Remember That You Are Here
Poetry for Radical Self Care
All around us, in the larger world and in our individual lives, alongside the moments of joy and happiness, there is also chaos and misunderstanding. When we are experiencing difficult challenges or navigating change, we may feel lost. Our life may seem insignificant. We may find ourselves running on empty just to get through another day. We might not even feel like we are here, present in our own lives.
When these feelings arise it becomes easy to forget that, as the poet Mary Oliver says “Life offers itself to your imagination.” In fact, we are here, and we are meant to wake up, we are meant to live a conscious life.
The concept of self-care is alive and well in our lexicon. But, what does it really mean? I hear this question from clients daily: how do I know if I’m getting it right? I feel that the term “self-care” itself is worn out, much as we ourselves are.
We are physically, emotionally, and spiritually worn down. We are fixing food for our families and pets, getting the kids to school, kissing our loved ones goodbye for the day, and getting ourselves to work, too. And, every day it’s the same, round and round.
The prescription for anxiety and exhaustion, according to many magazines and books is “Self-Care Practices” and I agree. But, many of us are unsure of how to even “do” self-care.
We know how to care for others. We care for our families, parents, children, students, employees, but, the idea of extending that care to ourselves is completely foreign.
For centuries we have looked to poetry for insight and solutions. Poets such as Rumi, Hafiz, and others, have always pointed us back to ourselves to find the answers.
Through poetry, we begin to deepen our awareness of the greater whole, the greater force that is holding our world together. We begin to see the magic in our own lives.
Lately, I’ve been reading the poem “Lost” by poet and novelist David Wagoner. I’ve made a voice recording of the poem for you. Listen to it below.
Personally, I believe that we can’t listen to poetry enough. It’s such a magnificent tool for expanding our awareness and accelerating our growth.
Lost by David Waggoner
Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.
After reading and/or listening to “Lost,” read the poem again.
Then, try the three steps below:
Locate Yourself
Where are you? Notice the particular forest you are in. Notice the room, the window, the car. What day is it? What are you wearing? These are real, physical landmarks in your environment that tell you where you are, just like the trees and bushes in the poem. Say it out loud, I am in my kitchen, I am at my desk. I am with my dog.
Pay Attention to Your Breath
Now, that you know where you are, close your eyes and notice your breathing. Don’t try to change anything at first, just notice your breath moving in and out of the body. And, then gently and effortlessly, begin to lengthen the inhalation and the exhalation. Little by little. With no expectation or judgement.
Name What You are a Part Of
Next, open your eyes and look around again. See how you are part of the larger forest, part of this huge and diverse world. There is a force greater than you that is holding you here. Call it Gravity or Higher Power or God. The name doesn’t matter. It has you. It supports you. It is your Home.
We can relax into knowing this ever-present safety. We can have faith that it will never leave us. We can know we are not alone.
By reading and listening to evocative poems like David Wagoner’s “Lost” we can begin taking steps to amplify our radiance, our personal energy, our Inner Light.
This is is just the beginning. It’s a practice I’m committed to. Let’s do it together!
We are here and we matter. I am not lost. And, neither are you.
Jennifer Lakshmi Dove is a trained intuitive astrologer, a certified Martha Beck Life Coach, and a writer. She is the author of “Into the Green.” She lives in Colorado and was born in Washington, DC. She has two kids, a sweet Flat-Coated Retriever named Bella, and she loves to travel. She is the host of the “Jennifer Dove Show” on Mondays at 10 a.m. Pacific on 12Radio. You can find her on https://jenniferdove.com.
