the fullness of spring
pretty soon, the trees will be full
life as we once knew it
will resume again
stepping into the grass
barefooted and free
smiling into the warm rays of the sun
songbirds telling us happy tales
about berries found
filling their little bellies
Poem from Fear & Musings ~ A Journey from Anxiety to Peace through Poetry, Prayer, and Practice
Filling your Spirit
Is there something you feel you are lacking in your life right now…if so, what is it?
There are times, seasons when I forget, neglect, become too busy to meditate and pray.
I allow my days and myself to become filled with unimportant tasks and mental chatter, and by the time I’m aware, it’s bedtime (or I’ve already fallen to sleep and forgotten my desire to be mindful and prayerful every day and night).
I know full well that adopting a lifestyle where mornings are settled into best, and days are more focused and flow with ease…after some movement (a walk and some gentle yoga on the mat), 5+ minutes of meditation with mantra, and prayer.
Settling in to breath, focusing as I’m able…allowing the thoughts to come and go as I inhale and exhale…noticing the breath and energy path inside my body…making the sign of the cross on the outside…offering my gratitude, desires, apologies to God…saying hello to my grandparents and others…
When these things happen, my days are more focused, calm, and aligned with my purpose and passions, and a peaceful energy. When they don’t…everything (including worry and irritating obsessions) is up for grabs (sadly!).
But there is always a small window of time each day…when the lightbulb goes on and we can say to ourselves…”Wait, something feels off, uncomfortable…something isn’t flowing quite right…let me pause, inhale, exhale, pause, inhale, exhale, say a sweet, brief prayer and a thank you…” because…in that pause, breath, and prayer, we recenter, remember our needs, wants and desires…and can begin again.
We can always, always, always begin again.
Fullness in breath and body…grounded by a fresh earth in full bloom
Invite yourself to step lightly, freely into spring, but first…
How is your breath, your breathing? Take a few moments each day, perhaps morning, lunchtime, and bedtime, to pause and observe how you are breathing, how the freshness of the air fills your lungs, your entire body. Do you notice any tension or tightness or do you find your breath to be open, free, expansive?
How does your body feel, how do you feel in your body? During the same moments when you are observing your breath, take stock of your body. Where do you typically hold stress, worry, sadness in your body…legs, hips, gut, heart center, shoulders, arms, hands, jaw, forehead…
What are you holding, grasping, controlling without much grace or ease? Last fall Mother Earth dropped, shed everything…leaves, color, her bright expression of life she’s best known for. Now it’s spring…the perfect time to develop your skill of awareness…observation…looking…pausing…with a focus on the blooming of the earth, and how your body compares to this great Mother. If there was something you continued to hold tightly through fall and winter…perhaps you now make the effort to release that “thing” and allow a wash of surrender to come to you, by the grace of the great Mother, through the grace of God…supporting your movement into the newness of spring…where anything can be possible for you, just like the lawn outside your door.
Watch the earth…how she is filled to the brim…with grass, trees and flowers in bloom, birds singing, breeze swirling, waves and ripples on watery surfaces, newborn creatures of all types, strands of golden sun-lit locks on barefooted children…Engage with her, sit with her, breathe with her, pray with her, become grounded in her…she will help you work with your wondrous magical wishes to come alive.
Journaling prompts
For training the senses…looking, listening, pausing, observing…quick prompts for quick writing…no thinking hard, no perfecting…just a simple practice of observing the quick and subtle details in and surrounding your life right now.
What do you notice, observe, see, hear, smell, taste, touch…in this season of spring?
What is different about your life in spring…as the flowers bloom, the greens sprout, the birds sing, the voices of children sound with joy and delight…How are you different right now, compared to four months ago?
In what ways is your body similar to the body of Mother Earth? Going to the depths of your core, where there is heat, fire…similar to the passion that resides in your gut, your heart. Then traveling up to your mind…the home of your imagination, your thoughts, where your fresh ideas are waiting to spring forth. And finally, moving into your subtle body, your Spirit…the divine being in you.
Final thoughts…
We began with songbirds telling us happy tales about berries found filling their little bellies…
Imagining for a moment…seeing with your senses…
What bird is singing?
What color are the berries?
How joyful and at peace do the birds feel once they’ve sung their song and filled their bellies with the freshness from the earth…the fullness of spring?!
What will you do to fill your Spirit this spring? And, how will you do it?!
Wishing you much pleasure, joy, and peace during this beautiful spring season and beyond…💖✨🌸
xoxo Michelle
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