POETRY/SPIRITUAL
Watching Forth
A painting-inspired poem
O Jiva,
You who are a spark of the Infinite One,
Remember the one Sun of Consciousness
Shining upon the footprints
Of all that you have done.
Though the world upon which you tread,
May singe your naked souls,
Keep yourself covered in the snowy white shroud
Of lofty thoughts and heartfelt deeds.
Lest the hag of the world’s ways,
Who lies in wait
In the shadows of the dunes of deeds
Grab your heart with her daggered claws.
Be aware, O Jiva,
Witness yourself,
And feel the Sun spin
In the forehead of your Awareness.
— Janaka Stagnaro
Thank you for reading. Years ago I did a series of “Jiva” paintings. Jiva is Sanskrit for the individual consciousness, or soul that resides in all of us. Though it is not separate from Brahman, the Absolute, and is the same divine substance, there is still the part to play of evolving spiritually. Along with these paintings, I wrote poems to…
