How do you uplift your heart and mind? 

Here I share some of the ways I do that – through taking photos, making up silly songs, and writing poems.  I hope these may uplift your heart and mind as well.  All are free to download – no attribution necessary.

SONGS

This little song (27 seconds) reminds me that I’m DOING THE BEST I CAN

Ever wonder what to do when you just “can’t get anything done”? This song (1 min. 22 seconds) has the answer:  JUST DO THE NEXT THING

POEMS

OUR LADY OF THE WOODS 

This is her picture.

But I will not tell you the secret place

Where years ago I joyfully left her

In the sheltered hollow of a huge oak tree

Once struck by lightening, “dead”.

There Our Lady dwells.

Her gaze turned upwards

Towards all that heals, loves, helps, and does good works

Her palms together in perpetual prayer.

She is still there.

I visit her at the turn of seasons.

Even now she prays and gazes.

Even now her hollow niche slowly transforms in glorious decay.

In time the sheltering wood will be gone

Leaving her open to rain, sun and wind.

Her painted features will run

Her unglazed clay will dissolve

Back into the earth from which it came.

I invoke Our Lady’s blessings.

Like her, may I bridge paradigms:  nature spirits, Christian divine feminine, Buddhist emptiness.

Like her, may I choose to gaze toward profound possibility and pray with good heart to accomplish it.

Like her, may I gracefully know impermanence:  at peace with elements dissolving back into the luminous mystery, continuing in whatever forms this lawful chaos demands.

And may all who see her, hear of her, think of her, or encounter her in any way be inspired

To find their secret way of peace, freedom, true love, and happiness

And follow it unceasingly.