Creating A Poem during Spirit Play ⋆ Christine Gautreaux MSW

Dear Friends,

I have so much to share and I want to tell you about what I’ve been up to the past month! I think it’s about 5 blogs worth so I decided the best course of action is to start with today. The present moment.

This morning I had the privilege to attend Spirit Play , an amazing Interplay group led monthly by Jennifer Denning and Debra Hiers, at the Shambhala Center in Decatur, GA.

Beautiful Ikebana arrangement by Cholu – picture by CG.

Today we played with InterPlay warmup, babbling, side-by-side stories, shape and stillness and a quote and a poem. The Poem was The Guest House by Rumi:

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honourably.

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

All of the arrangements by Artist Cholu are created from plants on the grounds of the Shambhala Center

We played with several activities around this and one included writing a “response” to this poem and our feelings and here is mine:

This morning I greet the day

with a crick in my neck and a headache.

Again, a pain a discomfort, a mar

to a beautiful morning.

I greet you crick.

Welcome to my home.

Is it selfish to ask

“What gifts did you bring?”

Perhaps the gift of stillness

and Self-Care?

Or the gift of knowing how often I feel great!

The gift of gratitude for modern day medicine

and the awareness of how long it’s been since our last massage.

As I relax into your pain

with a deep breath and gentleness,

I feel you relax

I wonder,

“Just how long will you stay???”

I found it fun and healing to go at the pace of my body today and help play with the pain and transform it through poetry and laughter!

Wood, rock and flower arrangement by Cholu

It’s been a full and amazing month of August AND I’m realizing that it’s time for some maintenance including some radical self-care.

Wrapping you around with infinite love and wisdom,

Christine

“Go back and take care of yourself. Your body needs you, your feelings need you, your perceptions need you. Your suffering needs you to acknowledge it. Go home and be there for all these things…” Thich Nhat Hanh