Poets Salon: “Tree Pose”

POETS SALON

Tree pose by Terri Hale French (Photo – Peggy Hale Bilbro)

– 10/14/20

Hosted by Kath Abela Wilson

We can’t control the larger picture but this little space! …each of us can pace the pandemic, give shape and inner power to these moments by inviting others onto the magic carpets we create. Unfolding the origami of our days with virtual precision…

tree pose
a homing pigeon
lands on my head

~ Kath Abela

Ganehsa wall hanging at Peter Barnett Studio

Peter Barnett

Pretend you’re climbing a mountain. Each breath a step higher. At the top you can see for miles in all directions over the hills and valleys to the mountains beyond with a big blue sky overhead. This expansive view is symbolic of our mind’s limitless nature. Seeing the big picture reminds us we can be anything we want to be. Open your arms outward and breathe in this magical place.

There’s an opening at the top of the mountain through which we see steps going down. Let’s take them. As we count backward moving down the steps we find ourselves in an imaginary cavern. Light is streaming in from the opening above, embedded in the walls and on the floor we see quartz stones of yellow, pink, blue and white. At the bottom is a pool where the sunlight reflects off its mirror-like surface. The quartz stones, as tempting as they may be, represent extraneous thoughts – let’s leave them on the periphery. This cavern represents our inner sanctum. Our place of solitude. A place in which we can formulate an action plan for ourselves. Sitting at the edge of the pool we contemplate its mirror-like surface which is a metaphor for our soul and realize our job is to polish the mirror and remove the blemishes. Namasté.

I had given up practicing yoga on my own for the better part of ten years – burnt out from over-teaching and running my yoga studio. It’s funny how we avoid the things that are good for us. I decided while on lockdown in Cape Town that I could be of service as the best thing we can be doing these days is the work of enhancing our immune system. So on April 17th in my pajamas, out of shape and overweight, I decided to teach class number 1. I do each class live on my Facebook page each day at 7:30 am and they are all archived there, to be used by anyone at any time. And I just kept on going…..so…today, Day 146: Namasté at Home Flow Yoga. Strong one hour Intermediate Level class, with an optional changing meditation…

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Tree pose (Photo – Roy Kindelberger)

Roy Kindelberger

Daily Ritual

The sun has risen. I start the coffee. The smell fills the kitchen. As the first drop hits the bottom of the carafe. I close my eyes and stretch. Some morning yoga. Tai Chi. Swimming Dragon to be exact. The movements wake me up. The coffee finishes right about when I do. Grab a cup with extra creamer. Open my notebook.

daily ritual
the little things that get
my day going
later i’ll reread
a favorite novel

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A painting of 400 year old tree at Caltech by Jennifer Bentson

Peggy Hale Bilbro

sun salutation
in unison
reaching
blue sky cupped
in every mind

yoga down dog
in the garden
planting seeds

yoga up dog
in the garden
pulling weeds

yoga class
singing bowl
call to silence
my mind tunes
to mother earth

yoga class
I listen to my breath
wind in tree pose

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400 year old tree at Caltech that died last year (Photo – Kath Abela Wilson)

Tree Pose: Quotes and Credits

Peter Barnett was born and raised in Cape Town. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1980 at age He discovered yoga in 1997, began teaching it in 2000, and became a yoga studio owner from 2008-2015. He now lives and gives his zoom Yoga classes from Sherman Oaks.

Roy Kindelberger says: “Mornings. I warm up with yoga and Tai Chi. Often combine the two. Afterwards, I grab a cup of coffee. I’m a poet, writer, and an elementary teacher. I live in Edmonds, Washington, with my beautiful wife, Jaci. I have two wonderful children, Emily and Hailey.” Roy’s writing website can be found here.

Peggy Hale Bilbro lives in Huntsville, Alabama. She practices yoga daily as she returns to her center and seeks to establish inner peace in our restless world.

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♣ Tell us your story of the unusual interesting positive gifts and realizations that you have come upon by surprise, during these challenging times. Tell us about the new paths you have taken, those that might endure in your life, that may not have happened had we not been in this situation. We all know good things can come from difficulty. Unexpected doors open and we sometimes find treasure. What are your Silver Linings?

Send short poems, haiku, senryu, tanka, cherita haibun, tanka prose, short prose poems, etc., or your own unique approach, to Kath Abela by Facebook message or click here to email her directly. We can feature your work again after five months. Multiple Submissions can be saved to appear later:

1. Send a short bio, comments on the theme.
2. Send photos or artwork by you, if possible.
3. No attachments except photos.

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