Thursday 21 January 2016

Chasing thoughts

If I lie here long enough
chasing thoughts
will they catch their own tails
and doglike lie panting
having outrun themselves?

Apparently not!

They spring into life
with more intensity
more interesting
more insistent
than in daytime.

Decisions made in the midnight hour
are muddy
sullied with the dark of night
not having the clarity of day.
Don’t make big decisions at 3am!

Expect stars to lose their fires
before night-time thoughts are stilled.

So how can I lull myself to sleep?
To retreat into the rest
my body so eagerly desires?

Stop fighting!
Embrace each thought as
it appears and gently
breathe it away.
Don’t hold on to it.
For goodness sake
don’t try to sort it out!

Stop chasing thoughts
let them ride each breath
as lightly as a leaf in the wind.

Thoughts are always
dancing in the periphery
of our vision.
When we invite them to come close
they magnify and grow
become real
become needy.
Let them dance
but keep the space between
keep the distance to know
they are not real
they are not true
they are just thoughts.
Let them ride each breath
as lightly as a leaf in the wind.
No need to chase them away.

© 5 Jan 16

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