Unconditional Approval

Poems From The Porch

To be quiet enough to hear your soul humming,

 To be still enough to notice the rise and fall of your breath,

 To be attentive enough to mark the beat of your heart,

 To so cherish your existence as to recognize
 how it is intimately intertwined
 with the hum and breath and heartbeat of the whole world,

 is to feel the smile of God.

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