I’m grateful to share these poems and quotes to reflect and enhance each week’s theme. As we explore the Five Hindrances of mindfulness, we bring loving awareness to the habits of the mind/body/heart and patiently practice the antidotes.
Hindrance 4: Restlessness and worry? Try contentment.
Deciding to Sometimes Practice Being Snapdragon (Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer)
All morning, I make myself useful–
mow the lawn and vacuum
the carpet and scrub the potatoes
and slice the melon and straighten
the shelves and look out the window… (entire poem here)
Hokusai Says (Roger S. Keyes)
Hokusai says look carefully.
He says pay attention, notice.
He says keep looking, stay curious.
He says there is no end to seeing.
He says look forward to getting old.
He says keep changing,
you just get more who you really are. (entire poem here)
Admit Something (Hafiz)
Everyone you see, you say to them,
Love me.
Of course you do not do this out loud:
Otherwise,
Someone would call the cops.
Still though, think about this,
This great pull in us
To connect.
Why not become the one
Who lives with a full moon in each eye
That is always saying,
With that sweet moon language,
What every other eye in this world
Is dying to Hear.
Wage Peace (Judyth Hill)
Wage Peace with your breath.
Breathe in firemen and rubble,
breathe out whole buildings and flocks of red wing blackbirds.
Breathe in terrorists
and breathe out sleeping children and fresh mown fields.
Breathe in confusion and breathe out maple trees.
Breathe in the fallen and breathe out lifelong friendships intact. (entire poem here)
SEP
2021