raccoon

poem by me ♡

I place it all into the stream
this stream vibrating with light
this stream flowing as it
was always meant to flow

I place it all into the stream
the hope that has faded
the sorrow that risks the dam
the shadows that weigh

I place it all into the stream
and initially the intensity
increases like a vast cicada
song humming within my skin

I place it all into the stream
and once it is felt, once it is
given a voyage name, it de-
parts, and I breathe with ease

I (this self vibrating with light
this self flowing as she
was always meant to flow)
place it all into the stream

♡

Science info in the graphic referenced from PBS Nature.

hawk

 

poem by me ♡

driving from here to there
almost touching eighty

land and sky merging
their own form of two-step
wild tangle of golden green

a hawk flies across my path
low enough where we could
have eye gazed if the world

had paused, but instead
our feathers brush in brief
hello at this crossroads

unmarked by society
but known wholly by us.

♡

Science info in the graphic referenced from The National Audubon Society.

orb-weaving yellow garden spider

poem by me ♡

I walk the spiral path

wandering out, brushing
against life, collecting shards
of light and sustenance
then returning to my center

painting my skin with glow
and dreams, jotting down
meaning, identity, words
onto tongue and into heart

looking myself in the eye
as I fade and reform, as I shed
one version and live another,
a silent and loud weaving

wandering out, brushing
against life, collecting puddles
of light and sustenance
then returning to my center

I am the spiral path 

♡

Science info in the graphic referenced from National Wildlife Federation and University of Florida - Entomology & Nematology.

squirrel

observations and a poem by me ♡

squirrel observations: using their tails as fuzzy umbrellas while eating in the rain. flattening against cooler or wet earth on steamy hot days, looking like furry pancakes. parkouring through trees, solo or with a buddy. watching people and the world with endless curiosity. burying nuts every.where.always.  

poem:

when I look to the future, the pragmatic, the to-dos,
the tough work now that lends to later softness and ease,
I weave gold tinted leaves into my hair and flow
with playful and wild grace, letting the weight feel
like adventure, like a chase among winding branches,
like the earth catching my stumbles,
like the present and future holding hands.

♡ 

Science info in the graphic referenced from Forest Preserve - District Will County.

hummingbird

simple poem by me ♡

a hummingbird collects nectar 

and air right outside my window  

dining on the golden blooms then 

standing still in a feathered whirl; 

it's a sweet wonder, a messenger

of joy on a day of layered grey. 

♡

Science info in the graphic referenced from Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

Note: I posted several of these on social media throughout the month, but I'm just updating here, xo.

the current will find you - wild river - poem by me

 

This wraps up my exploration of this theme. Thanks for exploring with me for the last month. ♡

I stand in the shallows
almost existing between
the ripples, the dance
of light, the breaths.

then one day the waves
build in the distance
and surge forward, 
meeting me in the present,

carrying me into the future,
and all I can think to do
is laugh because I'm
held by the water's motion, 

not drowning even a little,
leaf shadows tattooing my skin,
the lightest drops of rain
washing away the tangles.

the current will find me,
continually, like an old friend
I sometimes lose touch with,
but feel is kindred with every

coming together.

To learn more - The Current Will Find You - Intro ♡

the current will find you - wild river - creativity prompt, part two

Shared at the start of the week, here was the original prompt: 

This week, we're going to play with the concept of found art. Collect things as you're going through your days - notes or receipts blowing in the breeze, a fallen leaf, a pebble, anything that catches your eye and makes you feel curiosity or peace. Place all the items in a bowl / container. Later in the week, I'll post prompts to explore and play. ♡

Now, some ideas for additional exploration! ♡

1. Consider any of the following questions for reflection or journaling: What are these art / life messengers trying to tell me? Do I see a unifying theme among the items? In what ways are they different? How do they spark curiosity? How do they bring peace? 

2. Write a short story where the main character is on an Epic Quest and is given a pouch with these items to assist them. In your story, perhaps allow the main character to use at least one of the items to gain an important insight.

3. Create a simple poem. As the first lines of your poem, write out the list of all the items you collected. Then, for your final line, fill in the blank: Mystery showed me (what?). 

4. Create a collage using all the items. Consider adding magazine clippings that follow similar themes or add extra color and texture. 

5. Arrange your items to look like a mandala: a center item with other items branching out, like how a bloom would look or a kaleidoscope. Take a photo.  

6. Weave these items into meditation. Place the bowl of items into your lap. Close your eyes and do a couple rounds of comforting, deep breathing. Ask, "What do I need to consider today?" Allow yourself to pick up an item without trying to over-think what your hand is touching / selecting. Open your eyes, observe your selection, and ask yourself. "What is this item trying to tell me?"

To learn more - The Current Will Find You - Intro ♡

the current will find you - wild river - breath + affirmation

Take a little time to focus on your breathing. Try breathing in for five counts, pausing for five counts, exhaling for five counts, and pausing again for five counts. Allow yourself to receive the full expansion through your inhalation, then exhaling just as fully. Do this pattern for at least a couple of cycles, then breath however is most comfortable to you, still being conscientious with your inhales and exhales.  

Consider exploring any of the following combinations to mentally 'say' during your breathing:

On inhale:
I accept life's mystery.
I soak in life's beauty.
I receive mystery's wisdom.
I will know when it's the right time to know.

On exhale:
I release fear.
I release resistance.
I release the need to know immediately.
I release my quest for certainty. 

♡

To learn more - The Current Will Find You - Intro ♡

the current will find you - wild river - poem by me

I paint the sky with mood
and it becomes a doorway
that I tiptoe through,
wrapping the charcoal
smudges onto my skin
like a smoky kiss,
like a veil,
walking toward a sunbeam
that I curl up in,
just for a moment
until the distant horizon
grows wings and calls out
my name in a tone
I've never heard before.

To learn more - The Current Will Find You - Intro ♡

the current will find you - wild river - art prompt

 

Unknowns in life can sometimes be scary, but think of the ways that mystery has been beautiful in life. Maybe a choice that ended up far better than anticipated. Maybe a chance meeting. Maybe thick storm clouds rolling over the landscape with golden light finding a sky window to pour through.  

Art option one ♡

Go for a walk with your phone / camera. Take photos of anything that looks mysterious (in any interpretation of the word). 

Art option two ♡ 

Doodle or paint with the theme: "mystery is beautiful." Some possibilities: Draw / paint what exists on the other side of a closed door. Draw / paint a landscape the moment before something amazing happens. Let the pen or paint define what mystery is for you.

To learn more - The Current Will Find You - Intro ♡

the current will find you - wild river - opening creativity prompt

 

Opening creativity prompt ♡

This week, we're going to play with the concept of found art. Collect things as you're going through your days - notes or receipts blowing in the breeze, a fallen leaf, a pebble, anything that catches your eye and makes you feel curiosity or peace. Place all the items in a bowl / container. Later in the week, I'll post prompts to explore and play. ♡

To see follow up prompts - here ♡
To learn more - The Current Will Find You - Intro ♡

Note: I shared these daily on social media, but I'm adding this week's posts here all at once, xo.