A New Poem: The Power to Return Home
Last night, I recalled a phone call I received from my granddaughter a few evenings ago. She called to tell me she enjoys meditating outdoors. I asked her how she does it, and she said she “sits on the ground and listens to all the sounds of the world”.
Which made my heart so happy that my eyes leaked. That phone call gave me hope.
Then I started thinking of The Wizard of Oz and how Dorothy had the power to return home all along. How many times did she click her heels together to get back home? Three times – the same number of breaths I take when my mindfulness bell rings throughout the day. And then the poem started flowing.
The Power to Return Home
The world offers endless distractions,
Even right here in the palm of your hand.
When life feels chaotic and uncertain,
You must reclaim your attention
As if your life depends on it
Because it does.
To kindle hope, it is imperative
To know the way back home to your center
So you may be resourced and restored
By your own goodness and the kind voices
Trying to reach you through the clamor
And forgetfulness of your busy life.
You don’t have to make time
Or wait for particular conditions.
You just have to remember
That you have the power
In any and every moment
To befriend your breath.
Ride it inward. Breathe out
All of the preoccupations
And thoughts that cover presence.
Feel your feet on the ground.
See the clouds in the sky.
Listen to the sounds of the world.
It doesn’t matter what others do.
Don’t exchange your sovereignty
For collective madness. In this fear
Pandemic, boost your immunity
By taking refuge as often as possible
In a few conscious breaths.
© 2022 Susan Meyer. All rights reserved. You are welcome to share this post or excerpts of it as long as you give proper credit to Susan Meyer and SusanTaraMeyer.com. Susan Meyer is a photographer, writer, and spiritual teacher who lives on the Hudson River in Upstate New York.