“All True Vows” by David Whyte
All the True Vows
are secret vows,
the ones we speak out loud
are the ones we break.
There is only one life
you can call your own
and a thousand others
you can call by any name you want.
“Beloved Mother of All Thing”s by Thich Nhat Hanh
"Dear Mother Earth,
"I bow my head before you as I look deeply and recognize that you are present in me and that I'm a part of you. I was born from you and you are always present, offering me everything I need for my nourishment and growth. My mother, my father, and all my ancestors are also your children. We breathe your fresh air. We drink your clear water. We eat your nourishing food. Your herbs heal us when we're sick.
“The Facts of Life” by Pádraig Ó Tuama + YouTube Reading
That you were bornand you will die.
That you will sometimes love enoughand sometimes not.
That you will lieif only to yourself.
That you will get tired.
SOURCE: https://verse.press/poem/the-facts-of-life-3458767880319667618
“Horses” by Lieh Tzu
Duke Mu of Ch’in said to Po-lo:
‘You are getting on in years. Is there anyone in your family whom I can send to find me horses?’
‘A good horse can be identified by its shape and look, its bone and muscle. But the great horses of the world might be extinct, vanished, perished, lost; such horses raise no dust and leave no tracks…
“Crazy Tuan-mu Shu” from Lieh-tzu (this rendition) by Solala Towler
Tuanmu Shu had inherited his family fortune, said to be worth ten thousand pieces of gold. He never had to work and lived in a fabulous mansion, surrounded with gardens, lakes, terraces, and pavilions. His food and clothing, as well as that of his various wives and concubines, were of the finest quality. He went wherever he wished, traveling far and wide, collecting treasures and exploring anything that he became interested in.
“Where the Light Begins - A Blessing for Christmas” by Jan Richardson
Perhaps it does not begin.
Perhaps it is always.
Perhaps it takes
a lifetime
to open our eyes,
to learn to see
what has forever
shimmered in front of us—
“The Old Violin - The Touch of the Masters Hand” by - Myra Brooks Welch
'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"
Lakota Prayers - ‘Great Mystery Prayer’ and ‘Great Spirit Prayer’
“Wakan Tanka” — Great Mystery
Teach me how to trust
my heart,
my mind,
my intuition,
my inner knowing…
“Driving Toward the Lac Qui Parle River” by Robert Bly
I
I am driving; it is dusk; Minnesota.
The stubble field catches the last growth of sun.
The soybeans are breathing on all sides.
Old men are sitting before their houses on car seats
In the small towns. I am happy,
The moon rising above the turkey sheds.
“To Be A Slave Of Intensity” by Kabir (translated by Robert Bly)
Friend, hope for the Guest while you are alive.
Jump into experience while you are alive!
Think... and think... while you are alive.
What you call "salvation" belongs to the time before death.