Here is a poem, it is actually… A reply DASKALOS gave to a participant in the audience after she asked why her efforts to effect a “healing” on another person didn’t cause what she intended. It came out poetically and made it easier to explain to her that she / and any other Human / cannot be a “Healers” but they can to an instrument / channel / by which the Holy Spirit and Logos can do their work if it is karmically appropriate on that other person. I take free, I give free, And God is looking after me.” DASKALOS ( London, 1993 04 25 )

Last week (Easter week), two signs of spring — return of the kingfisher to a farm pond nearby and first sighting of a dragonfly all golden in the sunlight — brought me back to a long beloved poem, As Kingfishers Catch Fire by Gerard Manley Hopkins. I was delighted to find a very moving recitation/video of it (by Evan Koons) right here on the gratefulness website. Thank you for providing this link!

Truly, I continue to be surprised and enriched by the beautiful collection of poetry (and reflections on poetry) offered here. You do an amazing job, dear Gratefulness Team! I also want to say that Dale Biron’s e-course A Fierce and Enduring Gratitude was a joy.

Finally, I especially treasure Brother David’s thoughts on poetry and so was even more delighted this past week to find here his essay titled O Gaia: Nature and the Poetic Intuition, which I will reread and reread and share, I am sure. His explanation of the vow of ‘stabilitas loci’ helps me cherish the particular circumstances of my life at this time; so I take this in as an affirmation, “When you can’t go far, go deep.” My heart overflows with gratitude for all of this.

Hello Creek, Br. David has often said that there are many things that we can’t be grateful *for* — certainly depression/C-PTSD could be included in that list (along with war, violence, etc.) — but that it may be helpful to open to the possibility that we can be grateful for an *opportunity* that the situation may provide. “Healing comes when you see the opportunity for growth that a painful situation has provided.” I love that you write “But I can appreciate that tears can be a cathartic release.” This simple acknowledgement of appreciating the cathartic release of tears is beautiful and points to the part of you which is already open to opportunity. You ask about other places on the site, and perhaps by now you have explored further and found some articles, videos, Q&As, poetry, or practices that have been helpful. I like Sheila’s encouragement to click on ‘explore’ and then visit ‘new to gratefulness.org?’ to orient yourself. We encourage you to roam around, there’s a lot here! Also under ‘explore’ you can click on ‘Areas of interest’ and there you will find an area called ‘healing the mind’ which may be helpful. Lastly, many in our community have told us how comforting they find our ‘Light a Candle” feature which can be found in the list under ‘Practice.’ Sometimes sitting quietly with an intention and ‘lighting’ a candle can soothe or transform a moment. In fact, I’m going to go there now to light a candle for you. It will ‘burn’ for 24 hours and will carry my wish that you find peace. With all well wishes to you, dear Creek, from Saoirse on behalf of the gratefulness team.

Hello Ed,

The introductory text beginning with…”The present state of worldwide anxiety…” refers to a statement made by Robert Muller — who served as Assistant UN Secretary-General for 38 years and then as Chancellor Emeritus of the UN University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica — as he described the event. A fuller description of the introduction can be found on this page http://gratefulness.org/resource/united-nations-meditation/. Thank you for your attending to the content of this post with such thoughtfulness. We appreciate your presence and participation on the site. Kindly, Saoirse (on behalf of the gratefulness team)