Finding Home

     I was preparing my first cup of coffee in the morning when the black-naped Orioles began calling. They occasionally visit the Neem Tree that grew just outside our property ten years ago. I noticed how it sounded as if there were more than two orioles which was a rare occurrence. And so, I decided to take my coffee outside.       It took a while before they sang again, maybe a good 5-7 minutes or so. In which time, I had already taken the first few, very much welcome sips of my waking brew. I took in their song still seated, resisting the immediate urge to have a visual on them. I continued to relish my cup of black whilst basking in their music. As I did, I heard the zebra doves cooing their soothing tune like a flute as well. The yellow-vented bulbuls were chiming in their short but sweet tones. And not to be excluded were the Philippine-pied fan tails with their staccato-like chirps. It was as if I was listening to a mini symphony live. The garden was my music hall and the music

  Breath is found  On the torn wings of a butterfly In a fragment of a poem Written on cobwebs with morning dew  On a daring bud of Hibiscus shivering In the chill of the afternoon  In winds that kiss gently And sunsets that soothe  On grains of sand between  tired toes and soles grounding you In ocean waves that hold space In sky and earth fully present for you And heal you and heal you, and heal you Breathe, breathe, breathe.

Devotion A one-word intention to nurture, nourish, show tenderness to heal the places long buried and those that can be seen in the full light of day to listen to the body and heed what it needs-- to rest when it needs to to move when it must to let it breathe, to let it breathe to allow the mind's dust to settle fully to gravity to let its nature come into fullness to not resist, to not impede knowing full well everything is passing to hear the heart's beat to open it and see the beauty as it is, it's story of pain, of bravery, of fear, of love of surrender to welcome it into an embrace of healing transformative, redemptive Devotion, an intention, one word, yet an honoring of multitudes of body of mind of  heart of this given and gifted life. January 29, 2023, Sunday  In 2023, my one word intention for the year was devotion. Everyday, I reminded myself of it. Especially when the times became quite rough and even breathing was hard to do, I brought to mind my intention, and

        In  August of 2023 I was invited to be one of the contributing authors of a Poetry Anthology by the Breathworks Community of Practice in the UK. This is a Mindfulness Based community founded by Vidyamala Burch, OBE and fortified by a community of individuals practicing Mindfulness and providing safe spaces for each other through the sharing of poetry, experiences and participating together in Mindfulness sessions and programs.     Poetry Fest '23 was originally an online Poetry Reading Fundraising event held in July whose participants included community members who live with pain and illness and the poetry revolved around how they have dealt with pain and illness every day and rose above it with strength and courage. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to join the event, but they invited me nonetheless to contribute to the collection . On December 8, 2023, the book was finally published. And I couldn't be more filled with joy and humbled by the honor and privilege of bei

Let me re-member my mind  back to my body Let me forgive myself for losing ground thinking life is  up there, elsewhere When undoubtedly it is here in this body Where breath resides Where rest is waiting Where clarity is found Let me remember to breathe in deeply and breath out With the utmost care In this body is  Where life is admonishing constantly that I am  more than the wars  my mind has fought I am more than the losses It has rendered I am more and beyond its provocations When I re-member my mind Back to my body I restore ground, find respite leading me to the answer which Always is Be here, be still, And be healed. 

Sit and be still Or try to be In body, in mind in spirit In sitting, patience For all to fall apart To fall away To fall into place Let the breath Slow down the body's rush Tether your warring mind Give space for your aching heart Breathe in and out Sit, be still Or try to be Breathe and fall into A place albeit brief, But a moment nonetheless Of peace.