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BEFORE & AFTER by Krista Katrovas

I meditated upon the space between the inhalation and exhalation…

Through that contemplative time spent with awareness of the pause in between my own breaths, this poem came to being.

Before & After
by Krista Katrovas

There is a pause
A space residing
Before and after
An inhale and exhale.
Before the opening and closing,
And all are welcome.

The pause can be found
Before and after a kiss,
Before and after
Waking,
Before and after
Drifting off to sleep.
Before the rise into releve,
Before the bend into plié.

It is within these magical moments,
Within the pause,
Before and after a pirouette,
Before falling, and releasing,
Before and after
The flap of butterfly wings
Before and after its flight,
Its landing, and return to flying.
Within that mystical moment
Before the start and finish are felt
Where movement stops
Before starting again,
Divinity speaks.

I listen within those celebratory moments
Before stepping again
Into the fox trots of life,
Where slow, slow, quick, quick
Is realized
Before returning
To the inevitable slow again.

The awe of all creation
Grows out
Of the sacred pause.
Divinity speaks there.
Spirit resides.
Listen, it's where answers are born
Where poems push through,
Where babies enter,
Where we return to
Upon our deaths.

(Find more of Krista's poetry in our new book! Just click here

Krista Katrovas (E-RYT) has dedicated herself to the practice, study and teaching of yoga since discovering it in 1999 after dancing rigorously as a dance major in college. Krista has had scores of articles on Yoga, Wellness, and Spirituality published in nationally regulated magazines. She has a regular column at Elephant Journal here. She has taught Yoga in Prague every July since 2009 and has been sought to teach in Kuwait, Canada, Virginia, California, Kentucky, and Florida. She calls Kalamazoo, Michigan home, where she teaches Yoga, Meditation, offers Spiritual guidance, and practices Shamanism. She has cats, though also loves dogs, all animals. Her power animal is the Snowy Owl. Visit her yoga website 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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