conversations underneath conversations

subtext grabbing so much attention
asking us to look deeper

and looking deeper can unearth
revelations
you are not
so ready for

but then again
preparation
is a luxury

mini - manifesto

We do not enter into human form
as clean slates

We come with knowledge
wisdom
memories
information
uncanny abilities
psychic truth
various types of medicinal gifts

we are not from nowhere
we are from somewhere
our origins remain unknown
and
unverified

we start with sound
movement
word
image
sentence
intention

life is set into motion
as if we came from the ocean

easy to find definitions of elusive word : sacred

1. sa·cred/ˈsākrid/
Adjective:

Connected with God (or the gods) or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration: "sacred rites".
Religious rather than secular.


2. Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy (perceived by religious individuals as associated with the divine) or sacred (considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspiring awe or reverence among believers in a given set of spiritual ideas). In other contexts, objects are often considered 'holy' or 'sacred' if used for spiritual purposes, such as the worship or service of gods. These terms can also be used in a non-spiritual or semi-spiritual context ("sacred truths" in a constitution). It is often ascribed to people ("a holy man" of religious occupation, "holy prophet" who is venerated by his followers), objects ("sacred artifact" that is venerated and blessed ), times ("holy days" of spiritual introspection, such as during winter holidays), or places ("sacred ground", "holy place").

comment:

The concept of sacred is one that is worth exploration. Some say sacred has an opposite, which would be  mundane, but what if the sacred and mundane are wedded together by the fact that there is a spot of one within another, not unlike the yin/yang symbol. Sacred denotes a sense of otherworldly special, as though that which is regarded sacred, is not necessarily connected to the world we live in and experience on a daily basis. The sacred object/image/symbol/experience is leading us to believe in more than what we take for granted via our five senses. We experience the sacred in countless ways, ask 5 people what is sacred to them, chances are you will get 5 varied responses. No two people are going to define it or experience it the same way, or if they do, that will create phenomenon unto itself that is worth looking into. Yet, in my quest to pin down a reasonable definition, I find much more contradiction and disagreement than harmony.....

Building Self Love. Dialogue. Female 1 and 2

Female 1: Men tell me, "Look at you" and I don't see it. I do not understand. Friends tell me, "Look at you" and I am confused.

Female 2: They are complimenting you. You are supposed to understand your own beauty. You are supposed to be confident. They assume you are.

F 1: How is that supposed to happen when the pressure to measure up to some unattainable standard of beauty rips me apart? The mirror is not my friend.

F 2: It can be. It will be. You must transform the way you see, and that will change how you feel

F 1: How do I do that?

F 2: You start by eliminating influences in your life, such as many kinds of media, that promote ridiculous standards of beauty. Maybe you create some visual art that shows women of all kinds, shapes, sizes, races, ages, feeling strong, healthy, peaceful and radiant. You honor your body for what it does for you and how it responds to good food and gets energy. It is a complex map of systems that helps you function. It is a home for your spirit. Your worth is not determined by the appearance of physical self. You get in touch with this truth, over time, in many different ways.

F 1: That will take real effort, and yes, I know it will be worth it.

Holding space

If I may be so bold, I would assert that we need to learn how to hold “space” for people. This means that whatever they speak about, the listener does not react with strong emotion. Instead, they hold space to simply process what has been happening for them.

The task is to listen without judging. This is different from simply hearing someone. Holding a space is crucial when developing a relationship- friendship -etc. with a person who comes from a very different background. Normally, we wish we could react in calm smooth way at all times, but certain moments present challenges that take us away from our center and cause us to become overly emotional in our response.

Many people never learn how to hold “space” for anyone. Space was never held for them. If the individual has had experiences wherein they needed to tune someone out and not listen to them, they will have a difficult time getting into the place where they can listen easily to just anyone. They might be hearing but not listening.
Another piece to this puzzle that is relevant, and really this is always relevant, IMHO -at all times, is that YOU ARE NOT the stories in your mind. Our human identity is tied up in all kinds of false stories of what we are based on the way we have been programmed and conditioned. The essence of what we are can be summed up by the word- breath, the air that moves through us as it circulates and that leaves us when we exit this realm and head where ever it is we head, or are exterminated.

That mystery remains unsolved for the vast majority of us, though some claim to know. The point is, we are BREATH, breath is spirit and that is all we really are, we are not false constructs that make up identity. We breathe and then we stop breathing. We over complicate this and misery ensues.

This connects to holding space because we are simply breathers who slip into and out of existence with no formal instructions given while we are here, and the space we hold for each other can transform the quality of our breath, and the quality of our time here. Many can attest to this as true.

and now for a poem-- "go silent, get loud"

Showing up.

Showing up on time.

Breaking down.

Breaking down knowledge, breaking down into pieces

Showing up again.

There was a completion, a full circle 

There were words spoken but not by a tender mouth

There were words spoken in gazes -in familiar galaxies

we showed up-

we broke down-

our fiction temperature was raging,

our truth movement was astonishing-

our pieces were broken until suddenly hope formed an ice sculpture and as it melted it became the water we needed to take in
our broken pieces spoke directly to each other at the time- at the time we thought we were fine

And this time presents new truths-  we are whole
we break down again only this time it is a necessary fragmentation in a process 
designated to re- design us

A new template.

Give us seconds-- we will make hours.

Give us hours-- we will condense them into minutes. 
Time is barely breathing on the back burner 
We are showing up again…still. 
We show up in the stillness.

We are whole again.

upon being spirit in flesh

casual density
formal intensity
weight of fingers upon skin
is like light upon soil
necessary and natural
we listen to opinions that reek of false pretense
and echo this ignorance
hiding our gifts of warmth
standing steady, dreaming over fires of lust
oh how we get burned, such betrayed trust
distance is created
appetites sated

who are we now?

remember when it was best to forget?
remember when the present moment was all there was
star shattering upon moon surface
if you stand from this perspective, shattered star pieces glitter and glow but if you stand from the other perspective they glint and gleam with menacing intent
how do you choose to stand?
the power in your mind
is vast
and can conquer what we call demons
from our perspective
lacking scientific input
we refer to faintly biblical mythology
producing profound reasons to search for answers
left alone
left to my own devices
I search madly
but they say the universe lies within
and you must break the dams and withstand the floods
you must hold back the flood waters
and feel the essential spray
from escaping waves

ready to grow

do not tell me those secrets, now, please
these everyday interactions
are laced with emotions
that we wish to process
but the masks we wear
prevent us from being seen
even in a mirror
branches lean down toward water
sun leans down toward horizon
sinking
slow and unsure of herself
until time after time
she gains confidence
she masters the motion
of setting out of our view
sun setting
moon rising
perspective shifts
mountainous rifts
providing gifts
treasure the time you have alone
creating a personal space zone
happiness is more possible
than you believed during the vast confusion
someday
I will take in those secrets and release them
on the wind so they land gently
like seeds ready to grow
in fertile soil

bitter end

he handled her roughly
until a golden silence
fell upon his heart
and endeared him to a calmer way
what alchemy is this?
still nothing to say
he could not fathom
her immense sensitivity
or calculate the correct date of her fertility
she showed him more than her body
but he was blind to the treasures
until quiet rumbling revelations
began like earthquakes
"be with me....
(her eyes plead)
until the bitter end
but
please
do not call me friend"

service

that immense natural beauty on this planet can be so rich
that the eyes tend to neutralize themselves
against such power

we sister speak of our woman worth
but the truth is that
our tears remain composed of salt
no more or less salty
than the tears of our suffering brothers
but what if joy were to link us together
not pain?
what if happiness were to bring us into the same space
not anger?
our very survival depends on this
this is a calling for the meetings of our conscious minds
pluralize this
multiply this
expand it

and why is it
that we must DO in order to Be
is it not true that we would not be able to DO
if we were not first to BE
let go of the self notion
let go of the idols inside the selfish brain
let go of the maps to self created misery
you know what they look like.
you do not need them

let go of the fast paced nature of modern societal distractions
despite the fact that you live in
an urban jungle
with shiny material temptation
every which way

you do not need it

let go of the people who drain from you
your most child like,
sincere smiles, dreams
and reserves of energy

you do not need them

and if you wish to serve
go ahead and find a way
serving
the highest good
serving
the force behind the
trees
and rivers
and plants that nourish
remains
a real choice
for any
living being