Alpha Poems

Summer’s Crop Mathews County, Virginia

I enjoy driving by this roadside farm, noticing how the view of the building and field completely changes throughout the year. This time I stopped and snapped a picture, and it seems to connect with some of my recent reflections.

My mother’s words came to mind recently— “Estelle, there’s nothing constant but change“. I used to feel irritated when she spoke this phrase; now, I hear wisdom. My mother is pretty darn healthy, coming up on 90 years of age. She’s weathered some big tides. I wrote an Alpha Poem in response to my memory.

Change comes, sometimes creaking, or crashing
Ownership generally
Not
Static
Together we can continue
Allowing ourselves to
Nestle in
Today

I share the concept of Alpha Poems with friends and clients on a regular basis. I first learned about them when our son’s early elementary teacher gave each student a poem at year’s end. Using the students’ first names, she wrote a poem describing positive attributes of each child. I appreciated this gift, keeping it on the refrigerator for quite a while. I started writing my own Alpha Poems after learning about the practice of journal writing for health, through the work of Kathleen Adams.

To write your own Alpha Poem,  start by choosing a word, and use each letter of the word to form the first letter of each line. Play with using your name, someone else’s name, letters of the alphabet, emotions, concepts, relationships, sounds…anything.  Allow yourself the freedom to write your own poetry, for yourself, unedited. Be curious about images, ideas, words that you see, hear or experience.

Alpha poems are great for stress relief.  They capture themes quickly and get them down on the page with only a few words. Of course, you can write long alpha poems too. Go for it!

Harvest In January

Backyard Beauties

 

It seems incongruous, perhaps, to think of harvesting during the first month of the year. I was ecstatic to find these beautiful turnips in my backyard last week— a whole crop of them. Some, like these three, seemed perfect in their shape, color, texture, and flavor (the greens were yummy too).  Perhaps one day I’ll find out the variety! My husband is a masterful gardener, and he likes seeds. Lots of them, so sometimes the seeds either bought or harvested are a surprise. I like surprises in a garden.
Since January is often defined by reflection, regrouping, planning, setting intentions, and looking forward, I pose this question: What are you harvesting today?

Foundation Planting

What Do You Plant

Last night before going to sleep, I  relaxed with a gardening book on front yards. Now, before I go any further, this photograph is not my front yard! It’s part of a great memory from two summers ago, however, and illustrates a thought. As an amateur gardener, it seems to me that autumn is the perfect time in the southern united states to plant foundation shrubs and trees. These plants provide a backdrop for other plants, whether it’s color, shape, or texture. These grounding shrubs are placed first, to establish healthy root systems over the winter. They like the more predictable rainfalls that come before the heat of late spring. They often have a solid appearance, almost as if one could lean against them. A backdrop of sorts is provided by these shapes and colors. They can be used as an invitation to look beyond. How do we choose what to plant? I believe a good rule of thumb is what we know grows well in the soil provided, how we can amend the soil, what is important to us on a daily basis to look at, and what we treasure.

I suppose if we look at foundation planting from a landscaper’s perspective, then we may consider the front yard as a semi-public space. What do we choose to show others about ourselves? What do we wish to display? What are the most important values and beliefs we hold which inform all of our decisions, which are the bedrock, the cornerstone, of our personal world?

Consider writing some thoughts down about this. Or, perhaps drawing a picture of what you hold dearest may be more pleasing to you. Notice times in your day when thoughts bubble to the surface and you access your intuition about such subjects. Are you walking? Stuck in traffic? Brushing your teeth? Taking a shower? Sitting down for five minutes in the morning? How might you begin to notice what you are planting?

Calmer Skies

Imagining Rainbows

What is an image that brings your body strength and a sense of calm? Consider entering a “pretend” space that feels safe and comforting. This can be anywhere of your choosing, inside or outside. This place can be in your mind or somewhere you’ve visitited before. You may be alone, or perhaps with a special someone. Or, you may imagine a wise person there with you. Use your senses to bring yourself to this place. Notice your breath, without judgment. Notice the ease of the breath. Acknowledge thoughts and allow them to drift by. If you like, imagine a situation or relationship that you’d like to be different. This may involve a goal at work, home, or perhaps a performance or sports event. See yourself accomplishing this. Notice your breath again. Imagine how you will feel when you are successful with this change. After five to ten minutes, return your awareness to your surroundings. Recognize this intentional practice as state-of-the-art self-care. After all, it is your life, your precious relationships, your aspirations.

Laughter’s Anchor

Play

 

How important is laughter? Most of us don’t have to take long to remember a time when we lacked it. Most of us also immediately can cite who we laugh with, or who we long to laugh with again. When we were children, we belly laughed all the time, even hundreds of times per day when we were very young.

Did you know that you don’t need a sense of humor to laugh? That’s the premise of Laughter Yoga. Some say the more you laugh, the more you laugh. It is also said that one can’t laugh and think at the same time. I realize that might be scary for some, but for others, a relief! To turn off our minds for a while and increase our bodies natural endorphins. That’s what happens when we laugh.

There is some pretty amazing stuff about Laughter Yoga and it’s benefits. Here’s a tiny sample.

Why the Dalai Lama laughs

Gibberish Laughter Game

Dr. Katari in Yoga Journal

Massage Therapists Embrace Laughter Yoga

Good Descriptive Article on Laughter Yoga

Read, Relax, and Play Often

Summer Memory

 

This week  I noticed the posting “Read, Relax, and Play Often” on a local high school sign, and reflected on summers of my young days, as well as the meaning of the phrase.

I can still smell our local public library–the books, their bindings, the coolness and restfulness of the interior space. Oh, how my sister and I loved to pile our books high and carry home all those stories. I thank my mother in particular for fostering  love of the written word and how it can transport us. I also think of my friend Shirley T. Burke who encourages incarcerated women in “Livin’ It!”  to read, as a way to move toward learning new and affirming things.

OK, now comes the second word. First of all, how many times do we say to one another, “Relax”! Usually it comes at tense moments when that’s the last thing on our minds. So, what is important about this? How many of you have teenagers and even younger children who are already experiencing a plate way too full, even in summertime? Is this a mirror of your own life? Consider taking a bold move this summer and shift towards rejuvenation, regrouping, renewal, rejoicing even. The earth in our part of the world is coming into full bloom during the next couple of months. What would more intentional relaxation bring to your life landscape?

“Play Often”–now comes the real fun.  I recently read the book play: How It Shapes The Brain, Opens The Imagination, And Invigorates The Soul, as suggested by one of my Laughter Yoga teachers, Leigh Meredith. The author, Stuart Brown M.D., tells the story of  the generative, life-affirming, and fundamental power of play. Consider going to the local library and checking it out, even discussing with your family and friends.

This summer, I encourage you to consider the read, relax, and play often suggestion. Pick one way to start. Tell a buddy. Remember a time when you did play, or did read, or did relax. How might you step into that world again? How would this impact your ability to think more clearly, deepen your relationships, soften the edges of your life a bit, serve others, serve yourself, create solutions? Consider a simple, accessible step. Start with 10-15  minutes–of reading, relaxation, playing. Make it doable, tangible, meaningful to you.

And thank you, author of the words, “Read, Relax, and Play Often! May you experience the same!

Spring Pacing

Green Way

Do you have a favorite path? Is it a place you can bring forth in your memory, at will? How can you use this place to bring yourself  into a different “space”? Do you notice that being in this space provides an opportunity for reflection, conversation, listening to nature? For example, when do you notice that you travel the path with another? In solitude? Do you give yourself permission to speed up, or slow down?

Puppy Love

Ageless Love

Since February is the month of love, where is this most present in our lives? How might we open our hearts in order to receive what we need? How can we learn to trust our instincts and intuition, like puppies? What do we need more of…courage in our belly, fire in our heart, clarity in our voice?

Rosie Does Sleep

What can we learn from dogs and sleep? The first thing that popped in my head is that canines just plop down when they need rest. Now, I’m not suggesting that we lie down and sleep any ol’ time we feel like it (actually dogs really don’t do this either…I don’t think). When do you listen to your body and just surrender to sitting down, napping, or maybe meditating for 5 minutes? I’ve gotten pretty creative with naps in the past 18 years….probably comes with child rearing and now “mature” adulthood. I think we are all pretty aware that our world is sleep deprived, so how would your life be different if you could get just a bit more rest? By the way, thanks Maria, for suggesting I put one of our dogs in the blog…I’m thinking of you and others I love this fall at college! Get some sleep!