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...