Poem: Soul Journey

Are you good to your soul and those of others?






Soul Journey



Sometimes we banish our best friend
When our awareness is young but
Our soul returns again and again
Offering daily help and new insight







Sometimes we deny our soul
Withering into the cold slowly
Our soul waits and pines to
Be free of its confining prison







Sometimes we loose our soul
When we choose to love another
Our soul rejoices to live abundantly
Offering kindness to spread around







Sometimes events sadly happen
When love goes wrong and ends
Our soul weeps to be joined again
Giving us strength to begin anew







Sometimes we are perplexed by life’s absurdity
The love heart confounds us, shattering fantasies
Our soul plunges the dark abyss of emotions to
Lift us back to safe ground and new understanding







Sometimes we revel in the wonderment
Transfixed by the starring moment
Our soul celebrates our latest discovery
Guarding carefully our dreaming time







Sometimes we are in tune with Nature
Inhabiting that perfect place of serenity
Our soul sighs in the beauty of resting union
Observing us present in Time with eternity







Sometimes we are out of tune with everything
Insisting upon our own pleasure and willful way
Our soul extends us a loving patient hand
Guiding us at a slower pace until we peacefully agree







Sometimes we rise up on new inspirations
Secure in the larger awareness of soul
Our soul gently cradles our expanding minds
Waiting, assisting in our next evolving step







Sometimes we suddenly conceive what is beyond us
Yearning to reach new dimensions undiscovered
Our soul cheers our efforts no matter how small
Protecting our new knowledge now conscious







Sometimes when reaching high too fast
Frightened of intense emotions flood rising
Our soul descends to cover with darkness
Quieting our fears, steadying us once more







Sometimes as we learn our inner depths
Struggling against all odds for illumination
Our soul warms us with healing inner fire
Powering us mightily for the Transition







Sometimes there are spiritual leaps forward
Forcefully exploding within and without
Our soul glimmers with rising anticipation
Savoring soon our completed inner union







Sometimes we are stressed to nearly breaking
Agonizing over the temporary and unimportant
Our soul braves the chaos of inner darkness to
Pull us back from the brink of wrong surrender







Sometimes we live as if disappearing invisible
Wandering and stumbling in the shifting fog
Our soul calls us, encouraging return to Hope
Singing soothing words on our long journey







Sometimes we turn inward ferociously
Blocking a world too much coming our way
Our soul cocoons us ever silent and vigilant
Rocking us sweetly on the churning stormy waters







Sometimes our ego performs painfully under many masks
Role playing for decades, often an entire life time
Our soul suffocates, groaning under heavy pretense
Stripping down unworthy deception and hiding lies







Sometimes we reach so high we forget how greedy
Grasping is not the same as eagerly reaching
Our soul steers us once more toward respect
Standing still with layering Time to greet us







Sometimes we arrive triumphant at our destination
Harmonized with Eternity’s shimmering playground
Our soul relaxes and melts into simple ecstasy
Knowing we will now turn back for others



Denny Lyon
Copyright 3 September 2009
All Rights Reserved



For another photo-rich poem, People Trees, go here.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!



*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:



The Social Poets - news, politics

The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology

Visual Insights - photos, art, music

Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy

Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry

The Healing Waters - health news

Dennys People Watching - people in the news

Dennys Food and Recipes

Dennys Funny Quotes - humor






Photo Credits

Friendship Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Cold Soul Photo by Hamed Parham @ flickr

Whispering Secrets Photo by HAMED MASOUMI @ flickr

Tears: Baptism of the Soul Photo by honikum @ flickr

A Matter of the Heart Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

U will never know wonderment photo by honikum @ flickr

Serene photo by honikum @ flickr

You need to know what really happened photo by honikum @ flickr

Inspiration Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Next dimension photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Feelings flying too high Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Book of transition Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Lightness photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Surrender Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Invisible Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

The Introvert Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Ego Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Present in the Now Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Spiritual Grace Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

A Healing Spiritual Poem: Waking The Day

Spiritual symbolism is all around us in our daily life, ready to help heal and balance.





From Denny: Writing on several levels simultaneously is always a joy, especially in the form of poetry. People find it more enjoyable to interpret the poems on their own. But since this is my spiritual blog I thought I'd mention some of the most obvious spiritual symbols present in this poem.


water = spirituality
mist and fog = Spirit
herons and egrets = change coming
the moon = represents change and feminine spiritual energy
the sun = life giving and masculine spiritual energy
cats = healing
golden color = ancient healing light and knowledge
planet Venus = Love
night and day = balance and transition
stumbling in the dark = how we often find our way in life
coffee drink = comfort and celebration of the new
humor = brings joy into our hearts

The reason this is a healing poem is because it speaks to connecting with all around us and viewing all in our life as a spiritual experience, therefore drawing strength and balance.



When the day - and I - awaken, present in the moment.





Waking The Day


When I suddenly awakened from the long night’s hot summer sleep
The energizing scent of coffee brewing wafted around the corner.
I stumbled in the dark, bouncing off the doorway, fumbling for the kitchen lights.
I saw cats waiting eagerly at the back door, wide-eyed nocturnal keepers of the yard.





Measuring out fresh food into their three bowls, then wisely throwing open the door.
They looked up at me, measuring me more than their food, wondering how awake,
Hugging the doorway, quietly gliding through the opening instead of their usual burst.
The golden tiger cat squeaked his morning gossip of the neighborhood nightly report.





Steaming dark brown coffee breathed foggy swirls, spilling into the pristine mug.
The hot libation slid down my throat as it gave off its sweet Ethiopian perfume.
Drinking coffee before speaking plays first in the slumbering beginnings at my house.
Glancing at the cats, all lined in a row, they ate heartily as if miners just off a long shift.






I stepped out into the night to view the sparkling stars before they faded to the day.
The sky was astounding in its simple beauty; the love planet Venus the brightest smile.
How could anyone not smile in return when the planets seem to speak lovingly to us?
So many stars, so many messages written in the sky, our Universe speaks unceasingly.





Pouring another offering of coffee, I pulled up a chair on the porch to view the lake.
I could witness early morning on the water a thousand times, never to be disappointed.
Smoke rose on the water, little ghostly fingers walking forward on the mirrored surface.
Three mallard ducks emerged from the mist, swimming my way, dancing long strides.






Huge prehistoric wings filled the air with a swooping sound and blanketed darkness.
A blue heron landed to fish his breakfast, blending into the smoky gray surrounding mist.
Soon a white egret flew in from the east, careful to move down to another fishing hole.
In the dim light a neighbor fished, sitting, pole in hand as his coffee scent filled the air.







Faint pink embers, the growing light, were filling the sky just above the rooftop horizon.
The blue heron stalked the shallows on his long legs, searching the moving warm waters.
A sudden splash, beak dove down, retrieving a huge fish he flung high on to the bank.
The egret caught small fishes, silver glints in the sunlight, tossed into the air, swallowed.





Two cups of coffee later it was time to check back in the house to rouse my husband.
Entering the room, he slumbered peacefully, his breath shallow; I knew he was awake.
The golden tiger cat pounced onto the bed and onto his chest, demanding attention.
His eyes closed, my husband smiled and knew he had not fooled either one of us.




Denny Lyon
Copyright 17 Sept 2010
All Rights Reserved



Photo Credits


Steaming coffee in white cup photo by Kvasov Andrey @ flickr

Pink embers sunrise photo by Indy Kethdy @ flickr

Two great white egrets photo by flythebirdpath~} teddy @ flickr

The night sky photo by James Jordan @ flickr (combination of two photos)

Smoke on the water photo by flamesworddragon @ flickr

Ducks swimming under full moon photo by joiseyshowaa @ flickr

Fairy tale moon photo by davedehetre @ flickr

Golden cat in shadow photo by 1 suisse @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

2012: What Will Happen to Earth and Us?

*** Views today: 18,113 and Thank You!

*** What you can do to ensure your safety and survival as geologic time rapidly changes - and the resulting paradigm shift of humanity - is in the process of occurring.





What is already happening to fulfill the 2012 predictions

From Denny: A lot is predicted to happen to our planet Earth in the year of 2012. What people are not paying close enough attention to is that the geologic changes are already happening.

There have been high level earthquakes around the globe. When large magnitude earth quakes above magnitude 7.0 happen, they affect the Earth's magnetic poles. Earth's magnetic poles have already shifted slightly and now our orbit has changed as well. Whole continents have moved because of these earthquakes, causing a chain reaction of earthquakes.

Geologic time moving faster than normal, glacial melting, resulting flooding

While geologic time moves slowly, we happen to be living in an era of constant change. The north and south poles are giving up their ice sheets. It's those ice sheets which have acted as the Earth's cooling mechanism for 10,000 years. Now that the glaciers are melting - whether through humanity's excessive use of fossil fuels and air pollution or through a natural cycle of the planet freezing and cooling - the fact remains there is now more water in the oceans and in the air which brings massive flooding. Pakistan is currently experiencing terrible flooding that has killed thousands. The worst flooding also happens to be in the area of the Taliban supporters and strongholds. Coincidence? The Taliban terrorize their own Islamic neighbors, all in the name of religion as they see it: a brutal, vicious take on normally peaceful Islam.

"So goes Russia, so goes the rest of the world" - Christian prophecy

Because there are no longer the glaciers to retard summer heat there are now massive waves of high heat across the globe and the resulting raging fires that go along with very dry land and forests. Russia is currently experiencing terrible forest fires outside their capital city of Moscow and the resulting air pollution is devastating to the health of the residents. These are the first fires and high summer heat that Russia has ever experienced. Coincidence? The Russian crime syndicates have wreaked such havoc on the country, driving greedy consumerism and violent drug crime that the country is out of control like the raging fire. For good or for ill, Russia has a great spiritual influence upon the world - as much as America.

2012 End Times Prophecy

The year of 2012 is heralded as The End of Time yet the prophecies also continue counting Time after the Winter Solstice of 2012. What does that mean? Ancient cultures often wove together their science as well as their spiritual understanding.

What the time marker of 2012 is really all about is that culture on this Earth and the Earth as we know it will end - and begin a new cycle. Whenever humanity is no longer advancing spiritually, instead caught up too much in materiality, there is always a cleansing. Sometimes, it is just a cleansing of the planet in a geologic fashion through flooding, earthquakes, famine or fire.

Cleansing the weakest human DNA

In more dire situations, like in the 2012 prophecy, it will be a literal cleansing of the human DNA, the weaker will be dying off in large numbers. Who are the weaker people on this planet? They are the greedy, the contentious, the destructive, those who throw up obstacles in the way of others who are trying to develop. There will be a lot of loss of life starting now in 2010 and it will go on past 2012: earthquakes, flooding, fires, famine and plagues of disease.

How can you survive what is already here and more to come?

How can you be one of the strong who survive? Build up your immune system with literally a good and positive attitude. Quit resenting or being jealous of others or hating because someone is not your same race, religion or culture. Quit being selfish, self-centered, self-absorbed or greedy. Stop grieving and resume your life again. Think of how you can serve others as it will help dissolve the grief.

Holding on to negative emotions bring destruction to ourselves and the planet

All of this holding on to such strong negative emotions brings about great imbalance. This imbalance plays out as serious illness in your life if held too tightly for too long a time. In these strong spiritual times coming, that negative energy also plays out as damaging the planet, bringing about the severe weather we now see. We are literally affecting our own lives, the lives of others and this planet by how we feel. And, if we feel negative, it brings destruction.

Prayer, meditation and positive attitude bring healing and therefore balance to the world

It's been proven time and again by science that prayer, meditation and a positive attitude have healing qualities and build up our immune systems against disease. It's simple. Set aside the negatives of your family culture and your national and religious cultures. How to avoid destruction? Cultivate the Divine Presence inside you and focus upon building good character. It's that spiritual cultivation of goodness that brings balance back into the world, stabilizing it. Balance.

The practice of balance

Balance can only be achieved through spiritual practices. Balance brings us health, Life and Peace. Balance in all areas of our lives: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually brings balance to our outward world as well. When we are not balanced in our inner worlds then the Earth reflects it negatively. When we are balanced then the Earth reflects it positively. Consider focusing upon, and maintaining, balance in your life so you can make a good and positive difference for the rest of the world too. Then everyone wins.







Vision of The Gardener Prophet








The gardener stood at the window in the heat of summer
Gazing at the huge weeds growing stronger and larger,
Sprouting up proudly as tall and wide as the shrubs,
Crowding the beauty, smug, knowing they didn’t belong.
What was not theirs they chose to steal and own out of spite.









The gardener felt helpless, unable to tend the garden,
For the summer heat was too strong to work outside.
Day after day the gardener watched the weeds take over,
Praying for the beauty to survive the onslaught and
Then a break, a pouring rain came to drench the garden.









The gardener hurriedly went out into the cooling wet air
And began pulling the shallow roots, those showy weeds.
The gardener prayed as she pulled and threw them away.
The gardener prophet knew these weeds sprung up to stop her work
As she prayed for all the people of the world to do better.









The gardener prophet prayed as she worked, knowing that
“As below on Earth, so above in Heaven,” hoping this garden
Would influence and clean humanity of the great suffering.
She toiled with the stubborn and contentious weeds for hours,
Refusing to give in and allow beauty to wither and die.









Deep in thought, hunting down the very smallest new weeds,
Suddenly she looked up and there was an Angel appearing.
The Angel looked at her work in the garden and said,
“Tell the people their suffering has been heard in Heaven.
The culling of humanity begins not in 2012 but now in 2010.”









The gardener prophet wiped her eyes of the spattered mud.
Patiently, the strong Angel waited for acknowledgement.
“The Universe is speeding up the time table,” the Angel announced.
“Humanity is past due to reach the next level of development.
“Knowledge and wise teaching have spread the world to generations.








“Contentiousness, lack of compassion, greed and stubbornness
“Grow as weeds all over the world in every society and religion.
“Beauty struggles to survive, grow and thrive, yet can wither and die.
“The world is now again too full of those who choose to destroy, not build.
“And now Death comes stalking them two years early to clean the garden.
“Only Beauty is meant to walk the earth and thrive in the garden of Life,”
Spoke the Angel softly, and then the vision slowly faded from the gardener prophet.








Denny Lyon
Copyright 6 Aug 2010
All Rights Reserved




Photo Credits - All photos are from my garden and are by Denny Lyon, available under Creative Commons copyright with Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives license.


3 chocolate mint flowers in brush stroke effect Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Field of discarded weeds Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Huge dragonfly on window screen in glowing edges effect Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Bouquet of antique roses in colored pencils effect Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Chocolate mint flowers favored by hummingbirds, colored foil effect Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Purple leaves Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Blue plumbago shade plant Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Bumblebee on lilac chaste tree blossom Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Antique roses in saturated color Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Hope Transforms Our Lives in Tough Times

*** A poem about how Hope works to transform our lives.





From Denny: With all the political and economic chaos going on in the world - and violent weather - it's important to remember to listen to Hope. It's easy to get jaded as you fight injustice or misfortune.

These trying circumstances that plague humanity often hit hardest when we are not paying attention - or outright refuse - to grow spiritually. We were not sent into this physical life just to pay the bills, have families to populate the Earth and die.

This is a testing ground to produce spiritual awareness of what is greater than our individual selves. It can be easier when you volunteer by choosing to challenge yourself daily, sometimes hourly, to grow.

When we reject spiritual growth that's when Karma (the Law of Cause and Effect) hammers us. Don't let challenges back up until it explodes onto your life in a chaotic mess just to get your attention. Take charge right now by listening to the small quiet voice of Hope that is there to guide you on your way to success.






Hope Transforms

Hope lightly touches our souls,
Gently glides in through the mists of
Troubled minds and chaotic lives and
Quietly strokes our faces to engage.





Awareness soars, promises glisten.
We greet the new companion Hope
Who lingers and comforts a while
Constant faithful friend through crisis





Hope arises from the silence, those
Darkest moments plaguing our lives.
Hope illuminates the despair and
Lifts up our hearts to believe again.





Life crowds us with demanding pressures
Like clanging alarms wake, startling us to grow.
Hope drives us to a greater destination,
Toward fully conscious, awake and Presence.





Hope gives us the Dream then transforms,
Sings our courage, never overwhelmed.
Hope seeks, summons the growing Light.
Conduit of change, quiet Power, Hope dwells within.







Denny Lyon
Copyright 11 June 2010
All Rights Reserved


*** See Also: How Are Hopes, Dreams and Reality Related?

*** See Also: Where Does Hope Guide Us On Our Life Path?

*** See Also: Hope: Unborn Baby Grabs onto Doctors Hand in Surgery

*** See Also: Does Hope Touch Your Soul?

*** See Also: Destress: 3 Great Encouragement Quotes

*** See Also: Have You Ever Thought About The Process of Success?



Photo Credits

Hope under an umbrella photo by Atilla1000 @ flickr

Fenced Hope photo by mattwi1s0n @ flickr

Rays of Hope photo by green umbrella @ flickr

Feather on the shore by patnz @ flickr

Single white feather floating photo by treehouse1977 @ flickr

Feather glistening in the snow photo by Doug and Kim @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big
shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

3 Quotes: Have You Validated Yourself Recently?

*** Views today: 11,925 and Thank You!





From Denny: Life seems to be one thread weaving into another, especially when I'm writing all these blogs, when one post ends up spurring the writing of another. It just goes to show how connected we all are as we intersect with others on our path.

Today I wrote a poem (for The Social Poets blog) about a heart felt issue for many from generations older than mine. It's an issue which was a stain upon their soul that prevented them from living a full and happy life. They were shunned by society, lies were gossiped about them and people presumed to determine they would "never amount to anything in life and were worthless."

It's a hard burden to bear as a child, growing up under such abuse where all of society is pressing against you. Most hearts shut down at this onslaught of fear, anger, critical judgmental attitude and unadulterated harsh disdain.

Over the years, from the time I was a little girl, I've had discussions like in the poem. As I grew older I realized the tremendous power of words to heal immediately and directly - both for yourself as well as others. Words have the power to open the door for another to heal themselves too like in this conversational story poem.


*** For more spiritual poetry please visit Poems From A Spiritual Heart!





Quotes

* What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us. - Henry David Thoreau

* Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no ones definition of your life; define yourself. - Harvey Fierstein

* Our Deepest Fear,
Is not that we are inadequate,
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is out light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?"
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God.
It is not just in some of us,
It is in everyone.
And as we let out own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from out own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. - Marianne Williamson









Love Gift

Leaning on the door frame
I saw the birthday party hum.
People in perpetual motion,
Swirling in and out of the kitchen,
Dealing brightly colored paper plates
Like a deck of cards at a poker game,
Landing soft as a feather in front of the cake.
Melting ice cubes chinked as they carried the cups.
The conversation was full of giggles and loud laughs,
Little children running like yard cats circling the table.







The woman of the day celebrated 100 years of her life.
She sat at the head of the table drinking in the sights,
Smiling and nodding as she was kissed and given gifts
By excited relatives, friendly neighbors and well wishers.
She was happy to be so honored and respected.
There was a twinge of sadness hiding behind her smile.
I drifted toward her to offer my congratulations, and,
As I was invited to sit near her, she began to reminisce.
I sat back and just listened as she recounted her long life.
She spoke of history unfolding, family increasing, friends gone.
She seemed happy, settled and content, except for something missed.







I listened to more than her words; I listened deeper into her heart
And she offered up her troubling hurt from since birth.
She revealed in a hushed whisper she was born illegitimate.
Her father abandoned them, shaming her mother, never to return.
She said it was hard to grow up scorned by neighbors and family
And here she is now, all these years later, honored by their descendants.
She remarked how strange Life can be and felt good that times do change.
Yet the harsh memories still haunted; her family did not know her hurt.
She quickly fell silent, spent, and with searching eyes looked into mine.
She probed for acceptance, reassurance and words that felt right.







I held her gaze tenderly and said what I believed to be true.
She started to tremble, half afraid, half excited; she said she felt new.
I told her none of us can control how we come into this world.
What we can control is how we choose to live and love in this world.
Her voice quivered, as she wept next to me, while the party, like her, began to calm.
“For a life time I’ve craved to hear loving words that I was worthy.”
She settled back into her chair and straightened her shoulders with new pride.
Now the smile was genuine, her heart refreshed; she put down her burden to live.
To her family, her friends, her neighbors, the world: that was her Love Gift.




Denny Lyon
Copyright 14 May 2010
All Rights Reserved


*** For more spiritual poetry please visit Poems From A Spiritual Heart!


Photo Credits

Happy Birthday Cake by Omer Wazir @ flickr

Secret garden gate by ARendle @ flickr

Steps into the light by extranoise @ flickr

Water lilies in the light by tinyfroglet @ flickr





*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!