SURRENDER by Mary McManus

Last Spring I was sitting in my yard in meditation...

I watched a monarch butterfly dancing on the lawn and felt an amazing connection to this beautiful creature. She invited me to contemplate my journey of transformation as I had set out on an adventure to heal my life.

Just as the caterpillar has to die to be transformed, I experienced a death of my old ways, my old habits, of fear and of living in the shadow of myself afraid to express and experience the fullness of my Being. I was touched by grace and found amazing healers and teachers flow into my life once I set my intention to heal.

On my yoga mat, I express the fullness of my transformation living in the present moment leaving behind all that went before dancing with the butterfly the Divine dance of mystery and sacredness.

Surrender
by Mary McManus

No longer living life in retreat

hiding in the bunker

cowering, quivering, shivering

mustering courage

waving the white flag

a magnet for the light.

Pain pulsating

wringing out fear from every cell

space for love

exchange of love

end to torment of sleepless nights

tortured twisted thoughts

move forward….

plodding along on diminutive legs unnoticed

steadily stealthily moving forward in its journey

undeterred

undistracted

fulfilling its destiny in the Divine Plan

the caterpillar surrenders.

Weaving its temporary tomb entering the darkness

trusting

time suspended in the tomb womb

no choice but to be

just be as the mystery unfolds.

Relinquishing old ways

appendages absorb absolve

disquieting discomfort

unsettling uncertainty

seemingly never ending suspense

U N T I L

the beauty moment of freedom arrives

lighting on the lawn

wings flapping

she invites me to celebrate

warming sun

buds on trees

winter darkness a distant memory.

Orange and black bespeckled

bejeweled with Divine Love

glistening in all her glory---

Come dance with me

on my mat I move with the majesty of the monarch

I rise to salute the sun

open grateful heart

rejoicing

relishing freedom.

(This poem was originally published from Songs of Freedom: Poems From a Healing Odyssey Volume II: Seasons of the Soul available on Amazon with Volume I: Elements of Healing)

Photography by Heather Evans Smith

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!~

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