Share a poem that inspires you to live better

It's been way too long that I realized it's been the habit energies that held me back. Finally,

"I walked down another street."

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters | Portia Nelson

I I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk I fall in. I am lost … I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes me forever to find a way out.

II I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place but, it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

III I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in … it’s a habit. my eyes are open I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

IV I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

V I walk down another street.

Source: https://www.mindfulnessassociation.net/words-of-wonder/autobiography-in-five-short-chapters-portia-nelson/

This a poem I wrote in 2021 and reminded myself again recently as the mind becomes increasingly cluttered in the past 2 weeks. Taking time to be quiet sometimes isn't a luxury, but quite necessary. :)

I Keep Quiet

For two years, I learn to be quiet I must confess it was not a spiritual quest It was myself I feared I, who had forgotten honesty, just so I could impress

-------

What is truth I really cannot see The emotions we cage The dramas we stage A show specially for me

I see the gushing pain in the heart Longing to be heard Spreading like poison in the blood And it was better I didn’t speak Till I was sure it wasn’t drama I seek

I had to listen; I can’t figure it out Too angry, too jealous, too proud? Quiet was the only way out.

------

Before I know it, quiet became a habit Listening too Acknowledging pain Watching the pain And self-love too

As pain dissolves in the love The fear shall too

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Now pain comes and goes as usual It’s ok. It’s free It’s less likely to lunge wildly at people that disagree

Occasionally it still lunges at me Then “shh”.. be quiet Listen and see For it fades on its own when it’s not disowned It likes to know that it is known

In the quiet You will see

The homecoming dramas (for the past month) had not been easy, especially now that I am living a vegan life which I had been practising for the past 12 months. Thanks to this poem that I chanced upon to remind me WHY I had chosen to commence my journey of mindful living.

THE JOURNEY

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice--

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,......

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do--

determine to save

the only life you could save.

- Mary Oliver

Source: https://cls.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3019/2016/11/Poetry-and-Videos-2017.pdf

I was recently reminded of this poem, that perhaps instead of safe space, we create a brave space together, to navigate the messiness that is life. AN INVITATION TO A BRAVE SPACE

Together we will create brave space

Because there is no such thing as a “safe space”

We exist in the real world

We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.

In this space

We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world.

We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,

We call each other to more truth and love

We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow. W

e have the responsibility to examine what we think we know.

We will not be perfect.

It will not always be what we wish it to be

But It will be our brave space together,

And we will work on it side by side.

- Micky Scottbey Jones

Source: https://www.grossmont.edu/faculty-staff/participatory-governance/student-success-and-equity/_resources/assets/pdf/brave-space-poem.pdf

Nothing stays, everything goes. Grasping restlessly, never ending pursue. When will the eternal rest comes, no one knows.

This is the Morning Verse for Happiness by TNH that I will recite everyday.

"Waking up this morning I smile.

I have twenty-four hours to live.

I vow to live them deeply

and learn to look at the beings around me

with the eyes of compassion."

Source: No Mud, No Lotus. The Art of Transforming Suffering.

Here's a piece of writing that I love. Given that I've been rather harsh to myself all my life, I make a point to bring lightness into every moment of my practice.

“It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them. I was so preposterously serious in those days…Lightly, lightly – it’s the best advice ever given me…to throw away your baggage and go forward. There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet, trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That’s why you must walk so lightly. Lightly my darling…”

– Aldous Huxley, Island

Source: https://wordsfortheyear.com/2016/07/02/its-dark-because-you-are-trying-too-hard-huxley/

This is a poem by Kaveri Patel that got me tearing up the first time I read it. It reminds of how I had neglected myself before, and the moments of transformation I felt when I found my practice.

Dear you, You who always have so many things to do so many places to be your mind spinning like fan blades at high speed each moment always a blur because you’re never still.

I know you’re tired. I also know it’s not your fault. The constant brain-buzz is like a swarm of bees threatening to sting if you close your eyes. You’ve forgotten something again. You need to prepare for that or else. You should have done that differently.

What if you closed your eyes? Would the world fall apart without you? Or would your mind become the open sky flock of thoughts flying across the sunrise as you just watched and smiled.

by Kaveri Patel

Source: https://www.mindfulnessassociation.net/words-of-wonder/dear-you-kaveri-patel/