Being a new mama has been one of the most challenging adventures of my life. In longing for creative community to help me write during fragmented bits of time (baby naps!), I recently joined a friend’s invitation to complete 21 days of creative practice (we just wrapped up yesterday). After about a week of exploring various visual and poetic forms, I landed on a creative practice I wanted to deepen for the remaining days: Writing a short poem in response to a visual piece of art from a female artist. I ended up with a small collection of 12 ekphrastic poems (“ekphrastic” poetry is a type of po ..read more

The other day, I came across a video of Ethan Hawke talking about poetry. He said something very interesting that caught my attention. He basically said that most people don’t think about poetry in their day-to-day until something happens to them — some change, transformation, heartache, loss, trauma, or intense experience whether negative or positive, and then suddenly they begin to turn to poetry to make sense of what is happening to them (video here, start at 2:00). This point reminded me of something the former Poet Laureate Joy Harjo shared in her Masterclass on poetic thinking (which I’v ..read more

Walking back and forth In the meditation hall, I practice seeing. My gaze lands Upon a plant by the window— Its warm, green tongues Licking me all over. I feel the tug To reach, To touch, To delight, To bathe inside Its emerald pleasure. Oh, let me take this little being and Prop her up on my window sill at home, So we can keep dancing. But then I remind myself: Practice seeing. Practice Loving This world Without trying to own it ..read more

You’ve been holding on tight, my friend, And so have I, Holding onto Needs and wants, Hopes and dreams, Identities. Holding on, white-knuckled, To rainbows and fog. Open your fist ..read more

There is no eye to see. There is no “I” to see. There is no “I” to be. There is no “I” to free. Your bones are hollow. Your blood is hollow. Wake up and see the joke! We stand here, holding onto smoke ..read more

No Self I What is a river? A word to describe a flow of water. What is the self? A word to describe the flow of experience. Look closely: There is no river. There is no self. Only flow ..read more

An ocean has waves. Are you mad about it? The mind has mines, ruins, caves, Grooves, cuts, and ruts. The mind is a ravenous range, A treacherous terrain. Are you mad about it ..read more

Life is a sparrow in my hands Being born and dying at once I’m wrecked by its song ..read more

Listen. I have followed many spiritual paths and Traditions And I can say with absolute certainty There is only one teacher Worth following to the very end: The one beating in your chest ..read more

Become soft enough for the World to penetrate you, Your eyes, ears, tongue and Heart. Spread open the legs of your Mind and Let the stream of this changing world Impregnate you with its pain and longing. Do not turn anyone or anything away. Undress the heart, Piece by piece, Until even the deer across the Meadow can leap Inside And be included ..read more