Seasons

Poems From The Porch

Winter dreams of Spring
 and the hope of a new beginning.

 Barren branches are waiting to bud,
 their secret workings never to be revealed.

 There is so much going on just below the surface,
 a marvelous support network of potential.

 The wind is expressing Winter’s frustration today
 at having to trust the process.

 There is a melody to these gusts of lulls and crescendos,
 a cry of longing for the renewal of purpose.

 When caught up in the torrent of emotions,
 Winter seems to forget.

 She feels trapped in a desolate infinity.

 Let’s remind her then, shall we?

 You have identified with a season,
 and when Spring emerges, you will yet identify with that.

 But you are neither Winter nor Spring, Summer nor Autumn.

 You are the Eternal Witness,
 part of the One Great Love,
 who gets to experience them all.

Engaging With The Poem

 Poetry can be a doorway to the soul and your own creativity. Throughout the ages, the written word has been used as a means to access personal truth and as a vehicle for prayer through the practice of sacred reading (lectio divina). I encourage you to try this beautiful practice and let its fruits be self-evident.

 How to Practice Sacred Reading

 · READ
 · REFLECT
 · RESPOND
 · REST

 Read the passage through slowly more than once, noticing how it feels in your body and the response of your heart.

 Reflect: What word resonates with you? What phrase speaks to you?
 What overall personal meaning comes to you? Allow yourself to follow a tangent.
 Respond by making space for the prayer of your heart to manifest. Write down the words and/or phrases that resonate with you and allow them to arrange themselves into your own poem or prayer.

 Rest with your eyes closed, perhaps using the word that most resonates with you as your mantra for silent meditation.

Dear friend,

 May your mind be peaceful and calm,
 may your body be relaxed and comfortable,
 and may your heart be filled with love.

 Thank you for reading.

 Blessings and gratitude,
 Ani