Tuesday, December 24, 2013

This is the time of year we made each other cry



I was once asked to write a Christmas poem to be included in an anthology.  I only got as far as the first line – This is the time of year we made each other cry.   I didn’t make the deadline and never finished the poem.  But I love the sense of longing and regret that I was trying to achieve by echoing Cesar Vallejo’s To My Brother Miguel:
I remember we used to play at this hour of the day,…/I remember we made each other cry, brother, in that game.
When I was trying to teach myself how to make poems, I was delighted to find those lines echoed in Hugo Williams’ Message Not Left on an Answerphone:
Darling, we made ourselves late sometimes,/playing those games. We made ourselves cry.
It was my first understanding of how poets hand lines off to one another, how one body of work informs another.  Poets speak to each other quietly and secretly through reworking and retuning lines and themes.  Understanding this opened up the world of poetry a little more for me.
It’s the same thing that we do as families, cultures – we hand off traditions and inform ways of being by quietly and secretly returning to a common language to rework and retune old themes.  And it rarely shows itself more that at this time of year.  The other day I practically had a fit because something insignificant happened and I flipped out and screamed and cried and then, after making my daughter cry, I broke through the stress and calmed down.  I was stunned that I’d allowed myself to be triggered and repeat that old theme of freaking out during the run-up to Christmas.  No matter what we believe or don’t believe, many of us get plugged into old, unhealthy patterns at this time of year.  Understanding this can open up your own inner healer a little more.  Don’t get caught out.  Take a few minutes, turn your back on the world, close your eyes, open your palms, breathe.  Remember what’s really going on.   
Here’s a fifteen minute guided heart meditation to help you expand the memory of your ability to resonate peace and equanimity no matter what the circumstances:  http://www.followfay.yolasite.com/heart-meditation.php
I want to say a big thank-you to everyone for donating to the Steps crowdfunding campaign.  We are still in need of funds to get the books printed and shipped in time for the January online classes.  So, please, dig deep into your Christmas stockings, redistribute some wealth, or pass this on to friends that missed the opportunity to contribute first time round.   Though the indiegogo campaign has come to an end, you can still send donations here http://www.followfay.yolasite.com/donate.php
Lots of love to you all and all the best for the coming year. xox

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