Sunday, December 4, 2011

reverb11: Let it Go

Day4 - Addition through subtraction - What have you let go of this year?


2:24 to 4:32
a.m. every night;
behind my eyes,
a flashing, ever flashing.
A torn retina
of flashing thoughts;
night after night.
Not nightmares;
madness.
A fist of thoughts
grabbing me,
pounding me.
Look at this.
Look at this.
See what you made me do.
There is nowhere,
no way
to look away.
The fist flashes
and grabs another thought;
pounding me.
This is worse;
look at this.
Now you’ve done it;
Look at this.
Behind my eyes,
my fist of failures
flashing.
You will never.
You will never.
You will never.

Until I
take a moment,
take a breath;
you are my mind,
you are not me.
I am this breath;
One breath, two,
three to ten.
I am this breath;
take a breath;
give it back.
Let it go.
Breathe in,
receive;
breathe out,
return;
receive;
return.
Take a moment;
give a moment;
let it go.
Fall away.



I have studied meditation and Buddhism for years, but only understood it intellectually. Only this year, have I learned how to calm my thoughts and let them fall away, thanks to the books and videos of Karen Maezen Miller.   http://www.karenmaezenmiller.com/videos
While meditation has nothing to do with sleep, the calming breath can be used at any time of the day or night. This has added hours to my sleep and, surely, years to my life.



5 comments:

  1. And so, you've been hiding your inner poet from us all this time?

    This is wonderful, gripping, honest and raw.

    I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm printing this one out, pasting it in numerous places to remind me. Perfection. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I held my breath the whole way through.

    ReplyDelete
  4. oh my. i almost read this last night and no doubt should have but on this morning of my own you will nevers, it speaks to me quite personally.

    and really? you kept this hidden? shame on you!!

    :) and thank you.

    ReplyDelete

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