THE GARDENER by Mary McManus

The poem, The Gardener, came to me during a meditation…

For years - for decades really - I was searching. I was looking for answers to what I had lived through. I wanted to make sense out of tragedy. When I stopped looking for answers outside of myself, when I stopped grasping, and when I finally listened to how my Spirit was speaking to me through a body that shut down, the healing finally began.

This poem speaks to the importance of tending to the garden of our soul and taking time to go within.

There is sorrow in life. The tears that fall are not in vain, but are there to water the seeds of transformation so we can grow into the fullness of our Being.

Pain is our greatest teacher if we use it to help us to awaken and blossom as the beautiful flowers our Divine Creator intended us to be.

When we align with the Love of Source, weed our garden from thoughts that separate us from that Love, our hearts open and we turn our faces to the sun becoming radiant.

The Gardener

It's not about you

It's not about me

It's about something far greater

making the world a better place

What does that mean?

Who do you follow?

Do you follow your heart

distilling and discerning from teachers who went before

who now guide you?

The wisdom is in your hearts

look within and tend to the garden of your souls

using the richest soil of tenderness, kindness and compassion.

The storms of life are your best teachers

fertilizer to help you grow

water the garden with the tears of transformation

grounded in the present moment

firmly rooted in your Truth.

Pull out the weeds of jealousy, competition, discontent and self loathing

that choke the roots of the beautiful flowers

reach toward the light

bend with the breeze being One with all that is.

Photography by Lars Vandergood~

(The Gardener was originally published in Songs of Freedom:

Poems From a Healing Odyssey Volume II: Seasons of the Soul now available on Amazon)

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 healing, light, love, hope, possibility, health and wholeness. Her journey of transformation 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, Mary graduated South Boston Yoga's 200 hour Body Awakening Teacher Training Program. Be sure to visit her website here and follow her inspirational blog 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!~

IMAGINE A WOMAN by Patricia Lynn Reilly

This poem invites you to look upon yourself with loving kindness… Gazing at your own true reflection, you will discover that everything you have longed for “out there” is already within you! I invite you to love your creativity fiercely. Faithfully plant seeds, allowing under-the-ground dormant seasons, nurturing your creative garden with love and gratitude. In the fullness of time, the green growing things thrust forth from the ground. It's a faithful, trustworthy process. AND it takes time and patience. Blessed is the fruit of your creative womb! I invite you to trust your vision of the world and express it. With wonder and delight, paint a picture, create a dance, write a book, and make up a song. To give expression to your creative impulses is as natural as your breathing. Create in your own language, imagery, and movement. Follow no script. Do not be limited by the customary way things have been expressed. Your creative intuition is original. Ga...

IN THE STILLNESS OF THE NIGHT by Ginny Brannan

Just take a moment to pause... When life becomes rote, and frustration grows from being immersed in the same routine—different day, sometimes we need to remind ourselves that peace is still there—within our grasp— if we just take a moment to pause and enjoy the stillness and beauty around us. In the Stillness of the Night by Ginny Brannan Late winter’s eve and all is still the lawn lies bathed in silver light— gray shadows race across the yard and climb atop the windowsill to draw my gaze upon the sight. I stare out to the moonlit night, across the deck and wooded path fresh–painted by new fallen snow. The scene infuses with delight; this gift inside storm’s aftermath. Half–buried now, the old birdbath lies shadowed deep in indigo— it waits on promise of the spring when arctic chill has finally passed and snow gives way to new green grass. With gratitude, I hedge to go; tranquility allays my soul… I turn ...

STILL I RISE by Maya Angelou

Six years ago, I had the privilege of listening to Maya Angelou speak live on the value of poetry at the University of Florida. I share these reflections with you again today, in honor of her birthday. I was relieved to get one of the last seats available for this rare event, having arrived at five for Maya Angelou ’s free speech at eight. The historically long line began with people settled into beach chairs in winter coats busying themselves on tablets, or eating sandwiches for dinner. As helicopters hovered above and newscasters below, I felt the excitement of realizing that thousands of people were gathering together to hear an eighty four year old black woman recite her poetry! Maya Angelou speaking at University of Florida on Feb. 27, 2013 When the curtain rose -after an overflow of hundreds were sent away- we lucky ones on the inside greeted Maya with a standing ovation, as she smiled sweetly, beginning her talk using metaphors from nature. Maya asked...

Journey of the Heart

Search This Blog