah, mom was wise.

So now, I am old

and mom is gone,

and I say,

what's on the calendar today?

Nada?

Okay, let's go look at the ants, darlin',

let's go sit

and w...

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