Charge: Full Forward

Sleep eludes me
As I wake up early,
But time’s not wasted
As I meditate more.

Three times yesterday,
And twice so far today
I’ve hit the cushion,
And seemed to be well paid.

The same pain
Requires less medication
And less rest;
It’s a remarkable transformation.

Who can say, however,
Whether this is long term
Or merely a coincidental
Splash in the pond.

What ripples may arise
From these results?
Temporary success?
Or, enduring improvement?

Whatever may come,
I’m sailing along,
With the wind and waves,
Charging through my days.

It’s too soon to tell
Where I may be headed,
Whether to an abiding haven
Or an unhappy typhoon of woe;

I won’t know until
I’m arriving
At the next port
Of this striving towards freedom.

Channel: Another Way Through

Doubt still lingers,
But in the dark
These little fireflies
Keep dancing before my eyes,

Nuggets of wisdom
From teachings I read or hear
Continuously appear,
Concise but attention grabbing,

Tiny but profound,
Only here and there
But everywhere I look,
They stop me every time.

I want to quit
But these miniscule hints
Prevent me
From completely giving up.

I always return
With fascination
To the words of the wise,
That resonate unexpectedly;

Their insights surprise;
Their presence,
The very essence
Expressed in human voice.

Changeable: From Doubt to Present

Wrestling with doubt,
Bemoaning years missed out;
Thinking, ‘I can never catch up;
I might as well give up.’

Then it occurred to me,
None of this matters,
As there’s only now
And in now, change is happening.

In this moment
There are infinite possibilities,
Endless potential,
Boundless choice.

Every moment of attention
Brings opportunity for action,
Every alteration in action
Results in a shift in the outcome.

Every adjustment to the outcome
Creates new possibilities
For new action,
And new outcomes.

If all I do is
Pay attention to
These sensations, feelings, and thoughts,
And let them pass through,

Every time I stop clinging
To these processes;
This alone frees me from
The old patterns;

It loosens their hold,
A new future unfolds,
And fresh opportunities
Are revealed.