Mat and I just had a delicious 24 hours on retreat at home. It was a virtual retreat, part of my Poetry Medicine training that I am currently doing. It seems very precious to be able to find retreat space in your own home, something I have often imagined but until now, not had the courage to do. We covered our clocks for 24 hours, did not speak, other than poetry, and dropped into a space of ‘nothing’. A space that allows whatever arises in us to unfold, we walked, played music and sang, read and wrote poetry, slept in front of the fire and just sat with ourselves, together and apart. It is such a wonderful thing to do to put away time for 24 hours and just flow. I wanted to share this poem that I wrote during my time retreating.
Yesterday’s Tale
Soft music fills the world, The drum of the heartbeat- scattered.
Each moment of everyday, Collected And given like a giftTo the one who looks the other way.
I stand in the doorway of this day And the tomorrow of another dream,My backpack full to the brim, With gifts from yesterday’s tale, The weight on my shoulders heavier than lead.
Enchanted by the sunlight on the other side I put it down Walk forward With nothing but the tears of today’s sorrows And the joy of a lightened load
– Narayani –
