The tight constraints of reason
Hold captive the imagination of the elder
Wisdom releases intuition
Once again letting it find balance with reason
The sage knows intuition but does not speak of it
Rather, through action intuition soars, overtaking those around her
Unfettered, the soul or intuitive mind reflects the wonders of the universe,
Of the smallest speck of sand, of the smile of an aging artist.
“The artist lets his is intuition take him where it may” (Tao Te Ching, Lao-Tsu)
® Susan Smalley
In the purple is the light
Open to the shine
Releasing the male is the female
In each is found the other
On the Way, a path is formed
Doubt creates junctures
Settling into intuition
No one is lost.
Using reason as a guide befuddles the mind
Using reason to encourage others, opens the stream.
Speak to the many
Center on One.
Knowledge in pursuit of knowing puts barriers on the Way.
Holding knowledge in the arms of intuition is the mother protecting her child.
Fierce as the father may strike
She bends as supple as a willow tree
Acknowledging the human mind and inabilities to see.
When ignorance fades and a glimpse of Truth is evident, the mind rests not until Truth is revealed.
Without the human mind as filter, we would be blinded by the light and immobilized in stillness.
Yin without yang is empty.
© Susan Smalley
The ego likes a good massage and is always quick to grab one
The initial brush with vanity is easy to unmantle
Just pay attention, note yourself
To see the attachment to praise as it springs alive unhindered
Until you note and say to it “there you are again my friend”
Do not be angry with that ego, it’s so very thin and shallow
Hallow except for its shiny exterior, strengthened by the attention of others.
When seen for what it is, a lonely entity without property
Working to both protect you from suffering and creating suffering in that protection
Smile yourself, pat it lovingly on the back,
Let it know you are strong enough without its effort,
Let it rest awhile.
© Susan Smalley
Wrestling thoughts, early morning,
Coffee dark and supportive.
A poet cat mind within,
Creative, non-conformist, and wise.
Reaching in to discover the lines of thought traversing time
Meaning conveyed in objects traveling between forgotten memories
A Stradivarius plucked through ages
A Buddha’s hair stored in Myanmar
Christ’s essence held in a wafer
Mohammad’s heart held in the Koran
The living presence of individual’s lives
Contained in remnants through touch
Through words
In thought
In mind.
The one mind of eternity
of heart
of the essence
of life and death and rebirth
of infinitesimal lifetimes, lived in a day, in a generation, in an eternity.
The one infinite mind without beginning or end
The constant mind seen only in change, in evolution.
© Susan Smalley
MIND
Up. down east, west
Directions leading nowhere
In the space of time or mind
We time and space travel
Without fear
In dreams we release
The bounds of reason and flourish in the expansiveness of intuition
In sleep our creativity may soar unbounded by the doubting self
Daydreamers find release
In not only night
Shamans and yogis harness the power of intuition to soar above the lands to look down upon the world
© Susan Smalley
MELANCOLY
In the midst of morning sadness
The willow waves her branches
The grass sprouts up to wave hello to morning sunshine.
Children roll down hills of heather
Steeped in rich purples
Fragrant
Wet hot pavement darkened soles
My feet reveal the earth in its four corners.
© Susan Smalley
DISCOVERY
Become what you are.
A mistletoe at Christmas sparkling a kiss.
A cloud floating by on a summer’s blue sky
A kiss from a child all giggly and warm
An arm from a stranger, sturdy and worn
In life there is much discovery.
Heartfelt hugs
Whispers of love
Touches of caring
Crinkles of kindness
Sand swept mounds of altruism
In the minor cacophony of anger
Is an ocean of joy.
Touch it, touch the earth,
Feel dirt bounce under bare feet,
Sunshine on summer sundresses
Visors protecting smiles and wrinkled eyes,
Gleaming, the world is one at peace.
© Susan Smalley
PEACE
Winds of peace wrap arms of love around us.
© Susan Smalley
FEAR
Fear of loss keeps those
Travelers in their homes
Afraid to venture without
A map, unknown territories
Beckon the few brave ones
To shed light on the rest of the world.
Ignorant, we travel in circles
Wise, we sit down and rest
Aged, we wander over the earth
Touching her every corner
Seeping in the richness of color, smell, taste, touch and sound.
Each bird chirping, mouse moving, flower falling,
Tree wavering, becoming the living,
Breathing mass reflective of humanity at its best,
forgotten by humanity at its worst.
© Susan Smalley
