the ears of my ears awake
May's theme is Embodiment. Sense the life force inside of and around you
Dear Friends,
All of life is connected. Too often, each of us feels alone, struggling or challenged in isolation.
Journeys With The Seasons is one practice to connect us.
Inspired by one of my favorite teachers, poet and mystic John O’Donahue, I’ve come to sense that we can connect with the life force around us found in the natural world, which also includes the humans around us and our own inner knowing.
This idea has helped me through grief and illness; expressive writing and activating my imagination is part of my ongoing healing. That’s why I created this Substack in January of this year and I’m grateful that you’re here.
Welcome new readers. Welcome to everyone who jumped in with me on January 1st. Welcome to everyone who has joined us along the way.
Come here each week to enter your inner sanctuary, your landscape, to find a bridge.
May’s theme is Embodiment. I chose this to honor how my breath is taken away by the flowers I see coming to life around me. To me, they are the embodiment of life force, hope and renewal…all qualities I look for within myself.
Today, I chose one of my favorite poems in the world i thank You God for this most amazing by E.E. Cummings to share with you. If you get stuck or tripped up by the word God, you’re not alone. More on that another time! Replace it with an idea or symbol of life force and compassion that resonates for you. I often use Source, Mystery, Universe.
I cut out this poem and pasted it on my mirror about twenty-five years ago when I was climbing out of a deep depression. It became a mantra for me then. It’s even more meaningful for me now, as someone who has survived cancer. The words embody the way that I view the holiness and gift of simply being alive each day, even when they day brings hard or challenging things.
Those hard and challenging things are gateways to connection, too.
I’ve recorded the poem for you at the arrow above. Take a listen, read below and see what images come to mind.
e.e. cummings: i thank You God i thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes (i who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay great happening illimitably earth) how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any—lifted from the no of all nothing—human merely being doubt unimaginable You? (now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
Writing Practice: Set aside 5-7 minutes for this practice. Write in a journal or open a ‘Journey with The Season’ document where you can return each Sunday.
Capture the images that came to you as you listened to or read the poem.
See the ‘leaping greenly spirits of trees’, the ‘blue true dream of sky.’
What does it feel like to awaken the ears of your ears, to open the eyes of your eyes?
Finally, make a list of three to five things that you are thankful for today—in your landscape, in your relationships, inside of you. Pick one or more to describe in detail. Share the why of your gratitude.
Please comment or email me at gabriellekm@gmail.com with any writings or reflections that you’d like to share with me or the community.
Deepening Practice:
Watch the video version of this poem and notice whether it shifts or deepens your experience of the words.
Return and explore this question:
What does it feel like to awaken the ears of your ears, to open the eyes of your eyes?
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