Poetry & Prose

CENTERSPACE

Coming Into Balance

The Following Is From My Book...please enjoy!

Poems And Prose
A Little Zen From The Head To The Toes

It was love the moment I came to be,
A mystery not for the eyes.

Oh you know…yes, it’s everywhere,
Walk with me my friend

The world can be seen
From within a delicate awareness.
Here I am…Here you are.

“The ears of the universe await your voice.”

Poems and Prose A Little Zen From the Head To The Toes,
Arises from within my own journey of awakening to a deeper connection
And understanding about this life and myself.
These meditative expressions are meant as a doorway
In leading you closer to your true inner nature.
Supporting a renewal of the heart that is more loving and compassionate for yourself and others.

There is no rush here or
Finish line that has to be met.
Go slowly...
Perhaps read one phrase a day.

Allow these writings to dissolve into your body,
Sensing their meaning from within.
Enjoy this journey of words and thoughts.
Question, challenge and feel...all that exists within you!

SELF

To be completely present
One must be aware of the past
All its felt sense within the body
This path has no other

I see you there before me
I am here present with you
Why can I not feel myself
Am I here or not?
Words of mind
Find the body.

Sail boldly in this ship called life,
Invite the spray of water
In fact, fall out of the boat a few times
Who are you now?

I can hear and feel you now.
Each day we will begin to feel more alive
Finding this life we are meant to live
Listening deeply to this body of bone & flesh
Teaching us about suffering and joy
Run and play, Please don’t hide
Allow yourself to sense this glorious path
Freedom is close at hand.

We live so many lives…when will you choose
To see who you are?
Our best friend does not always agree with us
We yell, cry, scream and shout, “That’s not fair”
Though we still return for more of the same.
Push us away and we return
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
A Thousand times we Thank You,
This mind is so wonderful.
Oh yes, we suffer from our irrelevant thinking
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
A Thousand times we Thank You.
Hello Body!

Sadness within, let's smile
A joyous body that feels
When numb to all
Then we cry
Who am I?

Water flows
Fire heats
The body disintegrates
This is life

To be present, one must acknowledge where they are.

Who am I?
I am the dust in the wind, that settles in your eyes causing them to tear.
I am the rainbow after a dark cloudy storm.
I am the new baby you hold gently in your arms.
I am the man that angered you for
Not hearing your words.
I am the lover that caused you to shudder.
I am you...For you will only see me as you are,
Through the lens and stories of your history and experiences!

When did you make this illusion of non-real so real?

The breath is us, as we are the experience of the moment.

Stop for this brief moment…be still.
Feel your body…sense this one breath.
Who are you now?
Who did you believe you were 10 seconds ago?

Be present with the touch
Be present with the sensation
Be present with the heart
It is here where one lives.
Our Home is the Body

The World we inhabit is our Monastery,
The view we carry around lives in our mind,
The path is our judgments and attachments
The journey is how we explore and awaken.

MYSTERY

Shadows are born from within the light
Rainbows can be seen in the darkness
In life we must nurture our souls
The same as we nourish our bellies
Embrace your shadow!

Dreams, they walk in our hearts
They flow in our breath
They are us, and we are them
Letting go to find what is real
Is it still a dream?

Stillness surrounded me like a shadow
beneath the willow tree
The darkness of night moved forward
to share it's evening solitude
Quietly inside this body of flesh and bones
there grew...
Stories of the past, the present, the future.
A cry was heard springing out like a tiger
on its prey.
This cry was my voice...wailing forth the song of life!

I have walked so many miles
At times I need to cry

I have lived so many lives
it feels as if I could hold the ashes of eternity
in my hand
It is not for me to answer
Even when I know
It is not for me to fear
Even when I shiver from doubt within
Oh, how you have come to me
Like a whisper, sitting upon my lips
Of a lover speaking silently
So only the soul within will hear
Perhaps a tear is what I fear
For you see my love,
I have also been afraid
I wish to walk another mile though, no matter what
through the ashes of fire I must travel
Because you see,
I could not be me if I did not travel this path
If not for in your heart, here may lie
the desire for freedom
To look so deep within at me
Yes, I have lived so many lives
And you are the chosen one to see.

WONDER

It is not who we meet in this life,
It is in the awareness of how we are meeting one another,
That springs forth a life!

Every time we smile,
A flower blooms,
A new baby is born
And a thousand hearts embrace compassion!

Hear the call of the Universe...your name will be sung from the highest mountains!

When we plant a seed, the flower will bloom.
How it will look or how tall it will grow, who knows?
No matter what, it will be quite wondrous!

Remember...it's not who you know,
But do you know and how!

Remember when one is feeling blue,
Think of the sky,
How expansive and wonderful she is!
All of her gifts...the weather teaches us
About life and nourishes our bodies.
Love your storms, embrace your sun!

It’s just this!
When was it not?

FEAR

Don't be afraid to let go, Do not let fear of the unknown
Stand in your true path
Letting go does not mean falling down
Allow yourself to float gently,
Surrendering into the arms of the universe.

If one fears death, are you really living?
And fully alive in the present moment?

Fear rejoices when his voice is heard
It is in this place he feels most loved
For you dance his dance and sing his songs
Say no…I beg of you
Tell him no and begin to notice
There are no notes in his music
Or rhythm in his movements
He will fade from view and you
You my friend will shine
More beautiful than ever before!

The kindness way of listening
to an attached fearful mind is through
the compassion of an open heart.

COMPASSION

Compassion means I’m capable of being bigger than I ever imagined.
Compassion teaches me about all the fears we hide within ourselves.
Compassion demonstrates what it is like to be human.
Compassion caresses my anger and hurts with a gentle touch.
Compassion strengthens my spirit when others are suffering.
Compassion comforts me in times of confusion.
Compassion allows me to cry when I’m feeling hurt.
Compassion teaches me about love.
Compassion allows my heart to open and breathe.
Compassion understands I may veer off the road occasionally.
Compassion will dust off my trousers and tend to my scars.
Compassion is a resting place for an over burdened mind.
Compassion allows all of us to heal.
Compassion is a path I wish to embrace and make my friend.
Compassion is inside everything and everyone that exists in this unique universe.
Compassion just is...nothing else.
Here take some of mine...there is more where this came from.

Tall trees wind blows
Leaves touch the universe
Caressing mother earth

When our hearts learn to feel compassion
For all that is, including ourselves…the skies
And ocean are one.

TRUTH

How often does the truth rest
Inside our every breath
Hidden away for only those
Who can see a whisper
Upon the lips of those
Who choose to bite
Into the forbidden fruit called life.

When we see how empty life is...
We can begin to see how rich the world we live in really is.

Is it justice you seek?
You'll have to look elsewhere
For here with me, we all live in guilt and innocence!

Truth is always within us.
Who has the courage to accept?
The strength to surrender,
The humility to sustain.

Testing the waters of life?
You are in it and it's all around you…so why ignore it?

A life weaved of kindness and compassion…will meet;
Whatever mystery may lie before hand, opening its doors gladly.
Whatever challenges are confronted, will be conquered.
Whatever mountain stands in the path, will not be high enough.
For the heart knows only knows how to love all that is!

Confusion rains chaos on all those believing
This life is solid in thought and form.

AWAKENING

May the gaze of the moon, graze your heart of awareness.

Notice what you wish for in all its forms;
From positive to adversity to aversion...
Can we waken to this unknown and embrace it with joy?

The spirit is true and free when a mind is ready to surrender.

Death was very close at hand that day
At the time I did not even realize it.
At first the thought might be
It’s time sleep.
Ultimately, it was just the alarm clock,
Ringing…Time to wake-up!

May our tears awaken us to this
glorious spirit called life.
Being present and feeling the inner compassion within each of us.
Waking up the sleeping dog of fear.
For in the heart there is only love!

It was a blind man who helped me understand
That a sad man could bestow strength.
It takes a strong heart to look inward
Hearing the words of the flowers.
Children close their eyes to smell the rain
I learned to shut my eyes.
To feel the earth I have no eyes
To taste the fruit I have no eyes
To know myself I have no eyes
It has taken many years to notice
The blind man was always me.

Listen…listen
Is this not who we are
Laughs, smiles, tears, fear, anger and joy
The cawing of the hawk,
The calls of thirst or hunger
These sounds, I love them so
Leading me into the quiet moment…
Shh, shh listen.
No, no listen closer, can you hear it
There is nothing inside of everything
Is this who we are, you asked?
Yes, we are nothing and everything
We exist in body, knowing this
by all that surrounds us
The outside of this body allows me
to know I am here
On the inside there is emptiness
So I know I am everything

The illusion of life is based upon
The perception of self, which distorts
The perception of life and the illusion of self.

Are you present now...stuck in the past or daydreaming?

Here you are…take this
Take my head
I no longer need it
Go run and play

AWARENESS

Be still and it will come
Do not wander so far as to forget
Remember not how or why but what
What shall become if we stay
Stagnation, I think not
The breeze of life shall pulse through us
If we hide it is not from the past
But from the present
If we run it is not to the future
But too our past
Close, close our eyes
Perhaps we shall see more clearly
Insight into the present
No need to wander anymore
For here we are in life
No place to go but here
No place to be but here
Realizing that the here is the now
Be still and it will come

To understand we are all worthy of receiving grace…
We must release our past judgments of self and others.

You smiled, I could not see
You laughed, I could not hear
You cried, I could not listen
You died, I could not watch
The mirror had broken.

The awakened body of sensation,
Knows the clarity of the present.

“Look at this, look at this!”
Your mind running around excitedly shouting at everyone.
I cut the string that was wound so tightly around your wrist.
“Oh no, oh no”…you cried out.
Watching the balloon climb gently into the sky.
Your heart is now free to experience and feel all life.
Your life…yes, notice that
Just that...nothing else.

BEAUTY

May I see you from the inside out
And caress you from the outside in.

From my hand to your hand
From my lips to your lips
Our minds entwine
Our eyes lock together
Begin the began

How often you kept calling my name, though I ignored you
Wondering too and fro…
I could not see through the muck and mire all around.
Barely able to lift my feet from this mud, not knowing any better,
I continue sludging through
Oh yes, there were many moments of glee…
Rancorous behavior
Shouts of wonder
Though my mind continues to dwell in the cavern of dark
Until one day I did look-up
And saw your glorious smile in the sun
I wondered too and fro…
Dear God, It was here that I found your message of love
In the streets of life, to the alleyways of judgment…
And the back roads of forgiveness
Sitting by the curbside on this day was a very young old man
He reached out from under his tattered garments
With a cupped hand and crooked smile
This time I chose to look in those eyes and not turn away
And thus I began to cry...
The face may not have been familiar though the eyes were mine
I knew the sad stories, fears and depression they held…
Gazing upward, I am no longer able to ignore your smile.
You have taught me that a river of tears
Arrives from within an ocean of compassion
So that we may stand on the deck of this ship called love.

Share your heart and open to vulnerability with your lover
They will inhale your spirit…finding an amazing life in every moment.

ILLUMINATION

Human beings are perfectly imperfect
Please…laugh, cry and ponder
Be present in this moment of thought
This journey of mind

May you be touched by all that is.

What is this concept of looking inward?
Noticing we have both light and dark.
Who am I here?
I wonder…
If we have light and dark
Are we really either one?
Awakening to these thoughts of self and other
If this is me…Then am I really that
If I am this…Then am I not that
If I’m that, then I’m not this
If I’m not this or that
Could I be nothing?
If I am nothing
Could I then be this and that
Is self the light?
Is other the dark?
Or perhaps it’s the opposite way around
Other is light or Self is dark
When did we begin contemplating this concept
Maybe your This is my That
Your dark is my light
If the light is not dark
And the dark is not light
Could light and dark be nothing
If there is nothing
There is no light and dark
There is only you my friend
Sit now…sit quietly
Be with all of your heart
No judgment here
No this, no that
No light, no dark
No self, no other
Nothing…
There is only you my friend
Sit now…sit quietly
Be just you, with all your heart!

Nothing gained, nothing lost...
The present moment is just that!

FREEDOM

A GARDEN OF SOUL

Within my garden the seeds were planted,
Such a wondrous joy, all the different types of pleasures I received.
From seedlings to flowers, growing in various shapes, sizes and forms.
Each flower with its own individual touch and smell, these were my friends.
At times they would even pollinate and bring new friends into my home,
What joy they brought me; laughter, tears, encouragement and smiles.
One day we all noticed a little seedling off to the side, struggling to sprout.
None of us knew who she was or had ever seen her before,
But there she was pushing her way up,
Through the heavy rocks and stone.
I poured a little water on her everyday, not too much, as she was not use to this.
Each day our little flower pushed harder and harder,
We all watched and shared in the pain and joy of her struggles.
With amazement though, each day she would grow just a little more.
We saw beautiful green leaves and luscious pedals that took our breath away.
I continued to nourish her with water, giving a little more each day.
Our little flower continued to struggle and fight everyday with the rock and stone.
One bright sunny afternoon, one of her little buds opened up.
With an astonished look she spoke to us,
“Where am I? And who are all of you?”
“Why, we are your friends”, we replied.
“Have you not seen us here everyday sharing our garden with you?”
Looking at each other quizzically,
We wondered how she could she not have seen or felt our friendship.
“How can you be my friend?" our little flower asked.
“You are not rock? You are not stone?
Those are friends that I know,” the little flower replied.
“They teach me that I must struggle and suffer,
If I am ever to become strong and beautiful.”
All my friends and I laughed and smiled,
“But you already are beautiful,” we replied.
“Your fragrance is of lavender rose,
Your petals are like the colored rainbow of a peacocks tail.
You have always been beautiful to us,” I continued saying to our new friend.
”Now you must come and play and grow with us.
We give support and space to one another,
So we can all take root and grow strong through kindness.”
Sternly she replied, “Who are you to make me feel so strong and loved?”
“I must continue fighting for the nourishment of the air and the rain,
“As I have been taught from the rocks and the stones.”
She closed her budding flower and turned away from us.
Each day we watched, as our friend kept pushing and struggling through her life of rock and stone.
I continued to water and nourish her, never knowing if she could feel our warmth.
Then late one afternoon, she said to all of us.
“I cannot fight these stones anymore, they are much too heavy.”
“Their burden is much too strong for me to keep fighting.”
As night descended on the garden, her pedals closed and she fell into a deep slumber.
Exhausted from the struggles and burdens, the rocks had put upon her life.
Her pedals began to fall and wilt, she was not growing so strong anymore.
A sadness and silence fell upon our garden...
Each day we would patiently sit, watching over our little flower.
Hoping she’d awake.
Feeling the warmth and nourishment from the sun and our hearts.
Early one morning as the sun cast its light upon the ground,
Our little flower awoke and suddenly began shouting!!!
“No more!! No more!!”
“Stone and rock you are not my friends,”
“Your burdens are of your own choice, they are not of mine.”
Pushing the rocks and stones away our little flower reached out to the sky...
She sprouted straight up, growing taller and taller.
Until all of a sudden, she was flying!!!!
Our little flower had turned into a white dove,
Her pedals had become wings of freedom.
No longer clinging to hardened rock and stone from where she had come.
Flying high above our heads, she laughed and soared.
Singing out, “I am now able to feel your love, kindness and strength.”
I was so caught up in needing to feel the weight of the rocks and stones,
I could not see I was already a beautiful flower.”
With delight she continued shouting!
”I wish to soar into the sun, feeling the wind and the rain upon my feathers.”
For days we did not see her.
One week passed and then another.
All the while we played in the garden, wishing her well.
Nourishing our own friendships with love and knowledge everyday.
Laughing, crying and sharing our stories of learning with one another.
Three months had gone by now, and still no one had heard from our little friend.
Then all of a sudden one morning she appeared out of nowhere,
Our eyes opened wide with astonishment.
Our dove had become an Angel!
She had quit fighting and struggling with who she thought she was suppose to be,
Becoming who she really was all along.
Just needing to learn how to accept love and encouragement from her friends,
Who could see how beautiful and valuable she really was.
She reached out to touch me and smiled.
We walked out amongst our garden of friends,
All of us laughing, playing and sharing with one another.
This time, she took the water…nourishing the beauty in all our souls.