Spiritual Growth | Reflections on the Teche

Archive for the ‘Spiritual Growth’ Category

Spiritual Thursday: Wintering

Posted in Gratitude, Spiritual Growth, tagged Enneagram, spiritual journey, Susan Piver on December 5, 2024| 8 Comments »

Spiritual Journey, First Thursday is being hosted today by Kim Johnson at Common Threads. This is Kim’s first time to host, so please give her some comment love!

Kim Johnson, our SJT host, has read a new book, Wintering by Katherine May. I have not read this, but I loved reading Kim’s thoughts about how winter gives us some time to read and reflect. I wish I could say that I’ve had that kind of time, but the truth is things have been quite frenzied around my house. But a spiritual journey means even in times of stress, we should make moments in our day for prayer, meditation, and reflection.

I am currently reading The Buddhist Enneagram: Nine Paths to Warriorship by Susan Piver. I heard her on a podcast called The Austin Enneagram by Elizabeth Chapin. The author Susan Piver writes concisely about the enneagram numbers while adding in Buddhist teachings around warriorship. Who doesn’t want to be a warrior? I struggle to embrace the good aspects of my number (four) and tend to focus more often on the negative ones, such as overrun emotions and shame. Working on ourselves and with our personalities is a lifelong spiritual journey.

AI tells me “In Buddhism, warriorship is about being present with what is happening, and not reacting with fight or flight. It’s about facing one’s own neurosis in order to address the neurosis of the world”

I can become a warrior by living in gratitude.

On one of those frenzied days, I became overcome by irritation, so I took a drive by myself. I went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. While I checked out, a woman recognized me and told me how her husband was in the hospital. My heart went out to her. Also, my irritation was relieved. God was letting me know, through presence and empathy, I can be selfless and generous. Maybe I can be a warrior who “addresses the neurosis of the world.”

What are you reading on these cold days? How are you being a warrior?

Here is the link to the Google spreadsheet for 2025 if you would like to host a month for Spiritual Journey First Thursday. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G73WNfn54dXAqT8gJTAcPfPtmWh0pXxo1LrTdf2aTMA/edit?usp=sharing

Read Full Post »

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Prayer Candles

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Spiritual Growth, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, poetry, prayer candles, spiritual journey, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on November 6, 2024| 28 Comments »

Prayer candles in St. James Episcopal Church, 2024 by Margaret Simon

I was in my childhood home church on Sunday. While the scent of incense lingered, I walked over to the columbarium to say hello to my dad. I saw the metal rack of votive candles. I decided to light a candle for my mother, in hospice care at the end stages of Alzheimer’s, and one for my daughter’s mother-in-law who is battling cancer. To light a candle for someone symbolizes the prayer intention. Do we need this symbols? I believe we can pray without them, of course, but something in me was comforted by the act of lighting.

I invite you to consider holy moments, whether they be in church or out in nature, perhaps even in the quiet of your day. We can set intentions and practice mindfulness. What are your intentions today? Write a small poem in the comments and encourage others who write with us.

Instead of empty…
fill
Instead of fallow…
fertile
Instead of loss…
love
Instead of lies…
truth
Instead of hopelessness…
faith

Read Full Post »

Spiritual Thursday: Change and Transformation

Posted in Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Alzheimer's, Butterflies, caterpillars, change, Faith Broussard Cade, spiritual journey, transformation on October 3, 2024| 8 Comments »

Leigh Anne has the October Spiritual Thursday gathering at A Day in the Life.

While walking in my neighborhood, I saw this large monarch sitting on the ground, barely moving. I crouched down expecting it to fly away, but she stayed very still. I gently placed my finger under her legs and she stayed there on my hand. I marveled at this moment while also worrying about why she was so lethargic. Had she just landed after a long trip from the north? Was she hungry?

I lifted her tired body to a nearby rose bush. I left her there with a blessing.

I often turn to the life cycles of nature to gather a spiritual understanding of change and transformation. Change is hard. I’ve watched my mother change from a vibrant, active woman to an inactive, confused invalid. I know there are parts of her still there, but they are harder and harder to see as she transforms. I question the cruelty of it all, but perhaps it’s only cruel in my limited vision, but not so cruel to her. How can I know?

When a caterpillar begins its pupa stage, there is a struggle. It wiggles and writhes, dropping its head and consuming its body sometimes right before our eyes.

Then it’s the waiting time, absorbing its old self and becoming something new and magical.

I wish I could stop time. I wish I could sit with my mother again and talk about everything. Change and transformation include this in between time, the time of waiting, the time to be present and grateful for what was and will be again.

Faith Broussard Cade posts inspiring notes on Instagram daily. I love them. You can follow her @fleurdelisspeaks. Her new book is Shine Bright Anyway.

Read Full Post »

Slice of Life: Cooling Down

Posted in Slice of Life, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Ethical ELA, oracle deck, poetry on September 24, 2024| 4 Comments »

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.

For multiple reasons, I had a rough week last week. On Saturday, I woke up early and went to a local farmer’s market to sell books and make “zines” with kids. It was really great fun, but hot! By the time I finished, I had not eaten or had anything to drink, so I went to my daughter’s house to cool off, literally.

Maggie and I started talking about my week and the day at the market. She suggested I pull a card from her oracle deck, “Mysteries of Love” from alenahennessy.com.

The card I pulled could not have been more perfect, literally and figuratively.

Today on Ethical ELA’s Open Write, the prompt was given by Larin, Thought You Should Know.

I wrote a poem to the Oracle Deck:

To the Oracle Deck (Snap Dragon: Cooling Down)

I want you to know
I’m trying to balance
will & ego,
soothe my inner fire,
but the system pushes
back again and again.

I want you to know
they say we have to move Mom
to skilled nursing. No! I shout
to you. This is not the path
I expected.

I want you to know
I tried to smile at everyone
I met in the halls at school.
I held onto a door handle
and did tree pose
just to test my balance.

I want you to know
how much I want to love
a puppy that chews my shoelaces
as I write this. If I stay cool,
will he stop and look up
with loving eyes?

I want you to know that no matter
what you told me on Saturday,
my will is fading fast
on Tuesday. I should pick
another card.

Read Full Post »

Spiritual Journey and Poetry Friday: Wholehearted

Posted in being mamére, Gratitude, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #beingmamére, #HurricaneFrancine on September 13, 2024| 18 Comments »

Today is a dual post for Spiritual Journey and Poetry Friday. Ruth Ayres is our host for the Spiritual Thursday link up here. Heidi Mordhorst has the Poetry Friday gathering here.

Ruth chose the topic of “wholeheartedly” for Spiritual Thursday. When I looked up the meaning of wholeheartedly, I read “with complete sincerity and commitment.”

Due to the invasion of Hurricane Francine, I wholeheartedly jumped into protection mode. My daughter sheltered at our house with her two littles, Leo (5.5) and Stella (3.5). Combine that toddler energy with a 6 month old puppy and you get an equation of full on energy. We baked, we colored (Albert ate a few crayons), we read, watched a fun Disney movie “Brave”, and played and played and played. My daughter said to me as they took all the plastic containers out of the cabinet, “They never get bored.”

My teacher heart was happy when Leo wanted to write a book. We folded a zine, and he wrote and drew. It was fun so see him making the connection between letters and sounds and words. His first page read “Mat is soopr hro.” He couldn’t stop laughing when he decided that Mat would sit on a pear. I loved seeing his face shine with pride.

I’m happy to report that Francine came through with little fanfare here in the arch of the boot, New Iberia. She skirted by to the east and only dumped rain and some leaves and branches. My grandchildren have learned about earning cash for chores, so they happily helped pick up sticks (a penny a stick) and swept cypress needles off the deck.

This post is neither very spiritual or poetic, but I felt I should post something. There’s a reason I didn’t write much while my children still lived in our home. I am wholeheartedly a mother and now a grandmother. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Leo and Stella show pride in their baked banana bread.

Read Full Post »

Spiritual Journey: Pause a While

Posted in Gratitude, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged pause, spiritual journey on August 1, 2024| 6 Comments »

Carol Varsalona is gathering Spiritual Journey posts. She chose the topic of Pause.

Pause. Be still. Take a break. Breathe.

I hear a mantra in Carol’s call for us to reflect on the word “Pause.” My summer has been a time for pause, a time to reflect and rest. Here I am on the first day of August awake before the sun. Teachers report back to school today. My pausing time is at an end.

So especially today, I want to remind myself that even though I will be in the classroom among the hubbub of school activities, bells, schedules, carpool, crazy, I can still make space for pause.

A pause can be small.
Stop to notice.
Breathe in a peaceful moment.
Look at a child.
Rest in their smile.
Pause is a peaceful word,
the sound of silence
in the midst of my day.
As I drive the country roads,
I can pause to notice the clouds,
how they drift without direction
or concern.

Soften your eyes. Notice where your body
feels pain or anxiety. Speak to it.
Honor the feeling, then release it.
You can do this, I tell myself.
You can be calm, open to what the day
offers. Rest in the knowledge that all
will be well. All will be well.

Read Full Post »

Spiritual Thursday: I Have a Voice

Posted in Gratitude, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Audrey Assad, choir, singing, voice lessons on July 11, 2024| 10 Comments »

Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town is rounding up this month’s Spiritual Journey posts.

I have been singing all of my life. I can remember being in a church choir when I was a teenager. We performed “Godspell” which is still one of my favorite musicals. I was never up front as a soloist but confidently following the alto line. I’ve been in our church choir for 30+ years.

Recently I’ve felt a weakness in my voice. Sometimes nothing comes out or notes crack. I never know when it’s going to happen, but I wanted to conquer it. Get my voice back. I made a play list on my phone I titled “I Have a Voice.” It includes songs like “A Beautiful Noise” by Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile and “Little Voice” by Sara Bareilles. I’ve been singing along for a year. My brother, who is a professional musician, told me I just needed to sing more often. He suggested, “Set a time of the day that you will sing, like on your way to school.”

In the spring, I received an email from our local community theater offering voice lessons for the summer. I thought, “why not?” Lanie, my voice teacher, is young and talented. I’ve watched her in the theater’s musicals and she has a voice. What I didn’t know when I started was whether or not she could teach. She can! We’ve worked together for four weeks. Most of all I have gained confidence. I still have instances when my voice catches, but now I know not to panic. I relax my throat and move on.

Last Sunday I sang a solo of one of the songs on my playlist, “Little Things with Great Love” written by Audrey Assad. Her songs are poetic. They are not traditional, but they are thoughtful and deeply spiritual.

I was able to tell Lanie with a glimmer of tears in my eyes that I was proud of my performance. I don’t plan any kind of career in singing. I just want to “make a beautiful noise” and perhaps touch others with my voice. I think I accomplished that on Sunday.

Read Full Post »

Spiritual Thursday: It is Well

Posted in Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #haiku, #Peace, #poemsifpresence, Audrey Assad, spiritual journey on June 6, 2024| 9 Comments »

This month’s Spiritual Journey is being gathered by Karen Eastlund.

In these first few weeks of summer, I find myself lingering. Taking my time on my morning walk to stop and take a picture, visit with a neighbor, enjoy the bird songs. I linger over morning coffee. I know this is how it should be, but there’s this little mouse in my brain that thinks I should accomplish things. I sing to myself “It is Well”.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
Audrey Assad

Peace is my one little word for 2024, so I pay attention. Peace comes to me in songs, in the sounds of the birds, in the slowing down of summer.

When I stopped to take pictures in my neighbor’s garden, she said, “Now write a haiku.” She laughed, but that is what I did. Haiku is a perfect form for peaceful nature noticing.

Canopy of oak arms
reaching, tossing tumbling light–
peace attends my soul.
*photo and haiku by Margaret Simon*

Freckled lily blossom
Lonely lighthouse beacon
Pool of goldfish beams
*photo and haiku by Margaret Simon*

Read Full Post »

Spiritual Thursday: Growth

Posted in Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Ellen Bass, growth, raising butterflies on May 2, 2024| 8 Comments »

Spiritual Journey gathering is with Jone today. She offered us the topic of growth.

A friend of mine who knows I love butterflies called to say she had black swallowtail caterpillars all over her dill plant. I said, “I’m coming.” She gave me the whole pot. We have 5 caterpillars on the plant in a butterfly net in my classroom. I pulled out magnifying sheets and invited my students into an inquiry about the caterpillars. We started with what do you already know and then wrote 3-5 questions.

I think the whole process is nature’s magic, but when one student wanted to know what actually happens in the cocoon/chrysalis, we learned that the caterpillar ingests itself. Ew!

Grief can be like this really messy process. Growth only comes from going through the messy muck of grief. I often feel like I’m not doing it right or well. What is really meant when someone says, “She’s handling it well.” I tell you no one handles it well. No one! We handle it how we handle it. Sometimes that means gripping hard to the steering wheel and other times, it’s walking among the wildflowers weeping.

And just when you think you’ve gone the distance, you’ve gotten through, something else comes along to topple you over.

If we stop growing, grieving, changing, we stop living. Growth is happening every day. Spring reveals to us that even the plants that look bare and dormant will leaf out, will bloom, will grow. Don’t ignore the process. Tend it as you would a tiny, fragile caterpillar.

Life
after Ellen Bass, Relax

Bad things are going to happen.
You will leave the milk out;
It will sour.

Bad things that leave you helpless.
A newborn cannot breathe on his own.
You will pray.

Bad things are inevitable.
Some doctor will miss something important.
You will suffer.

Bad things stop us in our tracks.
A squirrel will eat the coolant hose again.
You will be stuck.

But one evening when you’re bone tired,
you will watch a video of your granddaughter.
You will laugh until you cry.

Let it all come. You are living a life.
Margaret Simon

Read Full Post »

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Over the Rainbow

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #haiku, #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Molly Hogan, rainbow on April 24, 2024| 30 Comments »

Welcome to Wednesday This Photo Wants to Be a Poem Day. While you are here, take a moment to be in/ with the featured photograph. When you feel moved to write, write a small poem inspired by the photo. Leave some or all of your creation in a comment. Respond to other writers with positive feedback.

Today’s photo was taken by Molly Hogan. She is a teacher-poet-photographer friend in Maine. When I first saw and saved this photo, I hadn’t seen the full reflection in the water. I’m not sure where this photo was located, but I want to be there today. Don’t you?