My
body responded with unexplained tears…
…when introduced to a man teaching non-violent
communication skills in local prisons. For 6 months I prayed about what that
very "physical" response was and the message my soul was relaying to
me.
I had no obvious gifts to share with men
behind bars. I was teaching yoga in my basement at the time and was told the
warden would not allow a woman to teach yoga.
I began a centering prayer meditation practice
because of my concern for my memory, focus and attention issues. Very
quickly I realized THIS I could share and the benefits are realized very
quickly! (Improved sleep, communication, compassion, forgiveness and
overall kindness.)
I liked 'me' more after meditating and felt this
was another healthy practice to add daily. Another pleasant surprise was
that a creative channel was opened and my poetry began pouring out!!
This poem is the story of my calling to work with
the incarcerated, teaching them meditation:
Sanctified
a
wise man told me i was sanctified today
so
i returned to the river
coursing
through my veins
and
felt for the life that swayed to and fro
like
a tiny fishing boat trying to settle
but
the voyage has merely just begun
and
the evolution of this journey
has
no end
what
appears to be a monsoon
may
be a rainbow after all
allowing
in the whole possibility
of
a captive future
bobbing
in this current
experiencing
true abundance
and
endless feasting
come
follow me
said
the Nazarene
and
the damn broke
causing
the rivulets to bubble up
and
stream freely
in
acceptance of the offer
an
inner knowing
to
trust my aqueous intelligence
that
the hour was ripe
to
cast my net
to
become
a
fisher of men's souls.
Anita Brown is a content mother of two teenagers and wife of 20 years, both of which she is grateful for every day. She began writing poetry in the fall of 2012 after a mini-breakdown cracked open her heart and allowed this newly found gift to shine through. Many months later, she is realizing the truth in the saying that ‘breakdown equals spiritual awakening’ as she is pleasantly shocked at how much more peace she has in her spirit and how that is reflected in her life. Anita loves yoga, dancing, traveling, cooking, walking her golden Sierra, and quiet evenings at home. She especially enjoys teaching meditation to under-served communities and listening to others as they express the same joy at the transformation occurring from such simple but regular practice.
~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!~
Comments
Post a Comment