The sea

The sea is a hungry lion
creeping stealthily
pouncing unexpectedly
ready to kill.

The sea is a sated lion
purring gently
rolling softly
bathing in sunshine.

The sea is an impatient lion
growling ferociously
crashing tumultuously
throwing itself against rocks.

The sea is a sleeping lion
rippling gently
rolling majestically
lulling us into a false sense of security.

The sea is a lion
beautiful and dangerous
an ever-present swishing roar
indicating its awesome power.

© 12 Aug 15

The sea audio

Creativity and Mindfulness - a great combination!

Two day retreats coming up.
Saturday September 19th in Helmsley Walled Garden -https://mindfullyinhwg.eventbrite.co.uk.
Sunday October 11th at SNAPArts in Wakefield -https://creativityandmindfulness.eventbrite.co.uk.

We offer a day’s retreat - 9.30am to 4.30pm -  to encourage and support your creativity through playful drawing and writing, with mindful practice as our foundation.

Mindfulness is simply being aware of our attention in the present moment, with acceptance and without judgement of what we find there.

Practising the qualities of mindfulness - patience, trust, openness - we will enable you to explore your own creativity playfully, but without looking for an end result at this stage.

Our professional guidance in drawing, poetry writing and mindfulness will be offered throughout our day together, and will include a mindful approach to eating a delightful lunch.

Our retreat is devoted to anyone who wishes to explore mindfulness as a fresh approach to creativity, which can be expanded to all areas of life.  We especially encourage those terrified and afraid of drawing or writing as mindfulness offers a gentle and non-judgemental approach to these creative aspects.  Our tuition will include a full range of craft skills and technique so that beginners and more experienced practitioners alike can enjoy the retreat.

Lauri Bower - poet and mindfulness teacher. Clare Belbin - artist.

Out of my comfort zone

It may be a stomach-churning
whole body-revolting
kind of moment or
a quiet voice in the head
gently protesting or
a million points on the spectrum
in between.
Each time
there is a recognition
I do not feel safe
I do not feel comfortable.

And here is my choice
to stay with what I know or
to take a step into
the glorious and seemingly dark
unknown.

And here is my choice
to stay small
to keep being fearful and anxious or
to go beyond and
see what happens.

All those whispering doubts
the 'what if's and the uncertainties
keep me bound
keep me from meeting
the glorious unknown.

Circumstance is irrelevant
the choice point is what matters
what I do next -
retreat or grow and learn?

Recognising
I don't have to
believe those voices of doubt
they don't keep me safe
they just keep me small.

Out of my comfort zone
is the tipping point
when I know
I was born to take
giant footsteps
to meet strange and new experiences
to be bold and go forward
to welcome with open arms
the glorious unknown.

Out of my comfort zone
is the tipping point
when I know
it is only unknown and
seemingly dark
when I forget
what I am meeting
is myself.

© 5 Aug 15

Out of my comfort zone audio

An elaborate game of hide and seek

This land
full of disguise
illusion and trickery.
Every termite mound
could be a lion.
Every angled tree stump
could be a giraffe.
An elaborate interplay
of light and shadow.
A tangle of trees
an elephant emerges
blending again
disappearing.
Our perceptions are being fooled
by each dark patch
and flickering light.
A nyala darts across our
field of vision and
is gone again
barely before we can notice
before our senses can register.
The long grass shelters lions
invisible
revealing only a casual tail-flick
no more.
Revealing only what is ready
to be seen.
An elaborate game
of hide and seek
as trees become animals and
animals trees
in a magic trick of disguise.

© 29 Jul 15

An elaborate game of hide and seek

Day to dusk

A muted horizontal rainbow
as we slide backwards
towards the silver orb of night.
The golden globe steals colour
with her
tossing orange, violet and viridian
trailing behind her.
Everything becomes silhouetted
merging into a darkened mass
into which everything hides
indistinct.
Venus quickly shows herself
brightening above
changing colour palette below
calling out sparkling shards
of light
of night.
Silently we slip from day to dusk.
A peaceful hour
a sacred hour.
Silently we slip from day to dusk.

© 28 Jul 15

Day to dusk audio

Heber's Ghyll

This ancient place
where trees and river and
rocks and moss and ferns
sing together
tumbling in a joyful cascade.
Sunlight graces the treetops.
Everything is connected.
Ferns growing on rotting tree-stumps
moss silently spreading over rocks
trees emerging out of the river.
Gentle bridges urge us
onward, upward.
Composting leaves and twigs protect
this place from our footsteps.
The gentle hush calms
mind and heart.
The dancing river lulls a lullaby.
Beauty and chaos in absolute perfection.
The canopy of trees creates
a palace, a temple
of arboreal splendour
and quiet magnificence.
I am enraptured by each leaf,
nettle, grass blade, pebble.
No more bridges to cross.

© 14 Jul 15

Heber's Ghyll audio

Twilight

What a thing of beauty twilight is!
The dancing interaction of
shifting colours across a vast
pale blue background.
The dancing interplay of
changing cloud forms
feathery, ethereal, across a
background of azure sky.
A descending sun sending
blaze and fire over both sky and clouds.
A rising moon silently
settling into place
a quiet silver orb
gently watching the dance.
And on this night

the added treat of music
plays into the magical mix.
Piano, cello, violin and percussion
set the evening alight
as if conducting the
sun set and moon rise
as if choreographing
the movement and chorus of
swooping swallows
as if commanding our hearts
to beat stronger, louder,
more insistently
to remind us of our own vitality and
interconnectedness with the
glories playing above our heads.

© 5 Jul 15

Twilight audio