POEMS ON FEAR AND FAITH by Carolyn Chilton Casas

How Not to Take in Fear

Find a quiet path to walk alone.

See how ocean waves roll

with the pull of a capricious moon,

and the ancient oak holds

ground in a thrashing wind.

Fling praise up to vultures

circling overhead.

Bow like nature to the coin

tosses of circumstance.

Consider a tree for a confidante.

If the journey leads to water,

count on faith to help you

swim safely to the far shore.

Climbing a tall mountain

is a great remedy for fear;

stride upward until you feel

the generosity of Mother Earth.

New muscles will evolve gently,

proving you are stronger than any fear.

How to Know Faith

Before you can know faith,

you must bear a message

that knocks you to your knees,

endure a shock that takes breath

away, like diving into raging ocean

waves on an icy winter’s day,

although the blow may bring

a blessed numbing, amputating

most sensation left within,

time will melt this fleeting shield

forcing you to make your way

toward the inconvenient truth;

then, benevolence is my hope for you—

offering up a budding faith, a light

to brighten even the deepest dark,

moments before the dawn.

Photography by TJ Dysdale

Carolyn Chilton Casas is a Reiki Master and teacher. Her favorite themes for writing are: healing, wellness, awareness, and the spiritual journey. Carolyn's articles and poems have appeared in Energy, Mujer Holística, Odyssey, Reiki News Magazine, The Art of Healing and in other publications. You can read more of Carolyn’s work on Instagram at mindfulpoet_ or in her debut collection of poems titled Our Shared Breath.

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