Participate Joyfully

 I confess to some hesitation about this quote.

It felt disrespectful to those who are sorrowful.

Truly "we cannot cure the world of sorrows".

But we can share the sorrow of a friend.

(I don't know how to do that without feeling their sorrow.)

I was going to chalk this up to a paradox because, in my typical binary thinking mode,

I believed a person can only feel one emotion at a time.  Turns out I'm wrong about that.

"It's common to think that you can only feel one way at a time, but we can actually feel two or more things that conflict or don't match up at the same time. No single feeling is more valid than another – they can all coexist." Rashida Dungarwalla If I was better at feeling my feelings this wouldn't be such a revelation.

After writing this, I happened to run across two more quotes that echo this sentiment.

"in the end, my happiness was my defiance.  My joy was my act of dissent."  David Joy and

"I think that recognizing joy and play and that kind of full humanity feels like a rebellious act".  Ada Limon

When you put happiness and joy in the the garb of resistance to powers that be, and in this case the power is a society with a propensity to over focus on the negative and "shameful"; isn't leaning into them an ideal way to change things deeply and quietly from the inside out?

It can be a revolution!

kastilwell

The Intangible Represents The Real Power

I'm finding much to soak in from  this gem of a thought from Bruce Lee. 

It does not match the impression I have from what very little I know of him.

Using the word intangible to describe "the real power of the universe" is the best I've run across to date.

It connects to the idea that "nothing" is something (and possibly everything). 

Each creative act born from a seed of the intangible.

The term "living void" is another excellent descriptor. . .the paradox of life in an exquisite duet of words.

May the "living void" fill you "with life and power and the love of all beings".

From now on, when asked, I will say I am a member of the "living void" congregation!

kastilwell

Be The Softness

For those times when your fists are iron

and your grievances seem permanently attached.

Where every soft space is hardened beneath layers of complaint.

When the shield of your armor seems all there is to hold on to.

Believe in your softness.  Trust in your kindness.

Hone your imagination.  Envision solace, support and understanding.

Let the wellsprings inside lavish you with love.

Mercy and forgiveness sit right next to you.

Let yourself feel them through the cracks of your longing,

the throbbing of your pain, the blankets of your grief.

Be very gentle as you "rub oil into your scars".

Namaste'

 

Deep Life

I love the idea of living a "deep life".

And I love the idea of checking in with the beans in your garden,

if you grow beans in your garden, about how best to life your life.

If you don't grow beans, there are a myriad of nearby wildflowers,

trees and shrubs and birds and insects and creatures available;

not to mention rocks and minerals, creeks and lakes and rivers;

all capable of providing advice on the matter. 

On this note, I might share the results of an experiment I did a couple days ago.

Instead of walking and dictating for a current project, I set out to listen to the forest 

using my camera to record images and thoughts as I walked.

Meanwhile, have fun listening to your "neighbors"!

Namaste'

 

 

Bring Your Awareness To The Space Between Things

https://www.kimmanleyort.com

The first thing that comes to mind when considering the space between things is

 the mood of our country as depicted by the ceaseless drone of media outlets, 

frantic to gain my attention; desperate to fill their coffers. 

This is a different kind of space. 

Some would dismiss it as "empty", unworthy of attention.

Yet, as I am discovering, this is where treasure lies buried and free for the taking.

Its collaborates with silence as a pathway to a vast inner space.

"It helps us see the invisible threads that tie everything together." 

It's a space where wretched and wonderful braid tightly together into one strong strand.

"Negative space becomes as important as positive space."

Namaste'

 

My Work Is Loving The World

Loving sometimes seems to me an overused word.

To marvel, to appreciate, to rejoice in, to treasure...

these add juice to the sentiment, I'm thinking.

Yet, as with all words, its not the word itself...

but the invisible, sometimes intangible frequency invoked.

That hum in our bones when the words cross our retinas

or slip past our tympanic membrane causing vibrations of recognition and connection.

This poem is a symphony of pictures, hums, and vibrations.

Mary Oliver is a magician of words.

Am I no longer young and still not half-perfect? Let me keep my mind on what matters...

 

It's Not That My Mind Has Gone Quiet

http://dannafaulds.com

I love finding voices I've not encountered before. Wisdom threading like tributaries from many sources, contributing power to the River of Goodness, flowing unceasingly through our world.

May you find your space to breathe and heal and be yourself. Namaste'

kastilwell

 

Here's To The Weavers of Humanity

 Quietly weaving threads of humanity into an inhumane world.

I wonder how many are out there hidden behind thick layers of armor

formed by all number of insecurities and the agony of being shamed or harmed.

What would this world be like if children (and adults) learned to respect themselves and ALL others? I guess that's what you call a pipe dream, but I'm going to continue imagining. Yes, truly wretched things happen and some humans behave atrociously...those threads require the constant weaving in of thicker threads of decency, dignity, fairness and justice to overwhelm their impact on the tapestry of life. 

kastilwell

Life Will Break You

I'm thinking of the plenty here in our little patch of land...

black walnuts cover the ground, 

chestnuts are strewn and crushed along the road,

 dogwood fruit is scattered across the deck.

Much of their bounty goes uneaten. 

These nuts may not be as sweet as apples

but they remind me to taste as much of this life as possible.

To let myself feel and be open to love,

to relish every tiny treasure,

to feel every loss and celebrate every small victory,

to mourn injustices as I relish passion's fruit.

What a dazzling turbulent world we live in.

kastilwell

 

Let Us Simmer

What a thrill to be encouraged to repeat ourselves, contradict ourselves.

That comes naturally to me these days.

I rather wish she'd have included 

"occasionally go blank on what you were about to say".

Perhaps we can let...fling out the wildest nonsense fill in for that?

However, while I understand the sentiment behind the statement

and vigorously agree with what I assume is her intention, I don't believe we can go on

without caring what the world does or thinks or says.

Not caring about what happens to our planet and the creatures in and on it 

doesn't resonate with a whole hearted existence. Like it or not, we're all connected.

So, to me, that means we have to care, in our own way, with all the energy we can muster.

However, and this part is important, how we care is where we refuse to allow

the opinions, judgements, and pushback of others block us. 

We are entitled to care exactly as we choose to do so.

Namaste'

 

Don't Hesitate

Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back.

...something happens better than all the riches or power...

Isn't this the heart of it...the soul of it? 

The surprising sound of a screech owl nearby,

an unexpected blooming, a patch overflowing with sunflowers, 

or cardinal flowers, a cloud of finches feeding in your garden,

you finally find something you lost months back,

a catch-up call from a dear one, the smile of your lover.

The smallest happening can ignite your world,

turn it into a celebration, rescue you from despair.

Joy is not a crumb.

Don't be afraid of its plenty.

I'm convinced this is the secret to a well lived life.

kastilwell

 

Sitting Quietly In the Night - "Nothing" Happens

This poem reverberates with the thought of how full of something nothing is. 

 I'm becoming increasingly more enamored with the friction caused by this contemplation.

Every time I catch the word 'nothing' sauntering through my brain, I pause and examine things.

And each time, find myself surprised by how full nothing is.

It's become a special sort of treasure to spend time in the company of nothing.

kastilwell

Sometimes You Have To Let Go

This image brings Emily Dickenson's line to mind.

"I am out with lanterns looking for myself."

I suspect that's the intent!

This is where the fact that my mind might be lying to me

is worth paying attention to because I know I get bullied

by expectations about how I thought my life was going to be.

Given these are imaginings of a child being programmed

by any number of influences from sources outside my control;

this quote is a clarion of wisdom and an invitation

to the possibility of an entirely different perspective.

One that puts me exactly where I am.

kastilwell

 

Exit Wounds

I started to share this yesterday and changed my mind.

"Sometimes its the things you carry."

I'm making it plural because loss

is a frequent companion in a human life.  

Though many of us don't let them register,

they leave their mark and take their toll.

I love "the sun comes from nowhere,

cuts holes in the darkness and breaks you open."

May everyone experiencing the weight of grief,

have "misery pulled from night and burdens from your body".

May you find the feathers left behind.

kastilwell

 

Free

I forget to be grateful for these freedoms--

to speak my truth,

roam at ease,

love at will,

and disagree.

These would not be possible without democracy.

May we not take this for granted.

May we be acutely aware of the gift.

May we deluge the future with our voices and our votes

for the freedoms fought and died for by so many.

May we remember and carry the cause forward.

Thanks to Rebekah Crilly for these words and this reminder.

kastilwell

Letting People Be Wrong About You

I asked myself why this quote caught my attention.

Its because it sits hand in hand with the instinct to please others

rather than attuning to and following our own inner compass.

Isn't having to endure the disapproval or condemnation of someone, 

especially someone you care about, or someone with 

actual or perceived authority over you, 

one of life's most difficult situations? I know it is for me.

I would say it's a super power to develop the peace and focus

to hold your own with grace and dignity in these circumstances.

This is why I have tremendous admiration and respect for those

who have to endure society's scorn and derision.

Living as the recipient of that prejudice requires one to develop this power.

I am in awe of their prowess.

It stands in sharp contrast to those who are born into circumstances of  power

who use their privilege to domineer and tyrannize those they see as "less than".

kastilwell

 

If You Knew

 It's a puzzle to me

but somehow I'm programmed

with a strong wall of denial

that results in taking people and circumstances

for granted in the mistaken notion

things will continue on as they are.

No one will get sick or die.

No permanent harm will come

to anyone I care about.

This exquisite life I'm living 

will remain this way forever.

You can see how naive and inaccurate this is.

It's my shield of bliss against the inevitable.

Every now and then I get a glimpse,

a forewarning, a fragment of reality

so harsh and jangling I am propelled

out of my cocoon of oblivion and

come face to face with how

fleeting and fragile everything is.

The utter majesty of it all levels me.

The extreme largesse of being here

with you and you and you,

makes me speechless.

kastilwell

Feel It Completely

What is nothing?

Nothing is really something.

Pondering this has made me realize the truth of it.

My hands might look empty but are they?

Isn't there something within these "empty" palms?

To begin with, air isn't nothing.

Try living without it.

Absence is not empty, its actually filled 

with something feeling like a presence

palpable yet not quite nameable.

So, the next time we find ourselves

feeling nothing.  Let's give it a go.

Sink into it and feel every corner.

Next time we're feeling an absence,

the "goneness" of a someone

lets feel it to our bones.

It's the heart of paradox.

An exquisite, often painful,

always beautiful mystery.

kastilwell

 

And Yet

Doesn't this hit the bull's eye

for getting straight to the heart of things?

I can so identify with every sentiment 

even though I do not want to.

Doesn't it feel like the war is already here?

The one inside where

you operate on high alert,

while trying to go on living in peace,

enjoying moments of joy and beauty,

doing what you can for justice and our Earth.

While the one on the outside blares threats,

and lobs grenades of destructive verbiage

pounding at our counteroffensive

of dignity, decency and fairness.

Yes, we are cauldrons,

with banked coals of anger

burning in our vulnerable chests.

Yes, we are tender loons,

learning how to live in this

godforsaken reality

with caverns of priceless treasure 

hidden beneath heaps of rubble.

May the rubble be washed away.

May the treasure become visible 

for all eyes to appreciate rather than plunder.

May the forces of goodness hold the line

gain the advantage point,

quell the insurgency

and vanquish all opponents of dignity.

kastilwell

  

 

When All The Others Were Away At Mass

I take great delight in the

juxtaposition of peeling potatoes

with a priest going

"hammer and tongs

at the prayers for the dying."

Why must humans remind other humans

of their wrongdoings at the door of their departure?

As if the person approaching the door

isn't already exquisitely aware of them?

It's rather comical in a sad kind of way.

The love and intimacy conveyed

in the simple act of peeling potatoes together

brings tears to my eyes.

That's what matters as we each move toward our own door.

kastilwell

 

A Love Song To My Fear

At first I was confused (and unsettled) by this,

thinking the poet was speaking to a lover.

I understood when I saw the title at the end.

I choked up, moved by the genius of it.

It seems to address the longing

so many of us carry around with us.

A place where our self rejection,

failures and shortcomings disappear.

"wrapped in grace, I eat my fill"

(and don't gain weight I think ironically)

Kidding aside, its a masterful rewrite.

"I am held"

kastilwell