Poetry, Myth and The Force Of The Universe Retreat - April 20

Dear Friends,
Here are some poems and writings from the "Poetry, Myth and The Force Of The Universe" Retreat, led by Isaias Nobel in Fairfax today.

Hugs, Ken

She roams.
She finds that trees make her happy.
Organized randomness of growing, luminous branches,
embrace of brittle bark,
generous green swaying in soft breeze.
She had grown in velvet, flowing sand,
humid, salty air and lazy summer days drenched in wet sweat.
She runs to mountains now,
the cold though harsh and scary, is her climatic home.
She looks up and laughs at finding the same clouds
following her from desert through seas to hills.
They are white and light and float.
She wishes to be like clouds,
but is more like her trees.
With roots that delve deep into the ground
and connect each fleeting, flying, falling leaf
to where it's come from.
She wanders
Discovers that each time she is alone
aai, baba, dada, aajoba, aaji -her people,
her past, swim into her soul.
Whisper ancientt secrets, reveal that her struggle is the struggle of all,
no one is alone in their search.
She whispers back to them -to mother, father, brother, grandfather, grandmother,
"there is no me, without you".
She breathes air knowing that every soul
all energy that ever was, seeps into her.
Old lands, young people, ancient creatures,
the new blossoming bud must live together.
she cries salty seas when she is too afraid to jump backwards,
ask questions that have no answers, when others feel alien
when being a transplanted mongrel is too hard to bare.
The desert dunes call her back.
She knows deep down that silky sand breath beauty too.

Rucha

Create/To Be

First energy and first light became

The Spark of existence…So God and Form

Were created…

As the Universe coalesced, it formed and grew;

It became Life in myriad places,

Permutations evolving from Thought and Being

That newly-born man

Called God…

Like a patchwork coat layered with many colors

And with many visions, the Gods

Divided the worlds between them.

"You will see me as Ra or Buddha and live with

Rules created by priestly men."

Yet in this time, shells crack, light reveals…

And through many lives, the "I" sheds layered clothing,

Adjusts to new forms, growing

Revealing the sun within, burning our illusive dreams

And ego-thoughts so we may purify.

Then we are passionately drawing other sparks, other light,

Making the unified whole

For all to be…

(All beings) –

One.

Jeanie Burke

4/20/08

The Song of The Universe

I was walking through the garden
when two birds flew out of the thicket
and startled me out of my dream time.

And through the noise of my busy mind
I thought I caught the sound of the universe
singing its perpetual song to me

A song that pushes life forward
without any hurry
without any discordant tones
as loud as I can hear it

Filling me up
with a perfume that rides
on the golden rays
of life breathing life

And I wept
for this song filled me with a feeling
that I cannot even talk about

All I can tell you
Is that the song loves us
loves all of us
because it loves itself.

Ken Dickinson