Poem of Grace: Sheba's Hestitation by Rumi

This is the first poem I have ever memorized that wasn't a song.  Surprisingly it was easier than expected. Perhaps it was because I expected to not get it right for awhile, so that gave me permission to fail?  I also identified sections and memorable lines to frame the outline which helped pull me through.

It was after I memorized it and met another grace poem that I realized it was foretelling WotY 2015.  Here it is ...

Sheba's Hesitation by Rumi

tr. by Coleman Barks

Lovers of God, sometimes a door opens
and a human being because a way
for grace to come through.

Word of the Year, 2015: Grace

A few years ago, a friend told me about her Word of the Year (WOTY) where you consider what you want to focus on in the new year, find a good word to capsulate it, and then live with it. I liked the concept and adopted it myself. 

What I like is that it's like a long-term meditation practice. Unlike resolutions which seem to loose steam quickly and get forgotten, WOTY is intended to be long term remembering and forgetting. Without the guilt of having been forgotten. It expects to be forgotten and distracted. But if it was a good word that seems ripe for you during this period of time, it will revisit you as well.

My word this year is Grace. Being more graceful with myself, for others.  It will be challenging, but aren't all growth areas?

I first ran into grace in a Rumi poem in Nov 2014. It kicked me in the pants so I decided to memorize it. The doodle above is inspired by it. I'll share it and other grace poems that have crossed my path soon. (I'm up to 3 poems now) 

I've shared the concept with others and they seem to love it. If you had a WOTY what would it be? Why?

Blessings on your year. -C

Can't beat them? Join 'em!

What do you do when your snow labyrinth attempts are thwarted by enthusiastic dogs, aloof or single-minded strangers who walk through your design (and not on the path you've created)?  Is the only answer to give up and not make one? 

Nah. You gotta work with it! 

This winter the walkers in my neighborhood have cut across the church yard as the aloof mailman and the hungry teens walking to Chipotle in the Village. It's funny. In past years I've seen their paths encounter the labyrinth path and they go around. This year not so much. Over New Year's I was walking on a frozen lake with friends' dogs and well, you can imagine their enthusiasm for being outside. 

So, what did I do? 

With the dogs, I realized two things. 1) I wasn't gonna be able to distract them away and 2) their tracks and my tracks are completely different! Unless the dogs were rolling around in the snow (and thankfully they weren't!), the trail I was blazing would be clear enough for anybody walking on the lake. If they could navigate the lakeshore, they could figure out and keep to the human path if that was their choice. In the picture below a 7-circuit classical is farther out on the lake (and harder to see) to the left of this noodly spaghetti spiral labyrinth. 

As for the church yard, short of putting up signs of invitation (which crosses my mind lots; I just get stuck on the wording:/), I realized this is just another classic public art design issue: knowing your site, how it's used, and deciding what kind of statement your installation will make as there are times to be harmonic and times to push the dissonance. 

Here I wanted to be harmonic so I incorporated the cutting paths into the walk to the labyrinth entrance and cut the number of circuits from the standard 7 to 5, so the modified Classical design would fit the smaller space. 

The design is now on a diagonal and seems more intimate. Previously the entrances were off the sidewalk and aligned with the cardinal directions. There's a few trees to the left of this picture which I previously thought were part of the "gateway" and now seems to act like privacy shield. 

I would love others to walk it and share their experiences. 

The Vibrant Health & Intimacy Manifesto

I penned this in early August 2014.  It seems right to share at this solstice turning point near the beginning of another calendar year where the soil of our hearts are ready for new dreams and creations to germinate and flower.

--

I want more perfect days like this.  Not perfect carbon copies of warm sun, light breeze, and ideal weather for the season.  Perfection in the balance of care, goodness, giving-receiving.  Each unique in its own way.

I wish for more strength to persevere in my goals for personal care.  May the time I spend singing, playing, praying, writing, and creating be fruitful a thousand fold.

I want to be more vigilant, proactive about the bedtime I keep.  More rest is an important part of self-care and I include it in the same list as above.

I look forward to a sense of closeness with someone I trust and adore.

I will be content with the friendship and family connections I treasure now and strive to practice authentic presence and support with each.

I will care for this physical body I've been given with more meals thoughtfully prepared and served, exercise that invigorates the body and clears the mind.

I want to practice more forgiveness of myself and others in the work I do and create while being unflinching in my commitment to good visions, missions, and values guiding the way.

I wish to create environments that are safe for play and experimentation for others to go a little bit farther than they thought they wanted or could.  For others to be comforted they are not alone, that whatever they are working through there is a group of caring folks surrounding them with support through listening, sharing stories, and plain being present.

 

I wish to be a guide for others to go deeper in a variety of spiritual practices for mindfulness.  I wish to be open and accepting of others wherever their path leads them to in this moment.

My wish for vibrant health and intimacy is my manifesto.  I will give 100% of my best energy this body and today's circumstances has to offer.  I will judge this moment on its own merit. 

I will love myself as I love others.