The "undercurrent" theme for mindfulness practice today, sitting beside a river, brought echoes of the ruminative lockdown. Adrienne led into it with David Whyte's The Well of Grief.
However when it came to the writing there felt to be a need to come ashore... to take hold of the stillness that we've established and bring it with us into the world. Yeats sums it up perfectly, the idea of a taking your refuge with you in your heart:
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
by William Butler Yeats
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.
The Isle of Innisfree is an uninhabited island within Lough Gill, in County Sligo, Ireland, near which Yeats spent his summers as a child. Our writing prompt for today was:
a small cabin I will build there
Many different cabins were built and shared... thanks for submissions below:
by Priscilla Webster
I've had such a rich life.
I loved thanking my body,
I loved thanking my mind.
And I loved my whole self.
THEN we went to Innisfree.
My children's father was born to semi-literate Sligo parents,
but in London.They spent whole summers in Sligo, and I recited this poem
with Bev, learned from Joe.
The isle of Innisfree is tiny, tiny, in a big loch.
I will build my cabin on the shore where I can see the
Pisky Isle whenever I choose to.
And I loved thanking William Butler Yeats.
Horseman pass by.
by Kath Higgens
Will I ever arise?
The scream roars soundlessly through my throat,
deep undercurrent of insecurity and fear throbs below me –
I won’t deny, I will allow.
Will I ever find peace?
Overwhelming sensation of being on the edge,
so close to falling -
I won’t deny, I will allow.
It would be so lovely to detect an anchor,
to feel safe upon the choppy seas,
releasing fear to the winds –
I will allow, I won’t deny.
(Untitled)
by Catrice Greer
A swirl of wind
a gust of past hurts
and truths untold
chaos cracks the foundation
litters the landscape
chicken-fear half-plucked
the barbed wire of my perimeter
long since breached
the sun comes up in the east
and it is all out of turn
I walk to the banks
the back way
backward
retracing my steps
through bramble and brush
to the small stream trickling through
reminds me of childhood
a freedom refreshed
and standing there
in the flora and fauna
safe and untouched I find myself
a smooth pebble meant for skipping
across lakes and sturdy enough to
ride seamlessly un-dammed
through tributaries, outlets,
Oceans
shuttling back to my thoughts
a space nestled near me
I’d barely noticed
perfect for building on flat land
a perfect view
of where I had once traveled
away from the bramble
that is still in view
I settle down and make my peace
in this quiet space
where deer pass by
rabbits play
and animals come to lap
the streamed waters
refreshed
we live together harmonious
with the songs of frogs
crickets, the breezes, and birds
I can make my peace on this piece of dry land
a small cabin I will build there
not to forget it all but to remember
and still in full view
my flowers will grow
flourishing
we will find ourselves
and just for fun
by Louise Terry
I’ve already built my wee hoosie
on the rocky seashore
of my wee island!
I dreamed it. And I did it.
Ok, so I’m lying
but I’m still dreaming...
A small cabin I will build there …
by Joyce Nicholson
Looking west from the westerly fingered shores of Assynt,
Sitting, out, in the infinite blue sky,
On these most ancient of rocks between weathered white sand,
among vast, deep, bogs of soft sleeping peat,
Where lynx, polar bear and reindeer once rambled in Inchnadamph.
Below the shadow of Suilven, rising like a primordial goddess,
She reminds me of the meaninglessness of time and the impermanence of all things.
Sitting, grounded, watching the everchanging weather of thoughts, feelings and embodied responding,
With the whale fins and the eagles wings, the vajras and rupas,
Trying to let go, trying not to grasp at the magnificence of this place.
Thanks to you all...
Kate L: Another excellent session, I love hearing everyone's words. Sadly I have to go as I have a meeting at one. Lovely to see you all
Kate H: Sorry - need to go, neighbour just coming home from hosp. Great session - as ever. xxx
Giovanna : Another beautifully rich session, thank you so much to everyone, especially Adrienne and Bev for leading us so gently.
Louise : so wonderful again thank you both and everyone xx
Phyllis: Thank you for words and Adrienne for your voice
Caroline: another amazing session - thank you everyone x
Joyce: thank you - this is connecting different parts of me ! thanks everyone xxxx
Kay: another wonderful session a perfect balance I do hope that this can go on and on and on forever
Sandra B: Thank you both very much. And thank you for reminding me to thank me and my body for turning up.
Isabel: Aaaaah! ... and breathe ... and mind freed. Thank you.
Kath: I feel such a sense of community with this group and am so grateful for this at this time. Thanks to Adrienne and Bev for creating this.
Mo: thanks to everyone for their words and for their listening.
Hilaire: Thanks everyone. Wonderful session - great to hear how other people responded to the writing prompt. Really value the time without distractions.
Britt: This is the sort of thing that should be prescribed and funded for the general community. It was soulful and drew us into each others' lives. It delivers peace. Long live Writing & Mindfulness sessions. I'm going to try to re-arrange my life to attend the last two sessions. Thank you so much, Bev, for including me and extending the invitation. x