There is a season – Writers’ Well

Tags

autumn, beauty, change, creative writing, creativity, lyrics, nature, song, writing, writing prompt, writing workshop

Each week, I share one of the writing prompts used in my workshops, along with an example of what was written in response. Today’s prompt (we did it as a warm-up, so just 3 mins in total) is simply to connect with your favourite season, in that moment, and write about it. I chose Autumn, and this is what I wrote, unedited…

Autumn is for abundance – bringing in and giving thanks for the harvest, the explosion of colour in the trees and the preparations as we prepare to move into the shorter days. Warm soups and open fires – new beginnings as school terms begin – and we come in from outside and begin to shift our focus inwards, for the light is becoming more golden and tired and the colder weather makes for brisk walks and buttoning up – it’s a transitional season when the intensity of summer’s joy and pace can slow down a little – we catch our breath and give thanks.

I’m reminded, as I type this up, of a song I wrote (wow, five years ago in turns out!) as I drove through a stunning Autumn landscape in the Scottish Highlands singing for my life as the beauty threatened to take my breath away, and not being able to take my hands off the wheel to write it down I had to repeat and repeat so I wouldn’t forget it…

I called it Colour My World…

 

Colour my world with the blue of the free skies

Colour my world with a rainbow of butterflies

Colour my world with the magic of evergreen

Colour my world with the silver of full moon sheen

Colour my world

Colour my world

Great Painter

 

*Chorus*

Beauty my world with all animals running free

Lighten my heart with the laughter that tickles me

Beauty my world

Lighten my heart

Creator

 

Colour my world with the pink cheeks of happiness

Colour my world with the grey on my father’s head

Colour my world with the soft white of feather down

Colour my world with the river’s rich peaty brown

Colour my world

Colour my world

Great painter

 

*Chorus*

 

Colour my world with the dark blue green oceans deep

Colour my world with the bright yellow blackbird’s beak

Colour my world with the red of the robin’s chest

Colour my world with the orange gold pink sunset

Colour my world

Colour my world

Great painter

Oh Beauty my world

Please Lighten my heart

Creator

 

What’s your favourite season?

 

If you enjoyed this prompt, then you can find more here:

https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/upcoming-writing-workshops-and-some-prompts-for-you-to-play-with/

and here:

https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/writing-prompts-the-elements/

 

 

Beauty – Writers’ Well

Tags

beauty, creative writing, creativity, writing, writing prompt, writing workshop

Each week, I share one of the writing prompts used the previous Friday in my weekly workshop, along with an example of what was written in response. Today’s prompt was our three minute warm up last week.  Very simply, take the word Beauty, immerse yourself in whatever you feel and think of when it comes to that quality, and write – without using the word beauty, or the word beautiful. We wrote for just three minutes. This was my response:

 

Playful and powerful, it winks at functionality and says you may be necessary, but I’m utterly free and superfluous, and nobody can agree on exactly what I am so they can’t give instructions or tie me down. I’m here because I choose to be. I’m here because there’s more to life than what we see, for yes, I am not only for the eyes – the eyes may receive information but they won’r see me unless they’re willing to open up from within – like a window being opened, I bring life alive with freshness and reward life with softness – an ache – that says, ah, you see me now do you – well that’s you. It’s all you.

 

Beauty is a topic I often reflect upon, and have explored on the blog before. Here are a couple of relevant posts that also explore this huge, potent theme.

https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/beauty-triple-tanka/

https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/leaving-beauty/

https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/the-art-of-ritual-and-reverance-a-good-deeds-post/

 

 

If you enjoyed this prompt, then you can find more here:

https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/upcoming-writing-workshops-and-some-prompts-for-you-to-play-with/

and here:

https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/writing-prompts-the-elements/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Emergencies Only?

Tags

awareness, beauty, clarity, compassion, contemplation, courage, creativity, gratitude, joy, life, meditation, spirituality, writing

image credit: www.insightmeditation.org.nz

A conversation with a dear friend yesterday, reminded of this piece I wrote over three years ago. I needed to re-read it, so thought it might have value for you too – enjoy 🙂

At the moment I meditate like I take vitamin C – in emergencies only. OK, I’ve used that word lightly, but it’s true. I find myself caught in the habit of using the preventative as cure, which works to an extent, but prevention is better. My mother once told me of a tradition where you paid your doctor every month – unless you were ill. That was the month you didn’t pay, because you doctor had not done their job well enough. Now THAT would revolutionize the NHS (our beloved National Health Service here in the UK, which itself is becoming rather sick due to government spending cuts…).

There was a time, not so long past, when I had a very regular and treasured spiritual practice. I would meditate daily for an hour, with days off being a rare exception. And there was a time, not so long past, when my diet was more balanced, when I was more aware of what my body needed and where it could get it. I didn’t need vitamin supplements

Before beginning to teach on this one month intensive English Language Course, I felt a sore throat coming and my left ear had begun to complain with an inner pain that hinted at possible infection. I bought vitamin C supplements and slept for the afternoon. I was lucky, and whatever had threatened to pay me a visit decided not to stick around. I felt well the next day. I was grateful to my body, but it made me think.

This weekend I noticed my ‘being VS doing’ scale was feeling overwhelmingly tipped in doing’s favour, so I went to our Sanctuary here. This is a dedicated silent room, with a candle in the centre and chairs arranged in circles. I went into Sanctuary with the intention of catching up on some ‘being’ time.

Oh sweetheart, it doesn’t work like that. The vegetables I’m growing can’t be drowned in water one day and left thirsty for the next three. Little and often. My children’s novel won’t get written if I wait for those times when I have a whole weekend free. Little and often. My soul will not find its way closer to God if I think I can make up for regular daily practice by sitting with great intensity and purpose for, oh, a whole hour. My mind is like a well composted garden bed; it grows weeds with as much success as flowers and veg.  If I weed it every day, the flowers will thrive. If I leave it too long, the weeds will have taken much of the nourishment for themselves, not to mention they’ll have grown tall and thick enough to hide the flowers completely. Weeds are powerful, believe me, I played tug of war with nettle roots recently and it was a closer run thing that I’d like to admit.

As I was weeding, liberating the spent daffodil bulbs from their cages of ground elder and nettle roots, my compassion began to grow for those thoughts, that light, that love and creativity that is missing out on my attention and energy, because the weeds of ‘To Do’ and ‘obligation’ have been allowed to grow out of control. When they reach this point of overwhelm, it’s already too late for ‘little and often’, and ‘one thing at a time’ must be engaged instead. To manage the overwhelm I have to focus on one task at a time, in order to be fed by the satisfaction of seeing something completed before digging for the energy to focus on the next.

I did spend a few precious moments with our sweet peas though, checking on their progress. When I saw how the delicate, finger like tendrils had perfectly and neatly curled themselves around the string of the rough frame I’d created for them, I was mesmerized. How do they know where the string is? How do they know they must wrap, and climb, and stretch towards the sun in order to flower and thrive? How many years, hundreds, thousands, of evolution has it taken to create this plant with such precision and perfection that it follows some divine inner instruction with such grace and lack of effort that we barely notice how clever it is?

How do I come to such a place of busyness that I believe I can catch up on my journey towards greater wakefulness by having a single hour of silence?

Writing this has brought me to humour, which has brought me to a more peaceful place, which has brought me to a willingness to accept what I already know – I have to give conscious attention to the important things ‘little and often’ or the unimportant things will grow to hide what really matters, and it will take much more time and effort to re-reveal those true priorities again.

Happy inner gardening folks🙂

  //www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/oct/19/gardens-sweet-peas

 

Dare dream

Tags

beauty, belief, courage, daring, philosophy, poem, poetry

I wrote the first version of this for a friend who asked for a poem on the power of belief when I was writing three minute poems to order at a Christmas Fair. I’ve since played with it further because I could do with that power right now. And so I share the poem with you…and, just maybe, through the poem…I share with you that power of belief. May 2017 be the year you believe, trust and dare…greatly!

Love and blessings of belief to you all xxx

 

Would the sky

tut tut the stars

for shining too far?

***

Do the oceans laugh

at arrogant mankind

for failing yet

to know their depths?

***

There is more

in your heart and soul

than you dare dream of

in your philosophy

+++

so defy impossible

stretch it far

beyond that long extinguished star

whose light continues

yet to shine

beyond and through

the joke of time

***

disbelief nets no

soul

willing to face the truth of

freedom

and fly through the gaps

that appear only when you

see

 

 

 

 

GLADvent Day 10

Tags

advent, advent calendar, beauty, christmas, family, GLADvent, graitude, spirituality

Welcome to GLADvent day Ten! Yesterday we had the word Beauty.

My mother is here visiting, and Beauty is a word I strongly associate with Mum. She is incredibly creative, and has made so many beautiful things for me over the years, mostly knitted or crocheted, but also sewn – and yesterday, we found some really beautiful fabric which apparently she’s going to turn into something beautiful for my Christmas present:-)

Beauty is also a word that is synonymous with nature for me; the reflections on the slow flowing river as I walk into town, crushing beneath my feet leaves of every hue. Sometimes that kind of alive, raw, simple, untainted beauty brings tears to my eyes and takes my breath away quite literally. It opens me, softens me, unintentionally reflects back at me the generosity and sacredness of a world that refuses to stop producing intricate, delicate, vibrantly coloured flowers no matter how ugly some human behavior has become. That beauty loves being acknowledged and seen, and it brushes us with its sheen when we do:-)

And so, to the tenth stocking…but where…?

Well spotted 😉 So, let’s have a peek…

FAMILY: “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you,

as you are to them.”

– Desmond Tutu

Now take a moment to pause and reflect upon how Family has shown up in your life recently. Is this a particularly family focused time of year for you? Any new/recent additions, or are there friends you consider ‘honorary family’? Any particular traditions or rituals that happen in your family during this season?

Ten stockings turned! 🙂 Hope to see you tomorrow for number 11.

Do continue to share your thoughts and reflections in the comments section below as you wish…

GLADvent Day 9

Tags

advent, advent calendar, animals, anne frank, beauty, gratitude, sprituality

Welcome to GLADvent day nine! Yesterday we had the word Animals.

My closest animal friend right now is Oscar, a dear friend’s sweet natured old greyhound. I do speak to him, and firmly believes he understands, lifting his head so I can stroke under his chin, staying close and still for as long as I’m willing to stroke his back and gently tap his sides in greeting. In fact, as I write this, I become aware that I usually greet the animals before their humans 😉 Saying a hello and offering a smile…you know what, sometimes I even don’t even speak to the human! If they’re a stranger and don’t offer a ‘hello’ once I’ve greeted their dog, I will simply smile. Not quite sure where I’m going with this, but for now suffice it to say I love animals; and the bigger the better!

 

I rode a lot as a child, and horses are my first love. Recently I’ve had occasion to walk through many fields that are homes to cows, and a while back had a stunningly close encounter with some young calves. I didn’t speak outwardly this time, but rather stood very still and offered a silent welcome, until they approached me, and let me rub their foreheads, causing them to nod and sway with pleasure. In fact then there was a bit of jealousy and they all rushed me at once, so I had to slowly and carefully walk away!

 

And so, to the ninth stocking…but where…?

Great:-) Let’s turn over and see…

BEAUTY: “Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”

– Anne Frank

Now take a moment to pause and reflect upon how Beauty has shown up in your life recently. Beauty can be shy, so be aware it may be hiding. It can also take many forms, so use all your senses and ‘antennae’ – not just your eyes.

Nine stockings turned and we’re about to hit double figures!  Hope to see you tomorrow for number 10.

Do continue to share your thoughts and reflections in the comments section below as you wish…

Basking

Tags

beauty, nature, poem, poetry, river, writing

 

Down by the river side

it’s hard to hide

from the waves and ripples

that rush over the rocks to greet me

calling to a smile

I didn’t even know I had

until it came out

to bathe in the cool

pure waters knowing

there was plenty of sun

waiting to dry and warm it

as it basked in the beauty

of rocks smooth and smothered

in wild crazy paints

that must’ve fallen from the sky

and soaked into the solid stone

permanently because the patterns

won’t wash off

telling and preserving ancient stories

the wise landscape wants us to remember

 

and as I time travel tracing a finger tip

along the lines of white, grey

red and brown

that turn the pebble in my hand

into a map

I know I’ve found treasure

Love be in my heart

Tags

beauty, creativity, grace, joy, love, peace, poem, poetry, song

Please listen – lyrics/poem beneath

 

Love be in my heart

It’s not that love’s the easy way

It’s just that love’s the only way

A heart that wants to know the light

Can’t close when day turns into night

So let your love be real and raw

Your heart an ever open door

Real and raw

my heart an ever open door

***

Peace be in my soul

Don’t search for peace, it can’t be found

It’s something we have to create

With every thought, with every deed

with every breath we take

Yes, the world is suffering, that is true

But please don’t despair

Just make peace, in you

Know it’s true

You can make peace inside of you

***

Joy be in my smile

Let every cell you’re made of sing

And celebrate the little things

The wonder of a joy gone wild

Shining through a simple smile

That spreads, ignites and catches fire

Until it lifts the whole world higher

Catching fire

We’ll lift the world a little higher

***

Grace will be my guide

Sure, the way is not always clear

But truly, nothing is by chance

You don’t have to do this all alone

Just let grace be your partner in this dance

Watch and listen, grace will guide

Ever and always by your side

In this dance

ever and always by my side

 

***

 

I wrote this recently and my dear friend, Lili, (http://lilijohn.com/) who I sing with in a local choir, sings beautifully in the background while I read the poem and join in with the song at the end of each verse/stanza. Let me know what you think. It was soooooo precious and uplifting as we sang it together, and I really hope you all feel those good vibes.

 

Love always, Harula xxxxxx

 

 

 

Heads Held High

Tags

beauty, creativity, flowers, humility, nature, play, poem, poetry

When flowers

first formed

they didn’t know

they’d end up

in vases and wedding bouquets

healing teas and ikea linen

they simply grew

from an earth alive with play

inviting the insects

to dance and feast

beneath a sun that set

the colours just right

while the wind swiftly delivered

sky fulls of creative drafts

soliciting the services

of other soils

***

I’m so glad

flowers didn’t know

how important they’d be

for the weight of expectation

may have proved too heavy

to rest on slender stalks

straight backed and proud

heads held high

Washing Rainbows

Tags

beauty, camp, community, creativity, nature, singing, song

A fire unfolds

onto my bedroom floor

as clothes steeped

in a week long marinade

of wood smoke and song

spill from my rucksack

to plant seeds in the carpet

that fast grow into trees

to breathe through the ceiling

and remind my soul

there’s a sky above filling with stars

coming out to listen to the moon

***

As I step into the shower

I reveal rainbows

painted on tanned arms

which take scrubbing and soap

to reluctantly remove.

I watch them disappear

down the plughole

knowing they’ll rise again

to brighten cloudy days

***

I smile at those I meet

as I walk into town

feeling that which I came

so quickly to take for granted

transform into a rare gift

bestowed in silent seconds

like a jewel dropped into the pools

of eyes who’ve forgotten

their own depths

yet who now follow the glinting gems

into the darkness

where hidden treasures lie

***

Jewels, pools

ripples and rainbows –

I’ll never leave home

without them

 

I’ve just returned from a magical singing camp, and this poem is my way of preserving and sharing the divine deliciousness of days spent immersed in nature and the pure, soulful voices of 140 beautiful beings raised in harmonic celebration of what it is to be human; bliss, heaven, paradise and more…

 

While at the camp I shared a song I’ve posted here before, but I thought I’d add the link here for new visitors:

 

And if you want to read the lyrics, follow this link:

https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/2016/06/23/walking-along-me-singing-it/

 

With love always,

 

Harula xxx