Sharing my original poetry which encompasses topics that touch my heart and soul including spirituality, faith, theology, nature, authentic being and belonging, social justice, and social criticism.
speaking honestly now, crying out into the silence, seeking to project understanding, hope, and healing into the challenge of giving care to a beloved
having no time for platitudes, sentimental claptrap, and well-meaning advice, these self serving idols of comfort, security, positive-thinkers
do not tell me about long goodbyes and cruel diseases; the stigmas of Alzheimer’s, and its resulting isolation and lack of support, are contemptible in our competitive society
and so we two, together here and now, presently in our deathless love, falling upward into this simple, sweet life, sharing warm hugs, a deep mutual attentive presence, and loving-kindness for all beings in deep gratitude
Herb Stone here&now working poetry September 12, 2022
photo by author ‘Resting’ and “Here and Now”
Author note: I have labored to write this piece for weeks in an effort to bring a balance in the tension between living in a society that does not value the aging resulting in trite sentimentality, the isolation of individuals and caregivers, and the lack of compassionate support and care, vis-a-vis the reality of caregiver spouses and their beloved with Alzheimer’s living and loving with presence and attention together here and now. Their is a great need for everyone to better understand those living with this disease and for more compassionate and accessible support and care. Let us love one another!
poem: child of the universe,
hippie, yogi, elderneither clinging to a nostalgic past,
nor projecting a future of sentimentality,
now resisting social norms of
emotional idealism and neurotypical
stereotyping
I, being a witness of here and now,
maintaining spiritual consciousness,
invitational presence, and attentive
mutuality, connecting deeply at soul level,
opening to the wholeness of other
we, belonging here together in beloved
community, falling upward in grace and love,
cycling through the bardo, eternally together
with the supreme in cosmic union,
that am I (tat tvam asi)
Herb Stone
here&now working poetry
August 28, 2022
photo by author
“Here is, in truth, the whole secret of
Yoga, the science of the soul. The active
turnings, the strident vibrations, of
selfishness, lust and hate are to be stilled
by meditation, by letting heart and mind
dwell in spiritual life, by lifting up the
heart to the strong, silent life above, which
rests in the stillness of eternal love, and
needs no harsh vibration to convince it of
true being.”- Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali
“The Perennial Philosophy is expressed
most succinctly in the Sanskrit formula,
tat tvam asi (‘That art thou’); the Atman,
or immanent eternal Self, is one with
Brahman, the Absolute Principle of all
existence; and the last end of every human
being, is to discover the fact for himself, to
find out who he really is.” – Aldous Huxley
“It is only those who are in constant revolt
that discover what is true, not the man who
conforms, who follows some tradition. It is only
when you are constantly inquiring, constantly
observing, constantly learning, that you find
truth, God, or love.”- Jiddu Krishnamurti
witnessing life’s tension with both/and mind, opening to the complementary experiencing the interconnectedness of all things (oneing),
the initiated adult in the the second half of life emerges from their ego’s protective shell of small self becoming an invitational presence of mutuality and belonging here and now in the beloved community
Herb Stone August 15, 2022 here&now working poetry
poem: mindful, intentional, purposeful
our presence deeply touching the moment beyond ego and selfishness
performing acts sacramentally without attachment to outcomes
interconnecting as One in the flow of all existence
manifesting equanimity of mind healing inner fears and worldly suffering
being holistically body, mind, and spirit in mutuality with the Cosmos
transforming personal self awareness through dominant thinking to collective Self realization of Spiritual Union
prepare practice participate
one turns around receives the key opens the door, enters
Herb Stone here&now working poetry August 1, 2022
art image by Meghan Oona Clifford ‘Star Born’
like the lodestar in the dark of night calling us to safe harbor
the host setting an extra place at the table for the unexpected guest
the healer connecting deeply with others through their own wounds
the creative soul offering its expression as a gift to the universe
the True Self animating our life together in communities of belonging
the spirit uplifting the life and dignity of all oppressed beings
the dear friend who senses our need and reaches out in support
being the invitational presence subtly communicating to all one’s radical acceptance and inclusion
Herb Stone here&now working poetry July 22, 2022
self photo “Opening the Heart Chakra’
Author’s note: Each of us can cultivate an invitational presence which is key to fostering healthy beings, relationships, and communities of authentic belonging. An excellent resource on invitational presence and belonging is Toko-Pa Turner’s book, ‘Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home.” This is an area I must continually work on due to a temperament for solitude.