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mharnishtherapy

Practice Day 40: I Will Rise Up.

Updated: Apr 16, 2022

Theme/Mantra: “I will rise up. All we need is hope, and for that we have one another.”


Reading:

Poem of the One World by Mary Oliver

This morning

the beautiful white heron

was floating along above the water


and then into the sky of this

the one world

we all belong to


where everything

sooner or later

is a part of everything else


which thought made me feel

for a little while

quite beautiful myself.


The Gardener by Mary Oliver

Have I lived enough?

Have I loved enough?

Have I considered Right Action enough, have I

Come to any conclusions?

Have I experienced happiness with sufficient gratitude?

Have I endured loneliness with grace?


I say this, or perhaps I’m just thinking it.

Actually, I probably think too much.


Then I step out into the garden.

where the gardener, who is said to be a simple man,

is tending his children, the roses.



Meditation:

I invite you to find a comfortable position to listen.

Take two cleansing breaths.

Listen to what your mind or heart bring to the surface.

Sit with it.

With hope.

Without judgement.

In this moment.


Physical Movement:

I encourage you to do any of the stretches or physical movements you’ve learned or already know that fill your body with awareness that it exists.

Maybe stretch your arms up high, and exhale as you bend at the waist and reach for the floor.

Maybe sit and stretch over your outstretched legs.

Maybe tree pose (standing on one leg, balancing- then the other leg).

Maybe you can twirl in a circle until you become dizzy.

But move your body in a way that feels alive to you today.


Reflection:

This is the end of our 40 days of practice, and I have to say I am a little sad about it. For some celebrating Easter, I thought the “rise up” song might have different meaning. So be it.

For others-- the hope and reminder that we usually have more strength in us than we think. More willpower. More capability-- than we ever imagined.

Mary Oliver reminds us that we are beautiful as the white heron taking to flight. That it is helpful to be self-reflective and ask ourselves the questions about who we are and whom we are becoming in the world. Do we love enough? Do we live enough? Do we find enough ways to tend to the roses in our own gardens.

I don’t have the answers to a lot of questions that come to my mind about my own place in the world, and actions in it. But I believe I have a place in the world. I believe you do too.

And I believe the best way for any of us to do what we must- (which could include what we want, what we need, what the world needs of us)- the best way to be our best selves is to surround ourselves with people who call that best out in us. Doesn’t have to be a crowd of people. Could just be one (like we see in Andra Day’s video). But to acknowledge that we are a part of everything else- and there is beauty in us. We have value. We have worth. We have hope for the future in one another.



Song: Rise Up by Andra Day

Lyrics:

You're broken down and tired

Of living life on the merry-go-round

And you can't find the fighter

But I see it in you, so we gonna walk it out


Move mountains

We gonna walk it out

And move mountains


And I'll rise up

I'll rise like the day

I'll rise up

I'll rise unafraid

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again


And I'll rise up

High like the waves

I'll rise up

In spite of the ache

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousands times again


For you

For you

For you

For you


When the silence isn't quiet

And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe

And I know you feel like dying

But I promise we'll take the world to its feet


Move mountains

Bring it to its feet

Move mountains


And I'll rise up

I'll rise like the day

I'll rise up

I'll rise unafraid

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again


For you

For you

For you

For you


All we need, all we need is hope

And for that we have each other

And for that we have each other

We will rise

We will rise

We'll rise, oh, oh

We'll rise


I'll rise up

Rise like the day

I'll rise up

In spite of the ache

I will rise a thousands times again


And we'll rise up

Rise like the waves

We'll rise up

In spite of the ache

We'll rise up

And we'll do it a thousands times again


For you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

In Hope and Peace- Until...


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