come
let’s fall
in love
again
let’s turn
all the dirt
in this world
to shiny goldcome
let’s be
a new spring
a love rebornfind our aroma
from the essence
of all who
emit heavenly fragrancelike a fresh tree
Rumi (translated by Nader Khalili)
bloom and spread
all the blessings
right from inside
Can you feel the daylight stretching to meet the darkness in equal length?
To honor the extending light, a poem from E.E. Cummings that demonstrates his unconventional phrasing and punctuation:
in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman
whistles far and wee
and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it’s
spring
when the world is puddle-wonderful
the queer
old balloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
it’s
spring
and
the
goat-footed
balloonMan whistles
far
and
wee
________________________
I hope you’ll pause with this and consider how something different in the day could stretch your internal light. What nonsensical joy can lighten your load, even just for a moment? The rhyme and the reason need not hold hands in every moment! Be free for a bit.
With love —
— Stuart Wilde
More than a decade ago, I wished to not operate from the various components associated with the personality but to function from spirit within the body; I believed this would allow room for pure spiritual growth. Moving in the world without a pesky personality would allow a free flow of connection to every living thing — so I thought — and I was so wrong. The personality is far too complex for such a wish! However, that wish was then and I am writing this years and years down the road.
What did I learn? When you wish for something from the heart, my experience has repeatedly shown me that heaven and earth will move for you to experience that thing as long as you’re willing to receive it without dictating the how, what, when, where, and who of the wish. Having lived through what followed (which was repeated experiences in various shapes sizes and scenes to release “Valerie”) I would wish you never ask for such a thing and that instead you spend each day embracing yourself as much as possible. You need your ego to function in the world with a grounded view of reality. It may be important that aspects of your personality change, but change is not elimination.
In conversing with one of my daughter’s art teachers in the last few years, I learned she had ventured down a similar rabbit hole at one point. She wanted spirit flow to art without restraint. With the chance you’ve ever gone down or are tempted to a similar path, I’d say to not wish aspects of yourself away. If you must make change – wish for peaceful change that highlights your strengths. We grow with and through our humanness. Spirit works through the expression of personality as an intended stroke on the large canvas of life. So show up with your quirks and your humor, loving every aspect unconditionally for your best possible outcomes.
The current expression of you in this moment is your incredible beauty. You showing up every day as you is a mountain and it is a forest of sorts. You hold a wealth of wisdom within and there’s nothing external that can teach you what’s inside or allow it to flow into the world better than it will naturally. The external can only reflect, reveal, and maybe polish. Your healthy ego directing that glorious personality is the key to your ideal life experience. With pure intention, stay aligned to that.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.
——————————————————
I go back and forth on hope and its use to our wellness. I love it, I love it not. Some people argue it’s necessary to life and some people argue it can keep you stuck when expectation can take you further. I’m currently convinced it’s all in what hope means to you and if that energy is disempowering or empowering in your daily choices.
What is your relationship with Hope?
“The object of reflection is invariably the discovery of something satisfying to the mind which was not there at the beginning of the search.”
– Ernest Dimnet
With reflection, we have the opportunity to review our experiences for the sake of deeper connection with life, ourselves, and others. We may give ourselves a fresh take on positive traits or we may notice reason to grow. Keeping an eye towards spying something satisfying in your time of reflection is for sure a positive way to keep a past time practice useful to the present moment.
Wherever you are in your experience of present moment awareness, reflection can support the joy you experience in this moment.
My family traveled to the mountains in the spring of last year to support my son’s college exploration. Once his tour wrapped up we wanted to check out the local scene. (Does this feel like home for the next few years?) After a superbly tasteful lunch we found ourselves in an interesting herbal tea shop with candles, crystals, tie-dye this and that, and other fun finds. My son was honestly in and out of there quickly but my daughter lingered a little longer to find a gift for a friend that was back home caring for our cats and I had to snag a few loose leaf tea blends to share with neighbors. When we were almost finished checking out the clerk at the counter said, “the angels are in the bag” and smiled with a little sparkle in his eyes. I thought maybe he was talking about the energy of angels being channeled by him into the bag. The bag was folded neatly over and though I half wanted to unroll it and check right then and there, I felt I was either supposed to just get it or left the possibility open that he didn’t say what I thought he said. I took the bag, smiled as if I knew what was up, said thank you, and wished the clerk a good day. Guessing my bag would explode with angel energy when I opened it, I decided to hold off until our shopping was done and we were back at the Airbnb. So as the day went on and our attention became flooded with other details I didn’t open the bag at all. I packed the unopened souvenirs in the suitcase and moved on to the next activity.
When we were back home a few days later I opened the bag to share the treats we found in the shop — and lo and behold at the bottom of the bag there were golden angels gracing the crease. I removed the little confetti trumpeting angels and laughed at how literal this was. There was nothing to guess at and nothing misheard.
These days I keep the little cuties in the kitchen as a reminder to not overthink things because “the angels are in the bag”.
A bit of Emerson to brighten your day✨
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day,
and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely,
with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.
This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
“It takes discipline to be a free spirit.”
Gabrielle Roth
When you decide you want to be a free spirit in this world, it will require your steady devotion. You’ll have to show up at the spiritual feast every day and partake in whatever is offered with awareness towards your hunger and your satiation.
You are your greatest resource, sweet soul. Born among a creative and resourceful species, it’s you that knows what will nurture you most at this time. We need different things at different times — a little more sun — a little less water— breathing room —- listen with care to your internal guidance.
Choose wisely and be relentless in showing up for yourself.
Your heart knows the way.
Run in that direction.
Rumi
As you find yourself waking up to the middle of another week, and approaching the full moon in Leo on Thursday, how would it be to pause and create a time for a little heart consultation?
Leo is sometimes branded with a bad rap for being the drama king or show off of the zodiac, however, in its higher octave of expression, this sign is all about fully embraced heart centered living. Not only does a full moon bring that energy into the internally felt emotional life, it turns it up to the max.
We are approaching a wonderful few days to take extra time to be in communion with your heart.
What would your heart say to you over tea, in a few lines scrolled out on paper or typed into your screen, in images on a vision board, whispered to you nestled next to a warm fire, or in promised blossoms to come?
Truly, you need to sit before you run.
When I am Among the Trees
by Mary Oliver
When I am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness. I would almost say that they save me, and daily. I am so distant from the hope of myself, in which I have goodness, and discernment, and never hurry through the world but walk slowly, and bow often. Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out, ”Stay awhile.” The light flows from their branches. And they call again, ”It's simple,” they say, ”and you too have come into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.”
Presence and Positivity 