A Poem of Gratitude: “In the Sanctuary of the Night”
Plus: “I Take Refuge In the Here and Now”: Transformational Poetry For The Spiritual Soul
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JOURNEY OF THE HEART # 38 Friday March 24, 2023
Photo Credit: Chinmayan
In The Sanctuary of The Night Long after midnight, I arrive home To pour living water Into our dry tanks From five gallon jugs Carried up the hill Two at a time. Below, in the bath house, A long tub of hot water Awaits me after I fill This storage tank until The water pressure rises Enough to make it flow Down to our little house At the bottom of the hill. Though it is hard work And I stumble in the dark, Carrying heavy jugs Up the steep hill, There is a song in my soul Of gratitude and celebration— To be doing things Which serve my family, That we have this water at all, Given freely to us by friends Far away in town, That we have this land In the mountains for our home, That we have our little house To live in and these days Of so much loving harmony With my true love and children… And that, after this Heavy work is done, A deep bath is waiting To receive this tired body In its steaming hot water That is my ultimate sanctuary Where I lay down and lie back, Open my heart and cry out To God in prayer, here In the sanctuary and Sacred silence of the night. April 28, 1988 Still Mountain Retreat
Photo Credit: Chinmayan I Take Refuge In The Here and Now The past is already gone, The future is not yet manifest. All we really ever have Is this present moment, Which is the only time When we can share Love, Commune with God or feel the Sweet currents of bliss flowing Within our own heart. Being present here and now Is a sanctuary always ever available, If we can still our minds and Come back into the present moment. Yet, nearly everyone lives their Days dwelling on the past Or anxiously anticipating the future, Without ever noticing that this moment Is a refuge, right here and now, From all the strife, stress and strain, Where God’s unconditional love, Grace and blessings are ever flowing. —Chinmayan
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