Just a bird on a wire hanging on decision
Minding the sky no matter the condition
High above the distorted slums of fate
Somewhere between love and hate
From this perch clarity should prevail
A crewless ship minding the sails
Which way will the hidden tempest cry
Gusting upheaval from the sky
Very soon I must leave this temporary stage
Skirting along the propensity for age
For now I remain, divided among
Love still humming on a silenced tongue.
-Lavinia Busch 2019
I have no idea why I felt compelled to write a meditation today. The idea of swaying as a comfort is on my mind along with the use of breath to facilitate this comfort. As one that does not meditate routinely, I find reading these words deeply relaxing.
Intuitively, the tension of the holiday season is upon us and a palpable unease of obligation is in the air. Take just one short moment to center yourself each day and remember we are a part of something so much greater than we can comprehend. Let the small things go and know all will be well.
Sway, gently… back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Close your eyes and feel lightness
Let your chest expand and contract
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Notice your thoughts and set them free
Release all that binds your heart
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Settle into this space between
This warm and welcoming unknown
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Rest in this space for as long as you wish
Disregard obligations and pretense…just be
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Unfold and unwind, release all tension
Allow light to permeate every cell, every space
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Sense possibility, know it is for you
Embrace all of it, as if a loved one
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Fly now, do not look back,
Soar and gaze upon mountain peaks
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Let the wind lift you, higher and higher
Soak in the warmth of the universe
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Continue above the farthest spaces
Seek the nearest star and make it home
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Now slowly allow the spirit to return
Gently unwrap the layers of protective energy
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Gravity leads and your feet touch the earth
Ground yourself and feel the life in the soil
Sway, gently…back and forth
Deep breath in, deep breath out
Know the stardust and soil are one in the same
You are here, you are everywhere, all is well.
One on the slow road, the other the fast,
Improbable two should every pass.
Yet within this complex and twisted world,
An intersection of light begins to whirl.
Life as we know it bends and breaks
Energy between vibrates and shakes.
Two hearts and minds influence the end
The passing importance must defend.
Everything is different, now as before,
Two walking by, one through the door.
Connectivity grinds, no matter the pace,
Ushering the new, face to face.
-Lavinia Busch, 2018
Last night above the hills you crept
Rain caressing the mesa as you wept
Tears of all who walked this way
Shadows of souls still wandering today
Listen, If only these hills could speak
Wind boisterous and bold but never meek
Land with voice, stripped raw and naked
Holding bones of the many sacred
Tell me who you were, what happened here
I feel your presence, strong and clear
In the still of night you visited my room
Memories of your life weaving a mystical loom
Speak soft and quietly if you must
I hear your whisper between grains of dust
Heat of daylight silencing the bustling squalls
As the final moment encroaches, inscribing the wall.
-Lavinia Busch, 2018
It is quiet now, a womb of new, washing
away all that came before. The trail,
is empty, blank slate to pen.
No footsteps, only water against sand.
Flow in the way you are meant to be.
Show me the invisible path,
or let me be.
Empty as it was before,
A desert flower in forever darkness,
blooms while quietly painting
the vibrant oneness.
Together grains of sand persist, each drop
etching away the old, gently soaking
into the depth of new.
Deeper runs this vein of new, crushing
the oldest pictures of,
an ancient sea- browns, reds and blue,
hovering above, awaiting the forever sky.
Liquid labors, birthing the next
breath of quiet reveals a pathless view.
-Lavinia Busch, 2018
Shards and pieces fill the floor,
Emotions trampled as before.
Watch your step, this glass cuts
Its best to keep things tightly shut.
Tempers flare and shouts persist
The allure of anger hard to resist
Careful now, handle with care
Sharp as a knife, better beware
Be gentle now, glass does break
All it takes is one strong shake
Softer words and kinder touch
Broken glass hurts far too much
-Lavinia Busch, 2018
Broken glass is an eclectic collection of what was once a whole, yet each piece is still able to shine separate from this whole. Think of a stained-glass window. These inspiring works of art are comprised of broken pieces of glass, each able to stand alone in specific brilliance. In totality, the stained-glass window shines like a sunbeam, sending colorful light in all directions. The beauty of this whole does not negate how special each individual piece of glass is. Removing even one piece would change the stained-glass window completely.
How easy it is to forget what makes each of us as individuals shine. We define ourselves by family, friends, job and relationships. It is so easy to forget who we are and what we contribute to the whole. Losing self in another is a slippery slope and the treacherous fall that may occur is not one to be taken lightly.
For empathetic people, this is especially difficult to navigate. We pride ourselves in being helpful, selfless and putting the needs of all others before our own. While this may seem to be a service-oriented way to move about the world, the exclusion of self in all matters is neither healthy are wise. Without goals, creative energy and spirit it becomes impossible to have a voice in any partnership. Each person should intend to uplift the other while gently encouraging their partner to stretch and grow. Without this space one will inevitably become stagnant, a shard of glass crushed by the weight of insecurity.
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
― Anton Chekhov
No one should dim their light for the benefit of another. Each one of us has the opportunity to shine in our own way. The color of the glass we use is up to us as is the manner in which we create our window. As the artist, we have a choice and a voice. It is incumbent on us to not lose sight of our precious light.
Continue to love those in your life. Lend an ear when necessary. Offer a helping hand and gentle encouragement but never compromise who you are and what is important. Shine as brightly as you are meant, dimming no amount of self for the benefit of others discomfort. You will find as you gain confidence, that your stained-glass window is more representative of your shining spirit and gentle heart.
Dream walker, conscience talker
Wading in, endless places to begin
Darkness provides, what is hidden inside
Images of disguise, hidden behind tired eyes
Memories prevail, lifting the veil
Stories engorge as characters forge
A path to the end, forever looking to mend
All the pieces together, yet lacking a tether
Dream walker, lifetime stalker
Disoriented mind, lest you remind
All is not as it seems, you know what it means
Read between the dye, wet ink never lies.
-Lavinia Busch, 2018
This lonely road begins with me
Wading into a roughly paved sea
No one else in sight or sound
Anxiously, frightfully I look around
Hark! Anyone walking this way?
Never a voice came to play
Only the quiet breathe of a gentle breeze
Settling in a sense of unease
Alone, afraid with no one nearby
Peaking out of my half closed eye
I see a dark form off in the distance
All I need now is some strong persistence
Willing my feet to move one by one
This road stretches beyond the rays of the sun
Never ending, yet traversed by lonesome souls
The road to nowhere beckons as it goes
As I approach the form becomes clear
It is only a reflection of the almighty mirror
Hence my walk continues, no answers abound
Loneliness my companion as I circle around.
-Lavinia Busch, 2018
Quiet a voice and silence a mind
Listen for what those know, remind
Ancient, regal, centurion and true
Reaching, never quite touching blue
Long knowing what is hidden below
Secrets, stories buried deep in the snow
Mystical, magical, wondrous and true
Let the trees speak as if hearing you
Listen for words etched with the pen of time
Just with caressed skin, releasing what binds
Wells of energy deep within all that begins
Streams of light shimmer, radiating from within
-Lavinia Busch, 2018
Becoming
Every second, minute, hour and day
Stretching of skin, silent and frayed
Lightness reflects, unfolding of limbs
Becoming undone, staring over a rim
Overwhelming confusion but craving more
Fear as companion, leaning into the shore
Sprays of water quenching the greatest of thirsts
A soul in need of water most certainly bursts
Water as salvation, washing away
Fear, frustration, apathy and malaise
Resistance is futile, this much is true
Disruptive discovery, wading deeper in blue
A blossom becoming, a flower is born
One petal at a time as if adorned
Beauty is never the goal in the end
Purity, kindness and grace will mend
Slowly, effortlessly, light becomes free
Unlocking the door, holding the key
Deeper and deeper reaching far and between
Sewing together, becoming the seam
-Lavinia Busch