FEAR by Mary MacManus

Fear was once my way of life…

Yet being one with fear helped me to survive life-threatening situations in the violent and chaotic household I grew up in. I did not even realize that I was afraid then.

However, once the danger passed, living in a constant state of fear drained my energy and robbed me of the opportunity to live my life to the fullest.

My beloved teacher and healer, David Vendetti, was the first person to help me name and claim my fear.

During a bodywork session, David stopped the work he was doing and placed his hands on my heart. He then had me place my hands over his hands to let me know we were in this together. He told me, "This is fear...this is heart trembling fear," and then proceeded to help me share with him through my body the rage and fear that resulted in trembling.

Shortly after this session, to address my fear, my pen -my Divining rod- helped me to articulate the experience of fear. As a result, I was able to put some distance between me, and the state of fear, and awaken to the healing power of Divine Love.

Fear

Once my shroud

the walking dead

the veil of trauma shreds.

I walked with fear today

she cast a long shadow on the path

crevices and pitfalls hidden in the darkness

I stumbled and fell listening to her song in a minor key

a haunting shrill refrain echoing a funeral dirge.

Living in fear is death

she ruled my life when I believed her seductive lies

stripping my integrity

robbing me of my freedom

somehow if I allied with her I'd be safe.

But her power pales in the light of Truth

Breath the antidote to her venom

cleansing the mind numbing slumber

as strength and courage fill every fiber

hydrating my once shrunken self.

I rise from the rubble with grace and gratitude

awakened by the power of love in the sangha

daring to soar to new heights

leaving fear in the dust.

~This poem is from my Songs of Freedom:

Poems From a Healing Odyssey Volume I: Elements of Healing~
(click here to purchase)

Photography by Niunidad 2010

Mary McManus poet, blogger, and yogini left her award winning career as a social worker at the Department of Veterans Affairs in May 2007 to heal her own life. During the dark night of her soul she began to express herself through poetry. Her pen became a divining rod for light, love, hope, possibility, health and wholeness. She began her journey of transformation and healing which took her to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and, in 2011, to her yoga mat. Mary holds a BS in Public Relations from Boston University and an MSW from Boston College. In January 2013 she will be a graduate of South Boston Yoga's 200 hour Body Awakening Teacher Training Program. Be sure to visit her website here and follow her inspirational blog here To hear Mary read selections from “Songs of Freedom:Poems From a Healing Odyssey” visit her youtube channel here. Mary's books of poetry are available on Amazon here.

~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~

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