Category: Poetry

God Saw Her, by Lynn Johnson

10/18/2016

God saw..
silver and gold trees
and cold mountains

God gazed..
at the stream swollen gray

God watched..
quaking willow leaves

God searched..
tall marshland grasses
splaying in the wind

Gathering flowers,
dried wheats and weeds,
a woman cleared her way
– the path to her home –
with the bountiful

God saw her...
In awe,
God saw her
among the gold and the green

~Lynn Johnson

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Heartfulness Retreat

10/15/2012

By Margo Furcht

Immersed in prayer, nature, and the support of others on the journey of spiritual growth, I discovered a creative and playful part of me. Dunrovin Retreat Center provided the opportunity to commune with nature, God’s greatest metaphor for seeking wisdom on the journey. Forty members of contemplative outreach provided a strong sense of God’s divine presence in the Silence, Solitude and Solidarity. So it is with humble Service, I have the courage to share my insights with you…

Morning Centering
The sun’s warmth caresses my cheek
So Your light envelopes my heart
The clouds of darkness hide the sun’s warm rays, yet its energy remains constant
So sin and pain attempt to damper the fire burning within me, yet Your love is ever present,
Shining forth when I least expect it
I AM
Just be in Me

A Morning Walk
A white blanket covers the earth, giving leaves permission to let go.
Floating,
Twirling,
Falling,
Swirling,
Gently landing,
Grounded.
I look up into the light, reaching, laughing, jumping, catching.
Holding the golden beauty.
Grateful for this journey.

Margo Furcht is a member of St. John's Catholic Church Centering Prayer group and contemporary choir in Grand Marais, MN. She is a physical therapist who enjoys promoting wellness and healing in the areas of women's health and advanced age. She is the mother of three young boys and is thankful for her husband who supports her spiritual practice.

Listening in the Silence

5/2/2011

By Tom Cooner

Letting Go

During centering prayer, we have our candles lit and the lights dimmed.
There is an attitude of quieting oneself, our thoughts, our actions, and in general our movements.

We are focused on our breathing, letting it go.
We are focused on our tension, letting it go.
We clear our thoughts of all the issues of the day by letting them go.

There is a thought picture. We are sitting on the bank of a river.
We see a boat, a passing thought. It is so attractive. It has such wonderful details on it.
We acknowledge the boat, but let it go.
The rule is no swimming after the boat.
So when someone unwrapped a cough drop, it sounded like a fog horn in the silence.
We hear every crinkle and twist from the wrapper. A personal experience is remembered, working with developmentally disabled adults. There is one who knocks on the table for attention and he is able to derail the whole team from the task we are on.

Centering prayer gives us the tools and develops the mindset after a time to let go and not be dragged down the river.

The Rule of Silence

There in the darkness and in the silence
the small sound of unwrapping
the small sound continuing to penetrate into the silence
Seeking to let go
but drawn like a moth to the fire
And after it stops the thought
caught in the undertow
carrying me down the river
I think of the rule of silence.
I think of the client who knocks on the table.
I think of the penetration of silence which has
so easily caught hold of me.
So it is with my thoughts
So it is with my actions
Caught in thoughts
Caught by actions

Tom Cooner is a participant at Colonial Church's Centering Prayer gathering. He writes poetry to describe his experience in Centering Prayer.

True Self/False Self

3/1/2011

By Carolyn Young

This Moment, by Carol Wachter

If only for this moment, I will be loved.
Not for what I say or do...but for who I am.
(And not for whom I strive to be but who I was created as.)
Not just the nicely wrapped parts, either. And the parts of me I understand.
But my jagged edges, too, and my bewildered musing about why I do what I do.
If only for this moment, I will be.
Space-filled. Spacious. Aware. Free.

If only for this moment, I will let myself trust and let myself hope.
Not so much because I want to feel happy and optimistic
(or be perceived as being happy and optimistic!)
But because I want to know, in this moment, that I am
Intentionally fashioned and intricately connected.

If only for this moment, I will let wholeness find me.
In my head. In my body. In my heart
In my entire being.

Even in my ‘self’.
◆◆◆

Carol Wachter, a member of a Soul Friends group, a group practicing Centering Prayer wrote this poem after the group spent time reflecting on the concept of the true self and the false self. What is the true self ? Thomas Keating defines it as the image of God in which every one of us is created. When we live out our life in God with intentionality, we think and act from our true self. So what is the false self? We all have a false self. Its creation starts when we are children and things don’t go our way or we are hurt and bruised living in relationships with other imperfect humans. From these disappointments we develop all sorts of defenses which are in automatic drive. Most of the time we are not even aware of them. This false self is amplified by a culture that supports competition, material success, over consumption, divisiveness and fear. It is amazing how well most of us adjust to this life style and go along with it not realizing how little joy it brings us.

For most people who daily practice Centering Prayer and other contemplative prayer forms, life changes. This often happens in ways of which they are not even aware. They grow more confident in God’s love and discover new personal freedoms. No longer do they judge themselves and others from the culture’s viewpoint. The world’s forms of failures loose importance and their own definition changes. Slowly the self-critical spirit erodes. These people of intention become more open to all kinds of people they might not have accepted when responding from the false self. Their God given gifts and uniqueness begin to be discovered. The contemplative qualities of peace, love, joy and others begin dwelling within them.

When someone first starts a daily practice he/she may have doubts and questions about its value. They may be troubled by too many thoughts or the need to be doing something else. Questions arise such as, “Why isn’t something happening?” "Is God really there?" Even though we don’t know it, through this process we are learning to "let go and let God” into daily life. Sadly though, they may convince themselves to give up their practice. It is so hard for us humans to do what is the best for ourselves."

In order to avoid discouragement and doubt that ends a God centered regular practice, it is important to be part of a group where others are sojourning or have traveled the path long enough to know the fruits of the journey. These fellow travelers can offer assistance, reassurance and hope as well as a new kind of friendship. Carol’s poem arose from the experience of sharing with others a deep exploration of a relationship with God. Perhaps, God sets things up this way so that we come together in His name to find out who He is and who we are in our lives together.

Carolyn Young is a trained presenter of Centering Prayer and a member of the Minnesota Contemplative Outreach planning group.

God Saw Her, by Lynn Johnson

Heartfulness Retreat

Listening in the Silence

True Self/False Self

Presence & Action Blog

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