life: acoustic & amplified

blooming

Be opened, ears

that I may hear

what the Beloved is whispering to me.

Be opened, lips

that I may sing

of the grace I behold.

Be opened, heart,

to the mystery that unfolds,

the love that abounds.

Be opened, friend,

to me, and who I am,

and who you may be.

Be opened. mind,

to all that exceeds

what you already know.

Be opened, soul,

to this world

and its grace.

Be opened, self,

to be healed,

to be changed.

Be opened, heavens,

to receive us,

to commune here with us.

Let this be today’s prayer:

Ephphatha!

Be opened!

__________________

Steve Garnaas-Holmes

Unfolding Light

http://www.unfoldinglight.net

I walk in clouds of messy grace

they follow me wherever I go

I traverse the worlds of the dark and the light

allowing both to be where I belong

I jump in puddles of deep infinity splashing stardust onto my feet of clay

I sail my ship into the driest desert full sails catching the hot winds of new understanding

I climb the highest mountains

to see all the beauty found above, below and within me

I lie in the green grass of myself as respect for the very stuff that I am made of

I drop for 3 hrs 45 minutes into the center of the earth

to allow my stubbornness to burn away

I search the seas at midnight to find one open heart like mine

I surrender all I have ever known for sure

to open my heart to your magic

You take me to places I’ve never known before

beyond the beyond and back again

We are the night ocean –

mysterious life. sparkling light-forms

We are the stable earth –

wings of birds. creepy creeping things

We are the rain forest –

rarest orchid. poison-est frog.

We are the arid desert –

stickiest cacti. smallest grain of sand.

We are the heavens –

guarded by angels. home of God.

We are the word –

spoken. written. thought.

We are the soul of the soul –

together we are the universe. the very center of everything. the beginning and the end.

I am you –

child. sibling. parent. friend. love.

as you are me –

loving. lover. loved. beloved. love.

we are possibles and i’m-possibles –

be-ings. unlimited. infinite. I am’s.

💞

Amy Lloyd

ordinary day

Ordinary Miracles.

Today I am so tired

I have no space in me for big.

I must return

to the small ordinary miracles;

to the way the cup and the bowl

laid upon this table,

once earth themselves,

now,

after fire’s touch,

are something else

entirely,

and give themselves

freely

with the simple symmetry

of their curved line

to the holding of emptiness

or fullness.

Or I will drink tea,

and follow it’s warmth and healing touch

within and without,

and mingle my breath

with its vapour and touch

the journey of its essence

from far away lands

to here, to now, to me.

Or spend time simply remembering

that between the covers

of the books upon my shelves

are held

minds, lives, worlds, stories, wisdom

that will all last longer

than this little body of mine.

Or marvel at the striped stones

upon the shore that tell deep time,

layer by layer and recall

wild days of disaster and dancing

in their still sea vigil,

slowly loosing their grains

and building beaches for

children’s hands to make sand castles

with until the next tide sets them

swimming again.

Or just knowing that already

I have seen a seed

become a tree

become a log

become a fire

become dust

and

become soil for seed’s planting.

Or watch the sky

and know that the blue is

still behind the clouds

and the stars still shine

even in the day.

Or simply sit

with the slow rhythm of breath

knowing its biology as blessing,

its divine anchoring

as presence and prayer.

Today, I am so tired

I have no space in me for big

questions, queries, feelings,

problems, pains, plans,

whether mine or others,

so I will just sit

with the small ordinary miracles of being;

breathing, watching, touching, tasting

the now,

and in the now knowing

the love from which all that is, is.

I will dwell there, today,

in the wonder of it all,

in the wildness of

the small ordinary miracles

of being.

💞

Richard Hendrick

Meanwhile, back at the resurrection

night has turned to day

here I stand amazed

at my own rebirth

dazed and a bit confused

eyes blinking in the morning sun

attempting to adjust

I am completely changed

from my life to death

back to life experience

more than a bit claustrophobic

due to the burial, no doubt

I am no longer sure

if my bank account is active

or my passport still relevant

how will I go on here in the world now?

what will my friends and family do with this who-is-now me?

they who have done with grief

and moved along with life in-between

I am, for sure, no longer the way I used to be

I have, for sure, experienced things they will never understand

I have flown with angels

and seen what lies beyond the Milky Way

I have, for sure, left my fear behind me in that fresh, unmarked grave

I know, for sure, there will be no turning back,

no compromise of this wild and exquisite thing beating within me

this life of mine is mine

this heartbeats miracle will be never forgotten gift

I can only take this first step

away from this boneyard

named and dated final markers

a place I no longer belong

I can only start close in

in silent revelry walking

along this uncharted path

which will only be revealed by my footsteps

I discard my grave clothes

and turn to see the colors of my new self shining

I take a small shaky step

and find the ground holds my weight

I breathe deep

inhale – exhale

soon I will attempt to speak

with my new voice

there is a song being written

which must be sung

a beauty seeking to burst

which will no longer be denied

a love now known

which will never be unknown

I raise my hands and kiss the sky

I bow my knees and kiss the ground

I rise and begin the journey

home through the narrow gate

that leads home to LIFE

❤️

Amy Lloyd

carry on

cut to the chase my friend

God dances us

woos us until we can’t help falling

head over heels

leave the past behind

step into a fresh page

the flow of spirits connecting hearts will heal our wounds

boil it down to the clearest truth

what does it cost to live our highest life?

distilled wisdom imparted with every word we share

simplicity (distilled beauty),

kindness (distilled love)

and authenticity (distilled truth)

are earths highest spiritual achievements

give me passion for these three gifts of grace

the light always shines out of darkness

stars are not visible in the day skies

candles never staying hidden by the multitude of bushels

the wildfire burns away the dry grasses

a fine sprinkle of salt goes a long way to the discerning tastebud

laying on of hands warms the whole circle like a cashmere sweater

we are given choices (free will)

what we choose brings us heaven or hell

don’t base your longterm goals on short-term goods

always keep in mind what you want most

think about what you are tolerating once in a while

look in the mirror to see God’s reflection

staple it to your forehead

take it with you to staple it to the foreheads of everyone you meet

carry on now

carry on

💞

Amy Lloyd

gently does it

Open the passage,

lay down the struggle

and lean into Beauty

Allow

the tangles to

unweave

their weary dance

and

fall to ground

Breathe

the sweet

fragrance of

rose oil

rooting

you

back to Love

Let Her have her way with you….

💞

~ Flora Aube

You are turned wraith. Your supple, flitting hands,

As formless as the night wind’s moan,

Beckon across the years, and your heart’s pain

Fades surely as a stainèd stone.

And yet you will not let me rest, crying

And calling down the night to me

A thing that when your body moved and glowed,

Living, you could not make me see.

Lean down your homely, mist-encircled head

Close, close above my human ear,

And tell me what of pain among the dead—

Tell me, and I will try to hear.

💞

To Jake by Eunice Tietjens

Some days I am not sure if my faith is riddled with doubt, or whether, graciously, my doubt is riddled with faith. And yet, I continue to live in a world the way a religious person lives in the world. I keep living in a world that I know to be enchanted and not left alone. I doubt, I am uncertain, I am restless, prone to wander. And yet glimmers of holy keep interrupting my gaze.

❤️

Lauren Winner, Still

You’ll learn, as you get older, that rules are made to be broken. Be bold enough to live life on your terms, and never, ever apologize for it. Go against the grain, refuse to conform, take the road less traveled instead of the well-beaten path. Laugh in the face of adversity, and leap before you look. Dance as though EVERYBODY is watching. March to the beat of your own drummer. And stubbornly refuse to fit in.

— Mandy Hale