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Gratefulness
Enjoy this practice as a stand-alone experience or as the fifth of an eight-day series inspired by Br. David's appreciation of and experience with haiku.
Don’t look too hard to “find” a haiku. Let it find you. Be open, receptive, welcoming. ~ Zee Zahava
Welcome.
As haiku becomes a regular practice, we discover that paying attention — teamed with “forgetting ourselves” and connecting to the truth of our belonging — serve to inspire and nourish a sense of wonder, curiosity, and play. We begin, in the words of Tom Clausen, to “feel inspiration in moments freely found anyplace, anytime, anywhere.” We find ourselves with greater capacity to be open, receptive, and welcoming as we allow haiku to “find” us.
Haiku and calligraphy by Br. David Steindl-Rast
Tom Clausen observes that “Haiku return to us the wonder and curiosity we had as a child.” And yes, a childlike perspective is available to us in every moment. As Br. David has said, “That child is in every one of us, a child for whom the cosmos is alive.”
Today we invite you to move through your day experiencing the world around you with the wonder and curiosity of a child. Be curious and expansive. Experiment with being joyful, fearless, and a bit silly. Allow yourself to make playful connections and to notice the way that something out of place like a crooked flagstone may be offering you comfort, delight, or surprise. Be open, receptive, and welcoming; allowing a haiku (or more than one!) to find you.
When you are ready, write your haiku in a notebook and feel free to share it, along with any additional discoveries, in the reflection area below.
Enjoy the full eight-day Exploring Haiku practice.
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Hand written message from yesteryear friend of mine good memories flow.
Stoop steps wear new treads No more wet slippery feet from April showers.
With huge admiration stems strong singing flowers daffodilly determination.
Despite the 40-50mph winds, my daffodils stood to greet the day.
chitter chittering birds dancing before my eyes join in celebration
First cane-aided walk Nostrils funnel fresh spring air Wind tousles hair. Ah
Our Lady blazes Relics lost. Sad tragedy. History remains
Notre Dame on fire Spawns horror and disbelief The world is mourning.
Wind Temperatures drop Wind chimes ring in lively song Trees wildly dancing
Ice Cream Truck Familiar song Excited children running Cold and sweet the treats
Sons going pass Looking to see where The life she may live
I do see that there is a way To see some day Past one
Blue skies and winds Fair lawns and pastels To settle this days rent
Notre Dame Paris Cathedral fire shakes world Spire FALLS Eyes mist
I tried typing this in a creative format but it was somehow lost.
The fire is a tragedy.
And I know they ask for peak experiences, but this is the opposite. It’s a low… any comments? Grief is also a low but I’ve written about grief in the past.
The fire definitely brings grief up for me, as did unnaturally strong winds the other night. The state of our Earth, climate disruption, leaves me in a recurring state of grief. Here is what I wrote the other night with that in mind:
Fierce wind pummels the unsettled soul. Sleepless agitation. Grief.
catch the breeze butterfly kisses blow cloud shapes and bubble gum one, two, three… be silly, dirty, big, little with me
Half printed ticket data caught the observer´s joy! This bus rides to my friend.
Young one: watching, exploring Happy feet scurry Off we go! Sunshine!
Knj 4/15/19
The Secret Garden of my childhood reads evokes sweet memories in my. heart
The Secret Garden was my all time favorite read as a child. My father gave me the book for my tenth birthday; I still have it and it still fills my heart with joy so the haiku above.
Ball in sky captures eyes away from screams finding home in outstretched hands
Bike rides through shadows, sun splashed streets and hill crests once sparkling mirages
exotic orchid blooms are smiling straight at me so I smile right back!
—IDK
What manifestations of nature will show up its magic today ?
Rain falls from the sky again Puddles egg me on Come on why not jump
cinnamon-foamed chai buys me access, observer of college banter
the gap between us is not as wide as these clear- skinned dreamers may think
no tv, no paper, no radio yet news seeps in ah, Haiku relief
Love this!
Morning rain, torrential. Lilly stalk standing tall amid aging blooms, relentless.
Sun on stained glass Rainbow cast on old stone walls I dream of fruit sweets
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