From NOEBIE.net
With Three Breaths
We rouse the Energy
and prime
its pathway
With Fourteen Breaths
We charge the pathway
and center the Energy
in an
upward flow
With Four Breaths More
We see the Light
We hear the
sacred
ॐ
Breathless
We learn to become
clear
awake
and free
I’ve been reading (and watching) a lot of witchy material these days. Annabel Margaret’s The Green Witch YouTube Channel has become one of my favorites. Her depth of knowledge, sensible approach and calming presence make the channel a pleasure to watch.
Her book, The Green Witch’s Guide to Herbal Magick, is a marvelous introduction to the subject. It includes lots of practical and philosophical information, common preparations and practices, details on numerous herbs, and a spell compendium for use and adaptation.
What I like best about the book is that it covers the “why” questions. It’s not just a list of instructions, but the principles behind them. She includes background on why things work they way they do, and how we can use this knowledge to make the practice our own.
Even if you’re not interested in formal spellwork or imbuing the workings with specific intent, a lot of what she imparts would be fun for mundane crafting and culinary use.
Although accessible to beginners, this book moves beyond to serve as a great guide through the intermediate stages of practice. I’m thankful to have found it.
In May of 2024 I learned about this cool project from one of my favorite bands, Merry Hell. They crowdsourced a choir for the recording of this peace anthem, written by Virginia Kettle.
Each of us (representing five continents) sent in audio of ourselves singing along, and the band mixed them all together to form the “1000 Voice Choir.”
The recording debuted on New Year’s Day and rose to the Top Twenty of the Folk Alliance International Folk Chart shortly after its release.
The message is timely, and timeless. Here’s a wish that “some with their minds unconsciously blind” will be awakened by listening.
Peace.
I don’t know how
long the prayer
flags were down
before
we noticed.
Kid spotted them first.
What’s up with our flags?
I checked the calendar
for inauspicious
days for Lung Ta
before heading out back to reconnoiter.
The cord
was broken
or cut
on both ends.
Left a little noose
or loop
around the Maple’s branch to the west.
Left the first flag
– a yellow one –
to the east.
The rest of it
yellow blue white red green jumbles from Nepal
was strewn all about
the scratchy branches of an invasive bush
and wrapped around
the gentle old evergreen’s trunk.
Beyond my ken to repair.
I gathered the whole mess up
and offered it, carefully, respectfully, deliberately, ceremoniously
to the fire pit
on the patio
to rest ‘til spring
when the smoke
can carry our prayers.
Don’t Walk | Walk: And Other Poems About Pretending to Sleep and Waking Up
Many years ago when I began writing for a living, I told my wife that I thought I would publish a book some day. Her response was to ask “Will this be an actual printed book, or one of those bullshit website things?”
Thanks to the revolution in self-publishing tools since then, it turns out to be an actual printed book.
I looked at several options for publication, and although I have reservations about Amazon, their KDP platform fit best with my goals for the project. I wanted wide distribution and low out of pocket costs to publish, but (most importantly) I wanted to be able to control the overall look of the finished product – in particular the fonts, and the layouts of the poems on the page.
The book is now available at this link.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRZJDMTC
These poems were written over the course of several decades, and capture some of my journey from a failing marriage to building a life with my true love, from deep cynicism to the first hints of spiritual awakening.
Should you decide to read it, I hope that you find something of interest.
Links to stream on all of the major music platforms are on the Sharanam Records website.
May all beings everywhere live in peace and joy.
It’s a feeling
not quite like depression
not quite like longing
not quite like nostalgia
Not lethargy
nor anxiety
nor wistfulness
Quiet
Still
Distant
Neither pleasant nor
especially unpleasant
Anticipation
Anticipating
Oblivion
Is there any more yet to do?
It may seem as though we’ve advanced
We bring all of life’s
big rich pageant
to our
little screens
But some days I feel like
we’re all just
watching ourselves burn
on
YouTube
Urchin girl walks
with dog
Sun drenched boys
warm up and stretch
resolute
dutiful
on the wet sand
Big round muscular
bottoms
paddle to the
lineup
Set as thumbnails
to draw
your click
Wave after
Wave after
Wave
What if I were to
only follow poets
How would that set
things spinning
Do they make an algorithm
for the soul
Would I miss the
Wall Street Journal