A few poems read at my recent retreat...

Give a person a fact and your will enlighten their mind. Give a person a poem or a story, you enlighten their soul.

Joy, by Donna Ashworth

Joy does not arrive with a fanfare

on a red carpet strewn

with the flowers of a perfect life

joy sneaks in

as you pour a cup of coffee

watching the sunlight

hit your favourite tree, just right

and you usher joy away

because you are not ready for her

your house is not as it should be

for such a distinguished guest

but joy cares nothing for your messy home

or your bank-balance, or your waistline, you see

joy is supposed to slither through

the cracks of your imperfect life

that’s how joy works

you cannot truly invite her

you can only be ready when she appears

and hug her with meaning

because in this very moment

joy chose you Nayyirah Waheed

And I said to my body, softly, "I want to be your friend." It took a long breath and replied, "I have been waiting my whole life for this."

The right time to let go is always, Brianna Wiest

The right time to let go is always. The second you begin to wonder whether or not it is time for you to open your palms and stop gripping is the exact moment that you should. Because the things that are really right for you — the ones that resonate, and land — they will remain. They will not require closed fists to keep them. They will not need you to tint them with a rose-colored lens. They will not ask you to list off all the reasons that make them right.

They will just be.

The Goal of Yoga, Rachel Brathen (No, it's not the Headstand)

The yoga pose is not the goal. Becoming flexible is not the goal. Standing in your handstand is not the goal. The goal of yoga is to create space where you were once stuck; to unveil the layers of protection you've built around your heart; to appreciate your body and become aware of the mind and the noise it creates; to make peace with who you are. The goal is to love...you. Come to your mat to feel, not accomplish. Shift your focus and your heart will grow.

Forest, Nikita Gill

One day when you wake up, you will find that you have become a forest. You have grown roots and found strength in them that no one thought you had. You have become stronger and more beautiful, full of life-giving qualities. You have learned to take all the negativity around you and turn it into oxygen for easy breathing. A host of wild creatures live inside you and you call them stories. A variety of different birds rest inside your mind and you call them memories. You have become an incredible self-sustaining thing of epic proportions. And you should be so proud of yourself, of how far you have come from the seeds of who you used to be.

A Blessing for the Senses, John O’Donohue

May your body be blessed. May you realize that your body is a faithful and beautiful friend of your soul. And may you be peaceful and joyful and recognize that your senses are sacred thresholds. May you realize that holiness is mindful, gazing, feeling, hearing, and touching. May your senses gather you and bring you home. May your senses always enable you to celebrate the universe and the mystery and possibilities of your presence here. May the Eros of the Earth bless you.

My next retreat, October 10-12, 2025 is open for bookings. I still have space available...join me.