This day

This day
I desire to make connections
  to sustain a sense of the sacred
  to be graceful and gracious
  to listen to the silences between the words
  to be mindful of the beauty in each moment
  to give thanks for the beauties
    of tree and flower,
    birdsong and laughter,
    friendship and fellowship.

Great Mystery at the heart of all that is,
may I be constantly aware of the wonder and joy
of being awake, alive and aware
and treasure each moment
whatever it brings

and when I fail,
as often happens,
let me not be too hard on myself,
but gently reconnect with the heart of the mystery
sinking gratefully into the soft darkness,
the singing silence.
For each moment we can begin again.
It is never too late.
The time is always now.


23-6-11
7.55am


(Morning - setting an intention)

(part of the Write for your Life practice developed by Merle Feld)

World Refugee Day

I just received this from the Refugee Council, who stand up for the rights of asylum seekers.

World Refugee Day is observed on June 20 each year. This day honours the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homeland under threat of persecution, conflict and violence.

I stand accused

I stand accused
For asking for my rights
For exercising my right to live
For choosing the party of my choice
For choosing which leader to lead my country
I stand accused

I stand accused
For demanding proper health care
For demanding better education
For demanding freedom of speech
For demanding freedom of association
I stand accused

I stand accused
For belonging to a political party of my choice
For being ungrateful to war mongers posing as war veterans
For asking how a state minister becomes a millionaire overnight
For asking why some people are above the law
I stand accused


by Hasani, an asylum seeker from Zimbabwe

Sunshine after rain

Light unending
Light transforming
Light revealing.

The world is transformed by light
especially after rain.

The rain makes everything seem grey and misty
But it washes the dust and weariness away
And when the sun returns,
everything gleams, fresh and bright,
colours sparkling.

The light renews the world,
transforms it,
reveals its brilliance.

Water and light: sources of life,
refreshment and renewal.

The soul's seasons are like this:
tears and laughter, water and light.

When the tears come,
may they be swiftly followed by laughter,
Laughter that renews and refreshes,
illuminates everything
and reveals the joy,
the inexpressible joy
at the heart of everything.
Amen.



(part of the Write for your Life practice developed by Merle Feld)

Sleep

Where does the mind go during sleep?
Does it rest in the Divine?
Wherever it goes, it returns refreshed
from the shores of forgetfulness.

And what of dreams,
those messengers from the deep?
Beautiful and fearful,
they bring up treasures and horrors
from beneath the sea.

My body sinks thankfully into sleep
like a sloth settling onto a branch.

Let us be grateful
for the gift of sleep
and the healing it brings.

Let us be grateful
for the gift of dreams
and the insights they bring.


1.30 pm
8-6-2011

(part of the Write for your Life practice developed by Merle Feld)

Tread gently on the earth

a song by Carolyn Hillyer (tune on YouTube)

Drum your footsteps to the sacred mountain
Lay down on the bleeding earth and sigh
Breath the rhythm of the Mother sleeping
Listen to Her dream, She whispers: Come alive!

Tread gently on the earth
Breathe gently of the air
Lie gently in the water
Touch gently to the fire.

She bears the scars of our fears and our follies
The dark night hovers and the world sits blind
But the waters flow and the moon is singing
Daughter winds are gathering and hope is high.

Tread gently on the earth
Breathe gently of the air
Lie gently in the water
Touch gently to the fire.

You were born of Her, She gave you being
She healed your body and brought your soul fire
As the Mother wakes we must awaken with Her
We will fade away if we let Her die.

Tread gently on the earth
Breathe gently of the air
Lie gently in the water
Touch gently to the fire.

I have always loved this song, which has a really beautiful tune and a great message.

Source: The Neith Network Library which also has several other poems / songs by the same author:

• Carolyn Hillyer: House Of The Weavers - I come to you
• Carolyn Hillyer: Turquoise Lady - Sweet mother ocean
• Carolyn Hillyer: Night Woman - She is woman who sees
• Carolyn Hillyer: Magdalene, Magdalene
• Carolyn Hillyer: A Sister's Passion - The doorway is narrow
• Carolyn Hillyer: Jaguar - Ee-oo-ee, ee-oo-ee
• Carolyn Hillyer: Rise Of The Corn - I sing the ripening corn to you
• Carolyn Hillyer: Secret Stream - I am a secret stream
• Carolyn Hillyer: Sacred Marriage - In forest heart the Man of Leaves is dancing
• Carolyn Hillyer: Egypt Dust - I knocked at the door of the Three Guardians
• Carolyn Hillyer: Angels of the rising dawn
• Carolyn Hillyer: Tread Gently - Drum your footsteps to the sacred mountain
• Carolyn Hillyer: Mother Of The Moor - Small river brings me to your gate
• Carolyn Hillyer: Give Me Wild - Way, way, way, o-hey
• Carolyn Hillyer: Heron Valley - There's a Maiden coming in
• Carolyn Hillyer: A Mystery Unfolding - Fox passing through the purple dusk
• Carolyn Hillyer: Holly Woman - She is the eye of the storm
• Carolyn Hillyer: The Mask - The travellers spoke in this way
• Carolyn Hillyer: Two Drumbeats - Through the softening night
• Carolyn Hillyer: I (Am The Spirit) - I…, I…, I…, I…, I…
• Carolyn Hillyer: The Fish And The Moon - So she journeyed to sit at the ocean edge
• Carolyn Hillyer: Filled By You - We float in a water with no shore
• Carolyn Hillyer: Little bird on your maiden flight
• Carolyn Hillyer: Celebration Road - Someone is running at the edge of the world

And her website, where you can buy her CDs, is Seventh Wave Music.

Pain

When pain comes to live in the body
It has a way of taking over
my whole awareness,
making me feel trapped in my body with the pain.

But then there's the gratitude
for the love and concern of friends
who wish me well,
ask how I am,
some of them reaching out of their own pain
to touch me in healing.

And so my awareness moves
from the pain to my heart
opening in gratitude
for the gift of friends,
sending messages of concern.

A true friend is one who shares
pain and laughter
love and companionship
sorrow and joy.

I give thanks for friends.
I give thanks to friends:
manifestations of divine love.

8-6-2011
6.11 pm

(part of the Write for your Life practice developed by Merle Feld)