August 1, 2009 – Inner Harvest
August is an interesting month. The first leaves are withering and falling. Yet it still seems like Summer. Below, you’ll find a poem called “August’s Secret.” Traditionally, Autumn begins now. It is time to celebrate a good harvest, and/or to prepare for the hard times of Winter.
On the soul-level, we can contemplate our Inner Harvest, the soul-treasures we have gathered that will sustain us through hard times. What seeds of inner growth have you planted? What fruit have they borne? Strength? Balance? Love? Compassion? Wisdom? Serenity? Joy? Take a moment to appreciate your Inner Treasures.
This painting is called “Guarded Treasures.” It came from a felt experience of how I was hiding and protecting my inner treasures. It helped me realize I need to share my gifts with the world, which led to “Art for Awakening” on www.soulplay.com , and these Communiqués.
Recently, after a wonderful experience of allowing my full DeLight self to shine at a women’s retreat, I asked myself in meditation: “What hides my Radiance? What keeps me from shining and freely sharing my inner treasures?”
The feeling/answer I received was “anxious guilt.” Inquiring further, I traced this anxious guilt back to (1) the child’s fear of making a mistake; which is rooted in (2) the child’s fear of losing a parent’s love and protection; which evokes (3) the fear of not surviving without that love and protection, i.e., the fear of death.
The next question was: “Who am I without that anxious guilt? those childhood fears?” After all, I did survive childhood! Here is the felt answer that I received:
Strong on the Earth © Rahima Warren
I am not afraid of life,
of being myself.
I am free to dance my truth.
I am free to offer my gifts – and
walk away.
I am free to offer my
love, wisdom or compassion,
without attachment to outcome.
And I allow others the freedom
to follow the paths of
~ their truth or karma,
~ their fear or passion,
~ their blindness or joy,
as do I.
The world is not my burden,
but my home and my stage,
where I follow my path,
as do all the souls on Earth.
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August’s Secret
The creek’s rocky bones
are bared for all to see.
Still we gleefully say,
“It’s summer – time to play!”
O, we like to pretend
but the trees know –
and the wind.
The shriveled stream rests
in her stony bed
whispering patiently,
“Not long now ’til the end.”
O, we like to pretend
but the trees know –
and the wind.
Some leaves turn yellow,
and scatter about
under our heedless feet.
“Still summer, ain’t it great?”
O, we like to pretend
but the trees know –
and the wind.
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Suggested Contemplations
What inner treasures have you harvested?
How will they sustain you through hard times?
Can you offer your gifts – with no attachment to outcome?
Can you allow others to follow their own paths –
even when those paths seem difficult or wrong?
Do you have compassion for yourself for the “wrong steps” you may have taken?
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Your responses, comments or questions are welcome. I’d love to hear from you!
All art and writing by Rahima Warren.